The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-04
MADE HOME HAPPY
THERE Is MUCH REJOICING IN THE
HOUSEHOLD OVER EVENT.
Leon Dickson Returns Home After an
Absence of Nine ycars-The Fatted
Calf Was Not Killed, But Relieved
Pressing Necessities-He Objected
toCuttiug Wood and Made Fortune

There is joy in the household of George
Dickson, farmer residing seven miles
north of Wichita, in kechi township.
A mother weeps tears of JOY over the re-
turn of her long lost son, whom she has
mourned as dead for nine long year. Not
only was he family made joyful by again
seeing the son and brother, but his return
was at an opportune time. and has saved
the homestead of one of Sedgwick county's
early settlers. The farm had been mort
gagged, but by sickness Mr.. Dickson had
failed TO meet his payments, and at the
May term of court judgment of foreclosure
was rendered against him in favor of an
eastern loan company, and the old home
stead, where Mr.. Dickson bad reared his
family, was about to be taken from them
in advanced year. But the prodigal son
came home and yesterday satisfied the
mortgaged in full and the home was saved.
With the disappearance of the son, Leon
Dickson, there is a story, and while young
men cannot be advised to follow the ex-
ample, the story is well worth repeating:
Nine years ago last Saturday, Mr. Dick
son, ST., left his farm for the purpose of
engaging the Brown Threshiug company
to come and thresb his wheat. Before
leaving home he told Leon to take the ak
and cut up an old cottonwood tree at the
back of the farm. Now the AK was dull,
the wood hard, the day hot, and Leon had
a mortal bred OF wood cutting. In vain
did he try to pursuade his father to change
his orders and let him do something else,
but Mr.. Dickson was firm, and
as be left he saw his son slowly march in
the direction of the old cottonwood, but
there was frown upon his brow. Little
did he think that would be the last time
he would see his IS year old boy for nine
long years. But such was the case, aud
from that day until Tuesday of this week
not member of the family has seen or re-
ceived line from the farmer boy.
1t appears that Leon went to the tree and
after cutting a short time returned to the
house, unseen, and secured ms best clothes
and his money, about ST., went to Valley
Center where he took the cars aud became,
as it were, dead to all his loved ones.
In the evening, on the return of Mr..
Dickson, he inquired as to his son, but
was informed that he had not been at home
during his absence. A spelling school was
TO be held at the Star school house. about
five miles from the residence of the Dick
sous. and the father and mother concluded
that Leon had seen some of his young
friends going 10 the school and had con-
cluded to accompany them. This belief
was confirmed on going to his room ana
finding his best clothes were gone.
The kind mother saw that her son was
not forgotten and placed his supper in the
oven to be kept warm for him on his re-
turn. A lamp was left burning and the
door not locked, and Mrs. Dickson, anx-
ious mother, waited awake for his return.
The hours sped away and yet the prOdigal
came not. In the morning the mother
showed the effects of her sleepless night,
and said she felt certain she would not
again see her first born. ITO satisfy an
over-anxious mother" said Mr.. Dickson,
yesterday to a representative of the EAGLE,
Il got on my horse and visited all the
inQuiring for the boy. | finally
found that he had taken the cars at Valley
Center, and had gone. l have gone home
many times with a sad heart, but | be-
lieve that had l followed the boy to hi.
grave | could not have felt worse than /
did when | was compelled to tell his
mother what | had learned. | tried to
excuse myself for compelling him to cut
that dogoned, old cottonwood, HUT it was
in vain. / hated to cut wood when l was
"A boy, and my son had come honorably by
his hatred of wood cutting. AT first be-
lieved he had gone TO his uncles, Jacob
Fling. near Cottonwood Falls, and | i'm
mediately wrote to him. The blow almost
killed my wife, and there vas not an hor-
rible dea'h but what she imagined that
our son had met like fate. Myself aud the
girls tried to divert her mind. but it was
useless and a happy woman from that day
grew lad and want to say. suffered daily.
/ tried to brace myself that he would come
back like the prodigal son in the Bible, but
/ resolved | would not kill the fat ted calf
and would rather kill the prodigal for
whA. he had made us suffer.
Thine passed on. and | tried to increase
my possession. and also to take my wife
back to the scene of her childhood in hopes
the change would do her good. With this
view in mind L listened to the talk OF
Wichita money lender aud placed "A mort
gage on my homestead. OF course the
money received was only small portion
of what the farm was worth at the time
the loan was made, but the hard times set
in, and with other things | found my
homestead was about TO be taken from me
and was to lose the farm | had taken in
my vigorous manhood My wife's health
as well as my own had failed, and were
discussing what we would do to keep the
wolf from the door, with my two daugh-
tiers who are teaching school, when we
We're all astonisbed by hearing the axe
cutting at the wood pile. Ny wife went to
the door and said that a strange man was
cutting wood. WAS hot, for the thought
flushed into my mind that it was some one
who had bought the place under the mort
gage, and | was not go,ug to give posses
sion until next spring. aud with a deter
mined step advanced TO the wood pile.
had not gone far when the young man
came to me, aud throwing his arms about
nv neck, called me father" II may be
weakness or softening of the brain, but
will acknowledge that | wept like a child"
did you know him!" asked The re-
porter.
of course I did. He was the very i'm
ge of his mother. When we reached the
house you should have seen the cOmmo-
ton there, Il was heaven on earth.
swear | would have killed not only the
fatted calf, but every hoof | had on the
place. and tins would not have expressed
my ioy. But he had not been feed swine.
nor had he feed on the husks. He Was
fixed But here he comes, aud | will let
him tell bis story"
The reporter Was introduced to a young
man about - years of age, in the very
the part he played 10 the story of the prod
igal sons return, said:
My part of the story snail be short.
" hen father set me TO cut that old cotton
wovd became Disguised aud resolved 10
try the world for myself OF course |
hated TO leave mother aud my sisters, but
was mad. | went TO Valley Center and
bought a ticket TO Pueblo, Col On ar
irving in Pueblo ! set about hunting
work aud fiDaliy secured a job OF taking a
bunch of government mules To Fort
Union. New Mexico. Here | fell IN with
some men who were going 70 the noun
tnius to mine 1t was the fall OF the year
and this soon failed then went to Den
Yer. where met a man by the name of
who was engaged a. assayer 10
the smelling works. | asked fer work
aud he gave me job in the ss-ayer's
office. ! liked the work and set about to
learn all could about mining. ] was sue