Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1896-03-05
A SONS RETURN HOME.
Trifing with Sacred Things-A Lesson for
Young People.

Young People.
The Hill cottage overlooked the rail
road station, and all of the family were
on the porch watching for the train
to come in, except the minister, who
was back by the track. He stood apart
so that nobody should speak to him.
He had not been able to control his
voice all day, for was not his boy COM
ing home; Willy, who had been gone
more than two years? The best boy
ever a father had! He had told the
girls many times that their brother
never had yielded to temptation, like
other boys; never drank, never sworc,
and was so capable and honest that,
young as he was, he had been sent to
the west by the great business firm
that employed him as their confiden-
tial agent.
His mother, for the first time in sew
chair to the porch. The son knew how
near to death she had been, but what
q shock it would be to him to see her
white face! And Uncle Joe Wing, the
uncle that Willy loved, had gone, too.
Willy had always been his boy. The
old man had died blessing him. 1t
would be sad homecoming, after all.
The train pulled into the station
and stopped. There the young man
was, laughing and waving his hat! He
jumped down, tripped, fell, but stag
gered to his feet.
Right side up with care!" he shout
ed. "How do, governor2"
The old minister tried to speak, but
almost broke down. 30, VIII, you are
here at last! Thank God!" he said.
"Ycs, sir, I'm on hand! Always
punctnal to appointments except with
creditors! Ha! Ha! Take?"
His father put his hand on his arm.
as they walked up the hill. "Are you
greatly in debt, my SOM" he asked,
anxiously. you said"
pooh! Not cent! 1t was just
my jokelet. Hillo! Here come the
girls! Nice pair of ponies, eh?"
''There is your mother. You know we
had almost lost her, Willy" said Mr..
Hill.
Something like tears rose to the
young mans eyes, but he giggled in
anely as he hurried forward.
"Well, mater! You gave old Catch
the slip this time! / tell you, was
glad of that. And all the little Hills
skipped for joy'-How does 1t go now"
There was an uneasy silence for mo-
ment. Then they gathered about hin,,
and brought him into the house.
"There Is your chair, Will, in the old
place." said his father. Poor Uncle
Joe Wing never would let the girls
touch it. If he only could see you sit
ting in it to-day!"
"Yes," he replied, grave for a mo
ment. Then he laughed. 81 say! II
he's an angel he did not need to be
Winged, Ell? Take?"
They looked at him in real amaze.
ment. This increased as the day wore
on. The Hills were a gay, intelligent
family, fond of wit and humor. But
it was difficult to laugh when VIII spoke
OF the Bible as the "Goo-goo Book"
or the conversion of men as flashing
in of the goats" or when he told his
mother she had "won the game, as she
had her Little JOKER" No matter how
solemn the subject, he was uneasy until
he had smirched it with miserable puns,
and had cried: "Take?"
When his father and mother were
alone that night, the old minister sat
with his head buried in his hands.
"Why need you be so troubled?" his
wife said at last "After all, we have
reason to think our boy has come home
to us an honest man. He has not even
small vices-he does not drink nor
smoke"
ut is almost better he should have
small vices and feel remorse and over
come them, than feel nothing!" cried
the old man. "He is learning to turn
love, and life, and death, and God Him.
self into matter for n joke"
at seems to me that the tendency of
the young people of the time" plead
ed Mrs. Hill, lis to dismiss serious sub
jects with Indifference"
"Then may God be merciful to them
and the time!" said the minister, stern
ly.-Youth's Companion.