Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-08-09

burning chimney against the gray sky,
white as feathers from swans breast
when they crossed the dark branches
and trunks of the forest trees; the first
snow of winter that was, and while it
made the birds creep into the close
places of the hedges, and the old folks
think about their rheumatics as they
drew near to the fire, it only made the
young folks and children laugh mer-
rily as they sought the open lanes to
watch the downpour, while they
thought of the fun the morrow would
bring them if the storm kept like that
all night.
But Jack Bridges did not seem to
relish this aspect of nature, although
he was young enough to have done so,
as he sat shivering inside his great
coat on the front seat of the dog-cart
which was taking him from the station
to his native village, but then he had
been abroad for the past three years
and was at present bringing back sad
news of death and that always is
is enough to make man shivcry and
miserable looking.
After he had seen his own people he
had to face the parents of his chum,
Tom Naylor, and break to them the
news of their sons death and burial
in a strange land; he had also to face
the sweetheart of his chum, Annie
Holmes, and tell her what might per-
haps break her heart, that is if the
money he was bringing to her from
her dead lover failed to console her for
the loss of the man himself. There fore
uncertain about his reception, he sat
now beside the driver gnawing the end
of his long tawny mustache, with the
lappits of his furry coat drawn over his
cars, while he watched the coming
down of those fakes so long strangers
to him.
He was once more in old England,
and coming to his own place wealthy
man, which he had left three years
before along with his friend and school
mate, and only five pounds between
them over and above their passage
money. They had gone to Australia
and taken to gold digging, and after
two and half years of colonial hard
lines and vicissitudes they had at last
found fortune in n lucky claim. But
with the strange irony of fate, the
hole which had enriched them had
proved the death and grave of poor
Tom, leaving Jack as his legatce to
carry home the riches they had
worked so hard for and do justice to his
memory.
They had both made theirwills when
the claim showed signs OF yielding a
e. IL. F..;- 1 -
Jack had acted like the honest fellow
he was and divided their joint fortune
equally, twenty thousand pounds
for himself, and twenty thousand in
two parts, one half to go to the sweet
heart who was left disconsolate, and
the rest to the father and mother who
would see their son no more this side
of the grave.
Honest Jack Bridges had hard task
before him on this early winter after
noon, for he had to recount how he
left his dead friend far away from civ
ilization, with the trouble they had to
get there together, and the terrible
hardships he had endured in the get
ting away from that desolate and fatal
claim, and doubtless he was thinking
upon this as he regarded the bleak
sky, with fixed stern, gray eyes, while
he kept chewing at the ends of his mus
tache.
At last the dog-cart drove up to his
boyhood's home, and his fond parents
were blest with the sight of their long
absent son, now tall, handsome, sun
tanned man, albeit the sufferings he
had endured had left their traces, for
he had bad cough, and crouched to-
gether as he got as near to the blazing
fire as he could. His face looked
pinched and careworn, but he was a
rich man now, and could make himself
and his parents comfortable all their
lives, therefore they trusted that he
would soon lose that nervousness, and
be again the jovial Jack of yore.
He had duty to perform, so as soon
as he had answered few of his friends
numerous questions, he went off while
supper was getting ready, to see the
parents and sweetheart of poor Tom.
He told his story simply and manfully,
and then left them to digest their sor-
row and examine the bank drafts
which he had placed in their hands.