The Forrest City times., 1894-11-16

had four children"
 "Yes; l had four children, but my youngest is-oh, I don't know where; dead. am sure, as it is years since | heard from him. Poor Mark! He was my comfort"
 ''I heard he was wild"
 He may have been, but if he was, others were to blame He was always good to me. They called him lazy: but he never let me chop stick of wood or draw pail of water I never took any extra steps when he was round. He didn't love to work, maybe. as the others did-he set great store by his books
 Are you comfortable hereo"
 Wees; but it's kind O lonesome sometimes, specially when remember that Abner and Seth and Izannah have all got good, cheery homes of their own. If Mark had lived it would all be different"
 Ut shall be different yet. mother. I am Clara Ballard, your son Marks wife" cried the visitor. embracing and kissing the surprised old lady. "lou shall be in cheery home of your own before this time tomorrow. Willie, come and kiss your grand mother Isn't he the image of his father?' added Clara Ballard, proudly, as the boy came forward at her bid ding
 My Mark is alive again in him."
 Your Mark-our Mark-is himself alive and well, mother He was little wild at first he says, and un. fortunate in everything he un6er- took; but he grew steady, and then he persevered in one thing instead of trying first one then another. and, finally, got into good practice You knew he was a doctor didn't you? No? He is one of the leading phy- sicians in our state. He wrote ever so many letters to you, but got no re- plies, so we thought you were dead
 Il never heard word from him! His brothers were always so afraid he'd come home to be drag on them that one of them must have destroyed those letters. They always got our mail from the office
 He never will be drag on anyone! l know he good son. mother. for he is the best husband that ever lived; and when my uncle died a year ago and left me a fortune, was glad to get it so that we could have more to give away bless him. Come, mother, help me pack your things, and I'll take you home as welcome present to Mark"
 Some one, Clara Ballard never said that she knew who, had inserted in the next .ssne of the Clifton county paper (which Abner and Seth tools) a long article describing the remarkable manner in which "Dr Ballard. our former townsman, now the most able lung specialist in the state of N, than whom there is no more honored, generous and useful citizen in our whole country" found his mother in the Old Ladies home in Fairfield It also gave an account of his handsome house and of the warm, sunny, luxur- ious room which his little ones now call "grandma's room." where they love to gather at twilight and hear long stories of how thoughtful and obedient their father was in his boy ish days.
 Oh, how Abner and Seth did grind their teeth with rage to find that their black sheep was the very reverse of black, not even a gray hue! How one of them wished he had read a certain letter or two before he burned them, unopened; then he would not have known that, instead of begging money, the truant had some to give away. And, horrid thought. mayhap one of those letters had money in it! He never knew, nor dared to ask.- Frances E. Wadleigh, in Demorest's Magazine.
 Willing to Pay for Pointers.