The Columbus journal., 1893-08-30

| Besides the cot, q chair and small
table, there was absolutely nothing
but the picture OF q man in flowing
robe, sitting on stool. on his head
q wreath of thorns. on his face q
wonderful expression of suffering and
resignation.
Another day. when he was nearly
we'll, she told him that in his deIirium
he had told many things. and she
asked him to tell the rest He did,
and she talked to him q long time,
and finally made him promise that
when he left the hospital he would
go homo, and spend the rest of his
life in being a good husband and
father. His story elected substantial
sympathy. and when he was finally
dismissed as cured. he had $50 in his
pocket
The next afternoon he stepped from
the train at his native village. It
looked as it always had. There was
q handsome building. evidently q
hotel, which had been built since he
left, but this was the only change.
He walked rapidly towards his home
Presently grocery wagon drove by.
with d tall, fine-looking man on the
seat. 1t was Tom. George started
to shout. but one of the men who
were walking in front said something
that made him stop
big thing for Tom and his mother
that the old man got out of the way"
Yes" said the other. "good rid
dance, and that life insurance gave
'em q good start. too"
Life insurance! life insurance.!
George was stunned. and like q
wounded animal instantly ran to
cover. He summoned all the self
possession he had. and then. thinking
that he was so changed that no one
would know him. he turned and went
back to the new hotel and went in.
Thank God! the landlord was no one
whom he had ever seen and was alone
in the Office. George made q remark
or two about the trains. and then
asked the landlord if he knew = fellow
named Tom Crowley.
| "Why. of course. who dOn't"
What sort of fellow is hc?"
"Fine. finest we've got, and he's
going to be taken in partnership
with the biggest grocer in this Sec
ton of the country next week. Yes,
fine boy"
didn't he used to have q father?"
"Yes; l never knew him. but I've
heard he was a regular bum, never
did but one good thing in his life.
and that was to take out life in
siirance and then die"
| ..Die?"
"Yes; he disappeared one day, and
about month later they found his
body in a gulch up by the mill road.
Then Wentworth, the man he worked
for, came forward with q life insur-
ancc for 5000 that. it seems, he'd
got Crowley to run, and with it Tom
and his mother got a fine start. and
have done we'll ever since Did you
know Crowley"
Yes" said George. IL used to
know him." and he walked out.
On the crest of bluff overlooking
the village he spent the afternoon.
| Should he make himself known? If
he did, he supposed the life insur-
ance would have to be paid back, and
tho fact that he had been a felon
would soon be found out. and Tom
would be disgraced-might not be
able to get into that partnership.
Maybe, also, if Tom had to pay back
the insurance he would not have
enough to enter the firm. In his rude
way George reasoned it out that the
right thing for him to do was not to
disclose himself. He knew that he
was a wreck. and he. saw that moth
ing but unhappiness would result.
No; he would 60 back to Chicago
that night
The sun setting over the western
hills made the windows in the village
houses glow like Goals. George saw
his own little cottage glisten with
the rest, and the sight unnamed
him. He concluded that there would
be time enough after dark for him to
steal up and take another look ut his
home, and still catch the IL o'clock
train. and with this plan he went
back to the hotel for supper.
About o'clock. weak from his
fever, his disappointment and the
struggle he had gone through, he
stole up to a window Of his house.
There was Tom reading at the table.
there were the other children, all
more or less grown, busy at different
things. but his wife was not there.
He had time to note the general air
of comfort and the happiness in their
faces before she came in. All, there
she was! The same sweet. pale little
woman, just as he had left her. only
he noticed with a pang of remorse
how happy she seemed. He felt that
he must rush in and throw himself
at her feet. and tell her that he
would never abuse her again. that he
would never drink again, that he
loved her even more than he did on
that day. SO many years ago, when
he told her for the first time. He
was almost in the house. but his
resolution held him back. Then a
fierce wave came over him and he
reasoned with himself Why
shouldn't he go in? That was his
house. that was his wife, those were
his children. Who had a better
right? Hadn't she promised to love
him. What if the money would
have to be paid back? Tom was big.
and he himself could still work.
They could soon make it up. lie
had had a hard time. he had been
sick. He was weak. He needed
care. and comfort. and sympathy,
and it was her duty to give it to him.
;: He sprang upon the porch and
seized the door-knob. At that in.
slant a girl in the next house began
to sing and he paused instinctively.
..Whatr' he said, that tune,-the
one the nurse sang to me"'
Then he turned, and tip-toeing of
the porch went to the end of the
l