Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-02
SHcRa@Aaer.Aroaswl' oLonAr,

At the expiration Of the four weeks, Garlic,
on Saturday evening than he had promised
Tom came. and slipping unobserved into th,
kitchen stepped up behind Aunt Charity and
put his hands over her eyes. Oats you. Tom
knows it's you; tu'n loose an let yer OLE
NANNY look at 20 once mo- Lord bless dt
boy, how he is crowd
How is you. mammy?' said Tom IAN whars
daddy "Dar he come now--hello daddy %
called Tom, stepping outsuddenly from behind
the door,
The old man let fall his nrmful Of wood and
rushed toward his boy with outstretched arms.
After warm embrace. he looked at his Off
spring fondly, and said ''Yo' gone alright,
Tom7 Amt forgit yer raisin' an nuthinY'
Amt forgit nuihin' daddy: done git er wo' d
| er praise FUN de folks wha. ] wo'k fer, dey
amt fin no fault wild me. an hyah's sv'y
cent o money what yesrut, fotch home fer
yo,, 70 Put erway in de big chist upstairs" The
! old folks were very proud Of him then. and
when he Put on his white hotel ap, on to show
them how he looked in town they gazed at him
WA, with doting love, saying: Now, amt he er
He brought his old nanny some fine snuff.
and Uncle Pete some ''eItry good terbaccer fer
to chaw er Sund ys"-these we're purchased on,
OF tip moneys-and they were abundan,ly sat.
isfed with him. He brought each OF the
children, likewise. some little token of remem.
brance. which served to heighten their regard
for him.
Early on Sunday evening he babe all good
bye. and trudged msrrily of, xsoot, a. he had
come
The close Of another month brought Tom
again. and he always had pleasant stories OF
town life to tell, and never failed TO bring
cheer aud sunlight to Wildwood and through
The entire year his visits were as regular Is
clockwork, regardless Of the weather
Sometimes Uncle Pete would take him back
In the OF cart II the weather was verv bad. but
most Of the time he walked, both coming and
going. 1t was almost New Year again, and as
It Eel! on Friday Tom had promised to come
home on Thursday evening and stay until Sun
day night and there was great rejoicing over
this good news by the old parents and the
children at Wildwood Thursday evening
found Aunt Charity ''spruced W" with little
brighter headdress; new apron and white
kerchief around her neck. standing in the
kitchen door looking for Tom, her fuce full Of
smiles and her heart full of love; but although
she kepta cheerful fire In the big kitchen fire
place and good supper for HIM, Tom did not
come. All the next day he was anxiously
looked for, but was not seen, and sad New
Year 1t was for the old folks
Saturday came and Aunt Charity said she
"b hevd' he was Coming that night Just like
he had always done, maybe he couldn't get off
from his work, and surely he would come
Saturday evening. But still he did not come
and the quiet sabbath morning brought 10
news Of the truant. Then Aunt Charity's
mother love decided the course TO pursue.
''Ole man" she said, 'dar stump n up. sho's
20 baun, dar's sump'n nifty wrong; dat po'
boys sick, er sump'n done happen to i'm.
Now, 70 Jes go an hitch up ole Jerry to de
cyart, an go as fas' as yo' kin. an see what all
our boy case l feels in hyah, ole man, sump'n
de matter. Ef Tom done git sick, yo' look in
his chist an dar yull fin er little calicer sack
full o YARDS, an yo' knows what to do wild en-
good as does, an hyah-put dis buckeye in
one breaches pocket, an er rabbit foot in
tother, fer to be sho' err good luck; an fetch
him hone, case his ole nanny done gone er
mos crazy fer to see him."
Uncle Pete did as he was directed by his ''ole
oman and was soon on the way to c.
the old OK going at full speed.
Aunt Charity kept good dinner hot for the
travellers TILL late enough to add hot supper
to 1t, and then, long afterward. she heard the
creaklng Of the cart wheels and ran out in the
bright moonlight to embrace her boy, but there
was only Uncle Pete, slowly and deliberately
unhitchng old Jerry
''Whars TOMB" demanded sbe.
HE sin town. whar lef' i'm, ole oman"
'Look hyah, Pete, none o. yer foolin' wild me-
now, case tells 20, ole man-rs mos done fer
Whar NY boy?'
"War he sick?''
"No be want"