The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-04-02
He LIT OUT.
4 New Version of the Departure and Re.
turn of tho Wayward Son.

turn of tho Wayward Son.
am reminded of n certain willful boy
we have all either known or been just such
one-an aggrieved, unapprecated boy,
who grew to dislike his own home very
much, and found his parents not at all up
to the standard of his requirements rs a
son and disciplinarian. So he brooded sui
lenly over his disheartening surroundings
and limitations; and of course knowing
the outside world would afford him adyan-
tages never to be found at home, he lit out
one morning before breakfast, and climb
| ing over the back fence and bitterly shak-
| ing his fist at the woodpile, he vanished
himself away" down the turnpike. Yes;
he had at last put into execution his long
muttered threatenings. He had run away
| from homel
His parents, at the discovery OF his flight,
bore up first rate-especially the father.
Possibly he had been u much abused boy
himself some time, and OWNED that even
then his wayward son was disporting him.
self in the delights of the swiSming hole
where in rnlity he was, az where he
stoically remained throughout the day
save ut one furnishing interval in which
he sneaked far enough away to raid a
neighboring orchard The other BOYS
went home at dinner time-but he, alas
he had no home
AT least he tried to think these very
words, and with very biting irony, but
his lip trembled frequently that long long
feverish afternoon, and there was getting
to be knotted, rigid sort of an aching spot
thpnqt n h,,z
when he didn't notice it than when he did.
1t was very curious, selfassertiye, opin-
donated sort Of pain. But he wrestled
with it and swallowed at it until almost
dark; then, with the last struggling crowd
Of his companions, he moved torDidly in
toward home, or rather oozed that way.
with loathful, hesitating, reluctant, late.
election-rcturns characteristic, somewhat
heightened perhaps by the inward resolve
OF chopping an armful of wood Is he went
in by way Of the kitchen And he did this,
but the hired girl, who was washing the
supper dishes, made no comment OF any
| kind.
lie ranged through the pantry with ap-
parent carelessncss, but the cupboard was
locked. He went out to the porch, where,
at least, the pump met him kindly and
shook hands with him. and he drank long
and deep to their more enduring acquaint.
ance, The back yard, in the settling gloom.
was lonesome, but it looked good, and the
lightning bugs, against the grapevines,
blinked ut him with kind of sallow glad
ness over his return. His heart was soft
ening. He walked thoughtfully to the
| min hDrpnl ~ tba r,pnor % 81, H.. .-.
peered in at the few faint stars reflected
there. Then, moved by some strange i'm
pulse, he washed his feet.
He then went into the house and ON
straight into the room where sat his M.
rents blythe evening lamp The father was
intently reading the paper, the mother in
tently sewing. Neither looked up at his
entrance, even reprOachfully, and neither
spoke. The boy drew long, quavering
sigh, and sat down on the remote edge of
chair. All was still in the room for n
long time-yery still; but everything
seemed SO kind and restful and old fash
ioned and homely and kin to him! Only
If somebody would say something-or
come and box him. nyhow!-anything
| Why, Lord bless 'em, wasn't he there
ready to gratefully accept anything from
themy But that silencel If the clock
would only strike and drown the whisper
ing, sitting sound of the katydids outside
in the dewy grass.
From afar off, down some alien street
he heard the faint halloo of the BOYS at
their nightly game of town fox'' with no
desire whatever to be a participant in their
| sport-no, never again in the world He
| just wanted to stay in of uights-ripht
there at home-always. He coughed-
hoarsely, too-and shifted his position
but no vaguest parental notice or solici
tude in response-no word-no look. Oh
it was very still. He couldn't Just remem
Der any prior silence that at all approached
1t in point Of such profundity of depth and
density of hush And he felt that he him.
self must break it; so, summing every
subtle artiiice of seeming nonchalance to
his aid, and gazing pcnsively ut the cat
| curled in its wonted corner of the hearth
at last he spoke out airily and said, 81 see
you've got the same old cat. t."--Indianap
oils Journal