Kansas City daily journal., 1897-01-03

standing erect and fair, with a row of
crimson hoIlyhocks on either side. Where
was she now? Job Collins turned back
again and found himself in front of his
fathers house. His hands were so cold
and wet that he could hardly move the
heavy knocker, and a bush had grown
right across where the bell used to be.
Presently a heavy step came down the
passage, and the door was thrown open,
for no one went in dread of burglars in
this humdrum and respectable village.
Job looked into the face of stout wom-
an, whose gray ringlets were carefully
arranged under the cap that had bios
somed out wildly with new mauve ribbons
in honor of Christmas. He held out his
hand, and shrunk timidly back again.
Don't you see who L am, mother?" said
he, hoarsely.
Mrs. Collins hereupon uttered one of
those shrieks of piercing quality not usual
ly heard excepting in melodrama.
Good Lord! if it amt Job!' was her first
coherent remark, when the shrek had
brought several anxious and flushed faces
to the parlor door.
"Father! father" cried the old lady. Its
Job turned up again, and 'es all soaked
from is 'ead to the sole of is foot with the
rain
A heavy-looking man, whose white hair
was brushed back from a CoarSely-featured
face, came out into the passage. When he
saw his son he laughed awkwardly.
We'll! 1 never! So this is you, Job, is
it? Come back without so much as a word
after-how long is it? And we got your
last letter-now, which year was it,
mother?"
"Ah, just the time when poor Jane was
took!'
Jane deadr' said Job, staring at one and
the other, and shivering agin.
'Anl n amy release If WAS for her moor
dear SOUL" said Mrs. Collins. with long
ing glance towards n table covered with
dishes and steaming glasses.
Jobs thoughts went aching back to a
memory of his last parting with his twin
sister by the gate, and of how her tears
has made his sleeve quite wet.
Never mind, Job, darling" she had said; ;
they won't ever forgive you now if you
don't go right away and do something for
yourself. When you come back from Mexi-
CO, rich and grand, they'll forget that you
ever gave so much trouble
"Rich and grand!' Job Collins nearly
laughed again. He saw chairs closely
packed around the table, and no room for
even an extra wooden STOOL Close to a
bowl of steaming punch sat a double
chinned man of about 40, dressed in shiny
black, and wearing a gold watch chain and
a ring on his little finger. He looked Job
anNiously over from head to foot.
well, brother so you've come to keep
Christmas with u.s. he said, pompously,
but with a benevolent intention. And he
held out his fat hand and the ring. Job,
in his turn, glanced at him inquiringly.
Then he really did laugh for it had slowly
dawned upon him that this well-to-do gen.
tleman was no other than his younger
brother, Tom, whom he had always looked
upon as quite the most unredeemable fool
Of his acquaintance. Something in Toms
manner was irresistibly funny, it was so
patronizing and superior. 1t said, as plain
ly as possible:
''Of course we know that you have al
ways been failure and disgrace to your
family, but as it is Christmas the season
of goodwill and forgiveness, We will give
you as kindly a welcome as we can. But
please do not at the same time forget that
you have shown certain want of tact in
the manner of your sudden appearance in
house where we were gradually trying
to forget you.'
Draw up chair for Job grunted old
Mr.. Collins, looking sideways at the shabby
black-bearded man who still stood near the
door.
And pour him out glass of 'ot punch,
Polly, my love" said SNUG brother Tom.
Job started. "Polly?" He stared at the
woman addressed, who was very fat, too,
with thick fringe of oily hair over her
eyes and large bow of blue ribbon pinned
on the top of her head. She was Toms
wifei And she had once liked him, Job, in
the days when she used to stand between
those hedges of crimson flowers. 1t all
seemed like strange, foolish, unmirthful