Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-03-25
TWO HOME COMINGS.
WHEN JIM WENT HOME.


How came to visit my home hap
pened in a curious way. Six weeks age
l went down to Fire Island fishing.
had had a lunch put up for me, and
you can imagine my astonishment
when opened the hamper to find a
package Of crackers wrapped up in a
weekly published at my home in Wis
consin. l read every word Of it, ad-
vertisements and all. There was Geo.
Kellogg, who was a schoolmate Of
mine, advertising hams and salt pork,
and another boy was postmaster. By
George, it made me homesick, and |
determined then and there to go home,
and 90 home l did.
In the first place, l must tell you
how came to New York. l had a
tiff with my father and left home. |
finally turned up in New York with a
dollar in my pocket. I got job run
ming freight elevator in the very
house in which | am now partner.
Ny haste to get rich drove the thought
of my parents from me, and when l
did think of them the hard words that
my father last spoke to me ranked In
my bosom. Well, l went home. l
tell you, John, my train seemed to
creep. l was actually worse than a
schoolboy going home for a vacation.
At last we neared the town. Familiar
sights met my eyes, and, upon my
word, they filled with tears. There
was Bill Lyman's red barn just the
same ; but, great Scott, what were all
the other houses? We rode nearly a
mile before coming to the station, pass
ing many houses of which only an oc-
casional one was familiar. The town
had grown to ten times its size when
l knew it. The train stopped and |
jumped off, Not face in sight l
knew, and I started down the plat
form to go home. In the office door
stood the station agent. walked up
and said, "Howdy, Mr.. Collins?"
He stared at me and replied, "YOu We
got the best of me, sir.
told him who was and what |
had been doing in New York, and ne
didn't make any bones in talking to
me. Said he: "Its about time you
were coming home-you in New York
rich, and your father scratching gravel
to get living"
l tell you, John, it knocked me all
in heap. thought my father had
enough to live upon comfortably.
Then notion struck me. Before 60
ing home l telegraphed to Chicago to
one of our correspondents there to send
me $1,000 by first mail. Then went
into Mr.. Collins back Office, got my
trunk in there and put on an old hand
me-down suit that used for fishing
and hunting. Ny plug hat l replaced
by soft one, took my valise in my
hand and went home. Somehow the
place didn't look right. The currant
bushes had been dug up from the front
yard and the fence was gone. All the
old locust trees had been cut down
and young maple trees were planted
The house looked smaller, too, some-
how. But l went up to the front door
and rang the bell. Mother came to
the front door and said, 1--WE don't
wish to buy anything today, sir"
1t didn't take minute to survey
her from head to foot. Neatly dressed,
John, but patch here and there, her
hair streaked with gray, her face thin
and wrinkled. Yet over her eyeglass-
es shone those good, honest, benevo-
lent eyes. I stood staring at her, and
then she began to stare at me. l saw
the blood rush to her face, and with a
great sob she threw herself upon me
and nervously clasped me about the
neck, Historically crying, Its Jimmy
It's Jimmy |"
Then l cried, too, John. l broke
down and cried like baby. She got
me back to the house, hugging and
kissing me. Then she went to the
back door and shouted, George u
Father called from the kitchen, "What
do you want, Car'ine ?"
Then he came in. He knew me in
a moment. He stuck out his hand
and grasped mine firmly, and said
sternly, "Well, young man, do you
propose to behave yourself now 2"