The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-12-17

die. shall taste tonight of such food as
we ate that night. All that we had. I
would give up all my riches II might eat
It with my loved ones, but 1t Is not to be
not to be. F"
His chin came down upon his breast
He was a statue Of despair Clearly to mo
he was also crazy. He would have been
considered so by any man In my place
Plainly enough he had worked himself
into a frenzy and at that moment was suf-
fering from a reaction While he was In
that mood and / was wondering what to
do with him or for him there was a flash
Of light, touch on my arm and whis-
pered:
"John, what Is the NATTER" It was
Toinette, with my bullseye lantern.
"You were so long gone that mother be-
gan to fret and worry and l said that we'd
90 after you. She's outside. Don't COL
III get her" And she was out and back
again before could do anything.
"a crazy man." whispered, and gave
them chance to peep. All three were
watching the mans back, when with
heavy sigh, he raised his head, moved to-
ward the front door and thence out upon
the little porch. There were choking and
gasping noises at my side and somebody
clutched at my arm and hung on 1t heavily
It was for moment only, for the pressure
was instantly lightened and mothers voice
said
John John! That man Is David! I'm
sure of it. Let me get to him'' And the
frail little woman actually struggled to
put me aside, and doubtless would have
screamed had not clapped my hand over
her mouth.
"Hushl Be calmr' said. "It Is well
to be certain before we act"
John, there's the table set just as It
was set the night he disappeared and in
the same ROOM And this Is the anniver.
sary night Please let me in, John"
"Yes, mother, If you and Toinette will
do Just as I wish," for had plan In nv
mind to test the matter. This being agreed
upon and the heavy tramp Of the man still
sounding upon the porch, almost carried
the two women from where we stood to
the vacant chairs, into which they dropped
in q half faint AS turned away lower
ed the wick of the small lamp so that dis
covery would not be immediate The wait.
ing was a long one-intolerable to the two
weak creatures in their agonies Of doubt
and hope. Once mother gave weak, hys-
terical cry, but smothered 1t Immediately.
Toinette was all of tremble from cold
and nervousness. At last the man came
cropping into the room, confused by its
darkness. Repentance is useless" /
heard him say. II shall come no more
God is not merciful to an old man like
me. have not the purpose or the will to
keep on hoping Eh What's thisS''
His hand was so shaky as he leaned for
ward over the table to turn up the wick Of
the lamp that he fumbled blindly for the
screw and finally had to pull the light to.
ward him. With full blaze on, he placed
it heavily upon the table close to the two
waiting women, and still leaning forward
stared in their faces as II fascinated. They
also were spellbound, and mother as white
as DEATH Toinette was, as she afterward
confessed frightened. The man, she said,
Seemed to be stabbing her with looks
from his eyes" Would he never be done
with that greedy stareP
Twice he raised hand from the table
and put 1t to his forehead as If dazed. A
noise in his throat showed that he was
agony of an insupportable dream. The
test was cruel one, but it did not last
long, perhaps minute, though 1t seemed
score of them.
"MothcrI Toinettev' The man fairly
shrieked the names. Their arms went out
to embrace him.
"Alive and in this place tonight of all
nightsl" he cried. "God be praisedl'
He was standing erect as he spoke, his
clasped hands raised high toward heaven,
his face upturned. my penance IL end
ed, " he said to himself, and began to sway
and clutch at the air and to fall as great
tree falls.
Into my arms descended David Vance,
like one tired out with hard labor. In the
lap of the little mother / laid the great
gray head that had, like hers, lived ON
hope so many years The daughters hands
came, like bracelets Of love, upon her ia
theirs wrists. Thus he rested until con-
seriousness came back and his opened eyes
saw the loves of his old life, glorified
through many tribulations.
At last, after II long years of such spir-
itual torture as befalls few people, the
broken threads of his family life were once
more In the hands Of David Vance. He
said so, with an Understandable pathos of
look and voice. at the reunion supper that
same night at the Westmoreland after the
bewildered Frank had been added to the
party.
"Not until tonight did I lose hope" re-
marked the old gentleman. IT can't give
any reason for not surrendering to what
seemed q certainty. Wherever I was, in
the mines or in great cities, there was al
ways within me . spiritlike confidence
that some II not all Of US would meet
again. Tonight for the first time de.
SPARED, and yet''-halting for q second
and looking around the table with the clio.
quence Of undying affection In every line
Of his noble face--'and yet, seei we're
here, all Of us, alive and full of cheerful
ness, as If there'd been no storm"
Thanks for this to Johns curiosity"
murmured Mrs Vance from under his
arm.
Thanks to little mothers restlessness.
that was always expecting something"
said /.
Thanks to the good Lord, above all
else" said Mr.. Vance slowly and solemn
ly,, as If it were prayer. Chicago Post.
Christmas Trees In England.
Christmas trees were unknown in Eng
L.