The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-02-03
HER SONS RETURN.

he will come" And the girl turned hen
drawn and anxious Young face toward the
cottage door, just as If her blind mother
could SEQ the action.
| 1t probable that the old woman OWNED
the longing glance from the change in the
girls Tone for she, too, half turned to-
ward the door.
1t was no new thing-this waiting for
the scapegrace son. The girl had grown
up to 1t, for she would not know her
brother should she meet him in the street.
Since sight had left the old mothers eyes
she had fed her heart upon this hope.
He had left them 10 years before in fit
OF passionate resentment against his ia.
Their, whose only fault had been too great
an indulgence for the son of his old age.
His father, having risen by the force Of
his own will and the capabilities of bis
own mind from the people to the church,
held, as such men do, that he had only to
give his son GOOD education to insure his
career in life So everything--eyen to the
old parsons sense Of right and wrong
was sacrificed to the education of Stephen
Leach at public school and university.
Here no met and selected for bis friends
youths whose futures were insured, and
who were only passing through the formula
of an education 30 that no one could say
that they were unfit for the snug govern
ment appointment living, or Inheritance
OF more substantial sort that might be
waiting for them.
Not having been q university man him
self, the rector did not know that at Ok
ford or Cambridge, as In the army, ono
may live according to ones taste Stephen
Leach had expensive tastes, and he un-
Bcrupulously traded on his fathers igno-
rance.
At last the reotor's eyes wore opened.
and when narrow minded man 8 eyes are
once opened he usually becomes stony at
the heart.
Stephen Leach left England, and before
he landed In America his father had de-
parted ON longer journey. The ne'er do
we'll had the good grace to send back the
little sums of money saved by his mother In
her widowhood, and gradually his letters
ceased 1t was known that he was In
Chile, and there was war going on there,
and yet the good old lady 8 faith never way
cred.
HE will come, Joyce He will surely
Gomez
And the girl would go to the window
and draw aside the curtain, looking down
the quiet country road toward the village.
Yes, mother, he will GOMEZ was her
usual answer. and one day she gave a little
exclamation Of surprise and almost of fear.
Mother, she exclaimed, There lie some
one coming along the road"
The old lady was already sitting IN In l
bed, staring with her sIghtlsss orbs toward
the window
Thus they waited. The man stopped op-
posite the cottage, and the two women
heard the latch Of the gate. Then Joyce,
turning, saw her mother had tainted But |
1t was only momentary BY the time she |
reached the bed her mother had recovered |
Down stairs on the doorstep the girl |
found tall man of 80 or thereabout with
a browner face than English suns could
account for. He looked down into her
eager eyes with a strange, questioning
wonder
Am 1 too lateP" he asked in a voice
which almost seemed to indicate hope
that 1t might be 80.
mo, Stephen" she answered. "But J
mother cannot live much longer. You are
Just in time"
The young man made hesitating little
movement with hisright hand and shufiied
lneasily on the clean stone step. The re-
urn of this prodigal was not dramatic
uccess. No one seemed DESTROYS of learn
ng whether he had lived upon husks or
and with whom no had eaten.
The quiet dignity of the girl, who had re-
NAMED behind to do all the work and bear
u the burden, seemed In some subtle
manner to deprive him of any romance
hat might have attached itself to him.
Stephen Leach followed silently. He
vas rather large for the house, and especial
y for the stairs. Moreover, he had GER
ain burliness of walk, such as Ia acquired
y men living constantly In the open.
When he followed the girl across the
threshold of their mothers bedroom, the
Id lady was sitting up In bed, holdingou
arms toward the door.
Here Stephen Leach seemed to know bet
Dr. what to do. He held bis mother in his
rms while she sobbed and murmured out
er Joy.
Joyce" was the first distinct word the
ID lady spoke "Joyce, he has come at
.st. He has comet Come here, dear.
,iss your brother. This is my frstborn,
~ little Steve"
The young man had sunk upon his knees
the bedside, probably because it was the
lost convenient position. He did not sec
nd his mothers proposal with much en-
iusiasm. Altogether he did not seem to
ave discovered much sympathy with the
ster whom he had left In her cradle.
Joyce came forward and leaned over the
ID to kiss her BROTHER, while the old lady's I
ands Joined theirs ~
Joyce, continued the old lady fever
hly ~ am not afraid to die now, for I
jephen is here. Your brother will take l
re Of you, dear, whom l pm gone"
1t was strange that Stephen had not Q
oxen yet, and II was perhaps Just as I