The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-08-22

He was the most popular man on
board the steamer.
Everybody liked him, from the cap
tain 70 the babies in the Storage; and
the ladies booked upon him a absolute
IL indispensable 70 their comfort
Before We had been out Of Queens
town t,Eensv-four hours he knew every
body on board, although he was not
pushing or intrusive; he simply made
friends 10y the geniality Of his man
ner.
It was one Of those voyages unusJsl-
Iy mild and calm, where man Of his
type comes pre-eEninently to the fore a.
an organizer and leader in all siIruse-
ments.
On sunday his voice led the choir,
and the concert was entirely under ms
management.
He talked well but never Of himself
He was well read, had evidently tray
eled much and seen the world in all it,
phass-s-yet ] felt positive that under
all this geniality and bright, almosa
feyerish gaiety, lay heart history that
had been the means Of making him
prematurely gray, for he was not old,
fhirty-three OF four at the most, and
Vet his face in repose wore settled
look Of sadness that comes to those who
have seen long years of mental troub-
le
For some reason OF other he and
drifted naturally together. i strange
eompanionship, for / was old enough
10 De his mother, and yet we were en-
tirely eongenial, and often wondered
If he would ever raise the veil over the
past and let me al least read what was
written there.
One night the very last Of the vcy-
age, for We expected the pilot on board
in the morning-he and l sat in the
shadow Of the life-boats watching the
sun set. The sky was dyed "a burning
red, even after the sun itself had drop
psd beneath the waves.
All day he had seemed more than
usually active, and now a he left my
side and walked over To the rail he
startled me 10y the eager intensity Of
his gaze into the west, - though he
would strain his eyes and see the fair
harpor we were approaching.
Are you glad we are - near New
York; / asked at length.
''Glad?'' he repeated, with - much
intense feeling in that one word that
was almost sorry had broken in on
his reverie.
He gave one lingering backward
glance al the sky a. if lOath 10 leave 80
lovely sight, and then resumed his
seat by my side.
''Mrs. Morgan yOc do not know
What home hunger j., Of course; y0u,
with your house IN London, your Fifth
avenue mansion and your villa at New
P0r, have three homes. and can come
and 20 where the fancy suits yOu-but
there is but one home to Ine, aud that
home I have seen only in my dreams
for eight years.
''Hou and have been good friends
and somehow | feel can talk 10 you,
though il i seldom ! speak of my his
tory 10 any one The strain now,
thank God, Is nearly over" he added
ferventiy, and intend 10 tell you all
about it tonight, our lasJ uight, for to-
morrow / viii 20 home"
For few moments ne was silent, a.
though the thought Of tliai home was
more precious tllan ali else
IT j. long story and I fear 1 viii
tire you. he said with his cVer-ready
tholght for Others, a. he rearmnged
the pillows at my hack aud placed an
extra rug around rle, for the sun had
ST and it was growing chill.
When / assured him Of any interest
he fixed his ey,-S on the last faint streak
of Ted, and in voice soh"ned by Old
memories he told me his story.
As I ss,il before, my home would
seem poor thing 10 actually l,e hungry
for. IL i only low, rambling farm
hJuse set la = lovely smiling valley,
with no architectural beauties, no mod
ern appliances, no luxurious furniture
o5raHe old paintings, but il i my home,
and the murmuT OF the brock a. it
babbles along over the stOn,s l. sweet
er music iiIan piano or organ, and the
horSe hair furniture and the rag carpet
/ would not exchange for the most lux
Hrious divans il the Sultan's palace.
have not always loved my home a.
do now. A. boy il was simply
grand old place 10 have fun in, a place
To eat and sleep. In later years when
] went 70 college and returned there for
my vacations. it seemed poor and mean
compared with the town houses Of
some Of my ehums, and | would be
glad TO get away.
OF course if I had had q mother
things would have been different, for
woman can, with her def fingers,
make home out Of hovei: but my
mother died when l was born, and
father and / kept house together. Our
farm joined that Of an old gentleman.
similarly situated i'm life, save that his
one charge was 4 daughter Ii was
natural, Of course, that she and
should be playmates, and playmafes
We We're The highest praise | could
give her was that / would rather play
with her than any boy knew; but
when returned from my first term al
Yale the little tom-bsy had blossomed
out into tall, slender girl, OF whom |
was little afraid and altogether inl0ve.
BY the end Of my vacation We were
fulI-aedged lovers, though in secret,
for even at that tlme We were wise