Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-03-03

hnancier, and ON whose purblind Edin
purgh eyes John was to let in the daz
cling daylight of the West; and the
details in general of that unrivalec
transformation scene, in which he wa.
to display to all Edinburgh a portly
and successful gentleman in the shoes
OF the derided fugitive.
The time began to draw near when
his father would have returned from
the office, and it would be the prodi.
gals cue to enter. He strolled west
ward by Albany street, facing the sun
set embers, pleased, he knew not why,
to move in that cold air and twilight,
starred with street lamps. But there
was one disenchantment waiting him
by the way.
At the corner of Pitt street he
paused to light fresh cigar; the
vesta threw as he did so a strong
light upon his features, and a man
of about his own age s.c-- ped at sight
of it.
al think your name must be Mich
olson" said the stranger.
1t was too late to avoid recognition;
and, besides, as John was now actually
on the way home, it hardly mattered,
and he gave way to the impulse Of
his nature.
"Great Scott!" he cried; "Beatson!"
and shook hands with warmth. 1t
scarce seemed he Yves repaid in kind.
$50 you're home againP" said Beat
son. Where have you been all this
long timer"
''ln the States" said John. Cali
fornia, I've made my pile, though;
and it suddenly struck me that it
would be a noble scheme to come
home for Christmas"
81 see," said Beatson. '"Well, /
hope we'll see something of you, now
you're here"
Oh, guess So" said John, little
frozen.
"Well, ta-ta," concluded Beatson,
and he shook hands again and went.
This was cruel first experience.
1t was idle to blink at facts; here was
John home again, and Beatson-Old
Beatson-did not care a rush. He re-
called Old Beatson in the past-that
merry and affectionate lad-and their
joint adventures and mishaps, the
window they had broken with cata-
pult in India place, the escalade of
the castle rock, and many another in
estimable bond of friendship; and his
hurt surprise grew deeper. Well,
after all, it was only on a mans own
family he could count. Blood was
thicker than water, he remembered,
and the net result of this en-
counter wSs to bring him to
the doorstep Of his fathers house,
with tenderer and softer feelings.
The night had come; the fanlight
over the door shono bright; the two
windows of the dining room where |
the cloth was being laid, and the
three windows of the drawing room
where Maria would be waiting dinner,
glowed softlier through the yellow
blinds. 1t was like vision OF the
past. All this time of his absence,
life had gone forward with an equal
foot, and the fires and the gas had
been lighted, and the meals spread,
at tue accustomed hours. At the ac-
customed hour, too, the bell had
sounded thrice to call the family to
worship. And at the thought,a pang
Of regret for his demerit seized him;
ne remembered the things that were
good and that he had neglected, and
'he things that were evil and that he
had loved; and it was with a prayer
lpon his lips that he mounted the
steps and thrust the key into the key
lole.
He stepped into the lighted hall,
hut the door softly behind him, and
TODD there fixed in wonder. No sur
'rise of strangeness could equal the
of that complete familiarity.
There was the bust of Chalmers near
he stair-railings, there was the
'lcthes-brush in the accustomed place;
md there, on the hat-stand, hung the
rats and coats that must surely be the
anne as he remembered. Ten wears
lropped from his life, as a pin NAV
lip between the fingers, and the
'cean and the mountains, and the
rowded marts and mingled races of
'an francisco, and his own fortune
nd his own disgrace, became. for
hat moment the figures of dream
hat was over. '
He took off his hat and moved me-
toward the stand land there
% found small change that was a
reat one to him. The pin that had
cen his from boybood, where he had
ung his balmoral when he lojtered [
ONE from the academy, and his first
at when he came briskly back from {
ollege or the office-his pin was oc- y
upied. "They might have at least c
expected my pin!' he thought, and c
Q was moved as by slight, and be- Z
an at once to recollect that he was a
ere an interloper,in strange house. /
Inch he had entered almost by a s
urglary and where at any moment S
Q might be scandalously challenged. q
He moved at once, his hat still in \
is hand, to the door of his fathers {
Dom, opened it, and entered. Mr.. 4
icholson sat in the same place and 4
osture as on that last Sunday MORN {
lg; only he was older, and rraver. Z
nd cfa |