Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1895-07-25
ANN'S HOME COMING.
BY ELIZABETH c. sH1PMAN.

AS ~ ~
Barclay. He knew this himself, but
he had never felt it so strongly as to-
day, when Ann WAS coming home.
Home! What home? He had not re-
allied that he bad lived from house to
house, six months at one place, n
t~welvemonth at another, ever since
he had come down in the world, which
was SO far back hat he did not care to
count the years. The mistress of the
house where he was now living
brought to the door of his room a pile
of clean, warm clothing, and spoke to
him kindly.
NOW, Mr.. Roberts, / want to see
you go fix yo'se'f up nice and genteel.
These are some things I've been get
tim ready 'gainst Ann come home.
just do yo' best to loo spry, and I'll
send old Uncle Josh in to trim yo' hair
a little bit"
He murmured his thanks, his hands
shaking as he took the garments.
Don't mention it, Mr.. Roberts," she
went on, coming into the room to poke
the dying fire. I'm not forgettin' that
the child started away from this house.
l can't help thinkin' about her. She was
such a peart little creature when she
away. An now you say she can just
pick up and play anything she wants
to-"
She looked at the old man to empha-
size the remark. He turned one trem-
ulous hand over the other slowly, and
could think of nothing else to say than
Yes"
He was longing to cross to the man
tel-piece and take a draught from the
squat, brown bottle which stood there.
Then he would be able to answer, vet
he knew he must not drink to-day. Mrs.
jackson saw the glance of desire, and
felt constrained to speak, her voice
deepening under the consciousness of
solemn advice.
"Oh, pray, Mr.. Roberts, don't touch
a drop. 1t would make Ann ashamed,
indeed, to see her father in drink to-
day."
1t vexed him to think Ann was COM
ing home to a shameful father; Ann
who used to love him, faults and all, as
no one else could. If he could only
free his tongue from it's para1yzinc
dryness. His Dent head and folded
hands suggested a humility hat al
most turned Mrs. jackson from her
mission.
Ann, you know, is not the same
child she was. She is a young lady
now, an expects to find her father
different from what he was. 1 don't
reckon she can stand havin' bottles
anywhere but on the sideboa'd,
trained up as she's been by anyone
as strict an set in their ways as yo'
sister Now, don't yo' reckon SO,
too?"
Yes" he assented. The remem
brance of his sister came into his
mind and brought with it a sense of
establishment. But he inwardly re-
pudiated any thought of change in
Ann.
When the door closed a man walked
toward the fireplace, feeling as he
went that he vas bowed and shabby.
A glance in h wavering surface of his
dim shaving mirror confirmed the sem
sation. Shaggy gray hair stood out
around a lined face, rudy naturally,
red now, and glazed from exposure and
drink. He stood pulling at his loeks,
at minute deciding that they
needed to be trimmed, at another
striving to recall how he looked when
Ann went away ten years ago. He
could not remember. No need to re-
call her face. 1t was before him every
instant. But how did he appear in her
eyes? Was he as degraded; as di.
sheveled? Were his hands as rigid; as
SCARED: were they ashesitating; or had
this come to him during the ten years?
And Ann, during the ten years, had
been ascending till she stood like a star
above him. Her letters showed him
that. lie had one in his hand now
which he opened and looked at, striv-
ing to put together the unkempt,
motherly little child he had known,
and these clear elegant characters.
He turned resolutely to dress, and
fought down his feeling. The clothes
were fresh and well-ftting, and he
could not help thinking that he looked
more ''genteel," as Mrs. jackson said,
In the white stnrched shirt and dark
trousers, A rap sounded upon the
door, and, closely following it, APP
peared Uncle Josh with the implements
of his trade. He gave an o~bsequious
laugh.
"Lawd Almighty, Mr.. Robbuts, sub,
I 'clar ] didn't know you. You look so
young"
This hair don't look so young,
Uncle Josh. l reckon you'll have to
give it a right good cropping"
'sDat's SO, sub. Pears lax har desc
days tu'ns gray mighty soon"
Seems to me like I've been gray all
my life. Vas if this gray ten years
ago?"
mo. subj" answered the old negro,
emphatic ally. ttWhen Miss Ann was
sent away, yo' ha'r was as black as
coal"
He tucked the towel around the neck
of the victim and was running his fin
gers through the abundant gray mass
before him, preparatory to his work.
Uncle Josh had the wrinkled hide and
eyes of a great lizard, but his hand
was wonderfully skillful with the razor
and scissors. He now combed up the
locks and clipped the rough ends SO
that they fell in a loose, gray rain
over Roberts face.
"Hit's tuned gray, Mr.. Robbuts,
case it amt been looked after LAX it
ought to be. But hits mighty nice
ha'r. Miss Ann, now, IL change things
a right smart, I reckin. Hill do TUX
good, Mr.. Robbuts. Dat ar dawg is a
along by hisse'f of a night, de Lawd
knows wha'. Hit'n do him good to
have somebody a-lookin' alter him."
He had finished the clipping and now
shook the towel on the hearth. Then
he gathered up the falling hair in a
wad to bury under a stone, SO that it
might not bring bad luck ~npon the