Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1892-12-28
HE VISITED HIS OLD HOME

"Hello, Jim! Where have you been
lately ?" shouted broker the other
evening to a portly, finely dressed
man in the corridor of the Fifth Ave-
nue. Hotel The gentleman stopped,
shook hands with his friend, and re-
piled. "I've been home to see my old
father and mother for the first time in
sixteen years, and I tell you, old man,
I wouldn't have missed that visit for
all my fortune"
"Kind o. good to visit your boy
hood home, eh? ?"
"You bet. Sit down. I was just
thinking about the old folks and feel
talkative. Ifyou have few moments
to spare, sit down, light cigar and
listen to the story of rich man who
had almost forgotten his father and
mother"
They sat down and the man told his
story
"How came to visit my home hap
pened in a curious way. Six weeks
ago went down to Fire Island, fishing.
I had lunch put up for me, and you
can't imagine my astonishment when l
opened the hamper to find a package
of crackers wrapped up in d piece of
the little, patent-inside, country week.
ly published at my home in Wisconsin.
read every word of it, advertisements
and all. There was George Kellogg,
who was schoolmate of mine, adver-
tising hams and salt pork, and anoth-
err boy was postmaster. By George!
it made me homesick, and l detirmin-
ed then and there to 60 home and 60
home did"
ain the first place l must tell you
how came to New York. l had a
tiff with with my father and left home.
l finally turned up in New York, with
a dollar in my pocket. I got job
running freight elevator in the very
house in which l am now partner.
My haste to get rich drove the thought
of my parents from me, and when l
did think of them, the hard words that
my father last spoke to me ranked in
my bosom. Well, I went home.
tell you, John, my train seemed to
creep. 1 was actually worse than
school boy going home for vacation.
At last we nearcd the town. Familiar
sights met my eyes, and, upon my
word, they filled with tears. There
was Bill Lymon's red barn just the
same; but-great Scott what were all
the houses? We rode nearly q mile
before coming to the station, passing
many houses of which only an occas-
ional one was familiar. The town
had grown ten times its size when l
knew it. The train stopped and 1
jumped off. Not face in sight knew,
and I started down the platform to 60
home. In the Office door stood the
station-agent. I walked up and said:
'Howdy, Mr.. Collins p
"He stared at me and replied:
"You've got the best of me, SIR
81 told him who I was and what /
had been doing in New York, and he
didn't make any bones in talking to
me. Said he: "It's about time you
came home. You in New York rich,
and your father scratching gravel to
get bare livingn
II tell you, John, it knocked me all
in heap. 1 thought my father had
enough to live upon comfortably.
Then notion struck me. Before 60
ing home l telegraphed to Chicago to
one of our correspondents there to
send me 81 900 by first mail. Then l
went to Mr.. Collins back office, got
nv trunk in there, and put on an
old hand-me-down suit that used for
fishing and hunting. My plug hat l
replaced by soft one, took my valise
in my hand and went home. Some
how the place didn't look right. The
currant bushes had been dug up from
the front yard, and the fence was gone.
All the old locust trees had been cut
down and young maple trees were
planted. The house looked smaller
somehow, too. But 1 went up to the
front door and rang the bell. Mother
came to the door and said: 'We don't
wish to buy anything today, sir
1t didn't take me minute to survey
her from head to foot. Neatly dressed
John, but q patch and Il darn here and
there, her hair strcaked with gray, her
face thin, drawn and wrin1ed. Yet
over her eyeglasses shonc those good,
honest, benevolent eyes. l stood star
ing at her, and then she began to stare
at me. | saw the blood rush to her
face, and with a great sob she threw
herself upon me, and ncrvously clasp
ed me about the neck, hysterically
crying "It's Jimmy, it's Jimmy!
"Thcn l cried, too, John. | just
broke down and cried like Il baby.
She got me into the house, hugglng
and kissing me, and then she went to
the back door and shouted, 'George! !
"Father called from the kitchen,
What do you want, Car'line?
"Then he came in. He knew me IN
q moment. He stuck out his hand
and graspcd mine, and said sternly:
well, young man, do you propose to
behave yourself now?'
"He tried to put on IL brave front,
but he broke down. There we three
sat like whipped school-childrcn, all
whimpcring. At last supper time
came and mother went out to prepare
it. Invent into the kitchen with her.
"'Wherc do you live Jimmy" she
asked.
"In New York, replied.
"'What are you working at now,
Jimmy?'
"'I'm working in a dry-goods store
"'Then don't suppose you live very
high, for | hear tell % them city clerks
what don't get enough money to keep
body and soul together. So I'll just
tell you. Jimmy, we've got nothin' but
roast sparcribs for supper. We amt
got any money now, Jimmy. We're
poorer nor Jobs turkey
II told her | would be delighted
with the spareribs, and to tell the truth,
John, | haven't eaten a meal i'll New
York that tasted as good as those crisp
roasted spareribs did. spent the
evening playing checkers with father,
while mother sat by telling me all
about their misfortuncs, from old
white Mooley getting drowned in the
pond to fathers signing note for Il
| friend and having to mortgage the
the place to pay it. The mortgage
was due inside of il week and not
cent to meet it with-just $500. She
supposed they would be turned out of
house and home but in my mind l
supposed they wouldn't. At last 3
o'clock came and father said: Jim,
90 out to the barn and see if Kit is all
right. Bring in al armtul of old
! Lii nrlns thnt avn inst inside the door