The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1898-11-24

mi waie borne TO the nishi birds ibss
made reply With sbrlier chifpines
Tbes William turned sad went back
dovn the road.
Yes. the station sseni 81 tae oros ing
told him. there gill bc . train slons iot
The ives, in Thirty minutes.
willism wbntlesy hsd dream ed OF Col
oradr, aud rsss there be meant to so.
40 houI later b w.s rolling on Lis way.
Aud the yeais csme and sen,.
No.s~ota was ever resolved by the
Whi,llesys from William. And alter
many nouibs they came to res,rl bin IS
dead, aud GO logger hoped that bis form
IN IL sht again dstken The kitchen door
with william all went we'll. He stayed
in Chicago JUS, long enough to learn ths,
there vas nothing for him there. he
% shed bis way further vest lie suc
oeeded 10 bis fret venture. and five years
had not elapsed before bis name bad come
10 be known throughout The mining com
try. Often ne thought OF bis home back
10 Micbigsn, and frequently be said TO
himself, l will write, then something
ould interfere with the carrying out OF
bis intention and no word would be sent
back. Thus the days aud weeks and
years sped Oh until fifth OF . century
had passed.
William Whittlesy bad sccum ulsied
one hundred thousand dollars 10 the twen
ty years be had lived and toiled 10 Colora
do. and one day the desire came to bin
stronger than ever to SO back to the old
home aud sszs once sgain into the old
eyes Of father and mother.
The station at the crossr, ads WAS the
same, it seemed TO him. II had not even
been painted 10 ell those twenty years.
The agent was sranger, and the farmers
around the little depot did not recognise
in man who stepped from the train that
morning, the William Whi.tlesy who had
so mysteriously disappeared years before.
Alone and unknown, the man wended
his way slopg the country road 10 the old
bouse on the hill. He had crossed the
lane below the woods when be recollected
that pail OF milk that be had hidden 10
the hollow log twenty years before.
wonder II the pail can be there yet.
he said to himself. and smiled st the
thought. III see.
lie rem rendered the spot as distinctly as
though he had but left il the day before.
He went to the blasted Trunk, kicked
away the stones and moss and twigs and
looked down. Yes. it was there; but in
it nothing. He lifted ont the old tin
pail, it's eides, sll full OF holes eaten by
time aud rust, and contibu ned on up the
road.
shall knock at the kitchen door, he
said to himself, and when mother answers.
l shall cay: Here is the milk. And VII
liam Whitley laughed aloud.
The house appeared unchanged To
be sure there were honeysuckles growing
up the back porch that had not been
there when be went away, but twenty
years is sufficient time for honeysucsles
to live and dle.
William Whi'tlesy sscended the steps
q uietly and knocked ct the door. II was
opened by kind eyed old lady. Viii
liam thrust forward the rusty. battered
pail and said: Mother, here is the milk.
The woman looked st him with wonder 10
her eyes. Won't-wou't-you come inP
she said.
william entered tie room. IL WAS the
same old kitchen be had known when but
q boy. And there by the Ere place sat
man feeble, and wrinkled and gray. Faith
er, have come back. cried William Whit
tlesy. The old man turned his chair and
eazsd at the stranger, unknowing.
Don't you see who | sm' cried the long
lost / sm William. l have come back.
l went away twenty years sgo-
A peculiar light came into the eyes OF
the woman, who. duriug the strangers sp
peal to the old man by the fireplace, had
stood still st the end oi the table with her
hand on her hip.
LII understand now, she said.
William looked his thanks In bis eyes.
He was about to close his arms about the
old lady's face when she waved bin back.
l understand, she went on, Arter you
went away your mother died and in 'beout
a yesr your ps married me. Then. when
be died, | married George there and we've
been livin' on th' OF place ever sence. SO
yew see We sin't your folks after oil.
though likely ez not yew may have some
legal connection With us
william put his hand to bis brow and
reeled. He staggered TO the door cob
bing, with his head bowed upon bis
breast. be walked slowly down the old
country road. And that ni hit be went
| hact IN the west