Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-05-01
HIS HOME COMING.

How came to visit my home hap
pened in curious way. Six weeks ago
I went down to Fire island fishing.
had had lunch put up for me, and you
can imagine my establishment when I
opened the hamper to find package Of
crackers wrapped up in weekly pub
lished at my home in Wisconsin. read
every word Of it, advertisements and
all. There was George kellogg, who
was schoolmate of mine, advertising
hams and salt pork, and another boy
was postmaster. By George, it made
me homesick, and I determined then
and there to go home, and 60 home
did.
In the first place, I must tell you how
I came to New York. l had tiff with
my father and left home FINALLY turned
up in New York with dollar in my
pocket. got job running freight
elevator in the very house in which l
am now partner. My haste to get rich
drove the thought of my parents from
me, and when did think of them the
hard words that my father last spoke to
me ranked in my bosom. Well, I went
home. tell you, John, my train seemed
to creep. ! was actually worse than a
schoolboy going home for vacation.
At last we nealed 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 mile before
coming to the station, passing many
houses of which only an occasional one
was familiar. The town had grown to
ten times its size when knew it. The
train stopped and I jumped off. Not a
face in sight I knew, and started down
the platform to go home. In the office
door stood the station agent. I walked
up and said, "Howdy, Mr.. Collins?'
He stared at me and replied, "You've
got the best of me, sir"
/ told him who I was and what I had
been doing in New York, and he didn't
make any bones in talking to me. Said
he: cts about time you were coming
home-you in New York rich, and your
father scratching gravel to get a liv-
ing"
tell you, John, it knocked me all in
heap, I thought my father had enough
to live upon comfortably. Then notion
struck me. Before going home I tele-
graphed to Chicago to one of our corre-
spondents there to send me 81, 600 by
first mail. Then Invent into Mr.. Collins
back office, got my trunk in there and
put on an old hand me down suit that I
used for fishing and hunting. My plug
hat / 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,
somehow. But went up to the front
door and rang the bell. Mother came to
the front door and said, awe don't wish
to buy anything today, sir"
1t didn't take minute to survey her
from head to foot. Neatly dressed, John,
but a patch here and there, her hair
streaked with gray, her face thin and
wrinkled. Yet over her eyeglasses shone
those good, honest, benevolent eyes. l
stood staring ut her, and then she began
to stare ut 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 Jimmyn'
Then I cried, too, John. / broke down
and cried like baby. She got me back
to the house, hugging and kissing me.
Then she went to the back door anc
shouted "George!' Father called from
the kitchen, what do you want, Car.
line?"
Then he came ill., He knew me in q
moment. He stuck out his hand and
grasped mine firmly, and said sternly.
"Well, young man, do you propose to
behave yourself now?"
He tried to put on brave front, but
he broke down. There we sat like whip
ped school children, all whimpering.
At last supper time came and mother
went out to prepare it. went into the
kitchen with her.
Where do you live, Jimmy" she
asked.
SIN New York, /" | replied.
"What are you working at now,
jimmy"
II am working i'll a dry goods store. :"
Then l suppose you don't live very
high, for | hear tell O. them city clerks
what don't get enough money to keep
body and soul together. So TIL just tell
you, Jimmy, we We got nothing but
roasted spareribs for supper. We,ain' t
got any money now, Jimmy. We're
poorer nor Jobs turkey. =
told her would be delighted with
the spareribs, and to tell the truth,
John, have not eaten meal in New
York that tasted as good as those crisp
Pasted spareribs did. spent the even
ing playing checkers with father, while
mother sat by telling me all about
their misfortunes, from old white Moo
ley getting drowned in the pond to IA
TIERS signing note for friend and
having to mortgage his place to pay it.
The mortgage was due inside Of week
and not II cent to meet it with-just
$500. She supposed they would be turn
I'd out Of house and home, but in my
mind l supposed they wouldn't. AT
last o'clock came and father said