Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-07-28

Hame unto his ain cOuntrie:
The first he met on his own land,
1t CHANGED to be beggar man.
The beauty of Lord LOvel's woods
was invisible to the man who after dark
that night traverSed them with now
hasty, now lingering steps, inhaling
with an odd sense of memory the crushed
scent of the wild flowers that from time
to time he trod under foot.
No friendly CLEAN of light beckoned
him toward the ancient house; no voice
save hireling'S was likely to be up
lifted in his welcome; and that sense of
chillneSS with which we approach a
place of which hearts once made home
oppressed the Wanderer as he crossed
his own threshold, and hearkened to the
long reverberations of the great bell as
it changed through the lonely, deserted
place.
At last woman came; but, before
she could ask question, he had passed
her, and was standing in the midst of
the dining-hall, when, amazed at his
audacity, lamp in hand, she had shut
the hall door and overtaken him.
81 want job" he said; will you send
him to me?" And his voice and man
ner being of that sort which wins prin-
cess and peasant alike flor, after all, a
princess, however finely she laces her
bodice, can do no more than have wO-
mans heart inside it,, she departed, and
presently an elderly serving-man enter
ed, who looked scrutinizingly at his
visitors back, at that moment turned
toward him.
For moment he stood, his pulses
beating between doubt and hope; then,
as the other turned in his walk. he ran
forward, and Selling the young man in
his arms, cried out in parOXysm of
love and joy
80 you've come home at last, my
dear, dear little Master Frank"
YES. Job; come back at last" said
his master, laying his hand on the old
mans shoulder; land come home to stay
please God"
That's good hearing" said Job, re-
treating step to gaze at his neW-found
treasure: but what brought you home
so sudden-like?" he added, certain mis-
givings darting painfully through his
mind.
Il got home-sick," said the young
fellow, still resolutely fighting off GER
tain thought that had beset him ever
since he set foOt'On English soil; land,
perhaps, | was tired OF playing school
boy, and wanted to benny own MASTER
and yours, too, old friend" he added.
in that honest palm all the welcome
man could desire.
God bless your little heart!" said
Job, to whom the birth of Frank
was mere matter Of yesterday, and
this stalWart young soldier no bigger
than the tOddling child whose steps he
had SO often guarded from danger: "but
no bells rung! no carriage to meet you'll
What'll folks say to your coming homo
I'm this promiskis sort of way?"
THAT as I've been travelling since
daybreak | must be hungry" said
Frank, Selling the candle. Come
along, Job. I've ransacBed the larder
too often not to knOWltS whereabouts"
Job. as he followed those light heels,
thought how bright the house had all
at once become with that sunshine
which his young master carried with
him everyWhere-in at the chinkS OF
mems hearts, and lonely places that the
sun had forgotten, and, in short, into
every nook and corner where his eye
glanced, and his step came. And travel
stained as he was, he yet made one OF
those lovely figures thatno man nor Wo-
man either could look on without adj
mlratlOn OF that sort which leans &c
love.
"A poor home-comingp said Job
shaking his head as he served his mas
ter at the kltcnen-table; land you've
come bit too early or bit too late, y
he added below his breath, wistfully
searching Franks face for the wicked
ness nowhere to be found in it.
The young fellow caught the look, and
colored. He too longed, yet feared to
ask certain question, but it was I'm.
asked still when at midnight he stood
alone in his chamber. and, drawing
aside the curtain from his mothers
picture, answered in words to the mute
welcome her lips seemed to speak.
I've come home, mother he said
simply, just as though she heard him
and you'll help me;' and perhaps sht
did hear her boy, and did help him
aiterward-who knows? Sleep was i'm
possible to him; here, under his Owl