The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1898-11-25

him as dead. and no longer hoped that
one day his form might again darken
the kitchen door.
With William all went well He
pushed his way West. He succeeded
In his FIRST venture. and Eve years had
not elapsed before his name had come
to be known throughout the mining
country. Often he thought OF that
home back in Michigan. and frequent
" he said to himself Il will write"
Then something would interfere with
the carrying out OF his intention, and
no word would be sent back. Thus the
days, and weeks. and years sped on
until a NTH OF a century had passed.
William whitley had accumulated
100000 In the twenty years he had
lived and toiled in Colorado. and one
day the desire came TO him stronger
than ever TO 20 back to the old home
and gaze once again into the old eyes
OF father and mother.
SO he returned.
Alone and unknown. the man wend-
ed his way along the county road TO
the old house on the hill He had
crossed the lane below the woods when
he recollected that pail OF milk that
he had hidden In the hollow log TWEEN
~ years before.
II wonder n the pail can be there
yet he said TO himself. and smiled
at the thought "Ill see"
He remembered the spot as distinct
~ as though he had but left the day
before. He went to the blasted trunk,
kicked away the stones. and moss. and
twigs, and looked down. Yes. Il was
there; but in II nothing. He lifted out
the old tin pail. its sides all full OF
holes eaten by time and rust, and con-
tnued on up the road.
Il shall knock at the kitchen door"
be said 20 himself "and whom mother
answers / shall say: Here ia the
milk" And William whitley
laughed aloud.
The house appeared unchanged. To
DO sure. there were honeysucklea
growing up the back porch that had
not been there when he went away.
but twenty years IL sufiicient time for
honeysucklea TO live and die.
William whitley assembled the
steps quietly and knocked at the door.
II was opened by a klnd-eyed old lady.
William thrust forward the rusty, bat
tered pail and said: Mother. here's
tho milk" The woman looked ut him
with wonder In her eyes. Won't
won't-you come in7" she said.
william entered the room. II was
the same old kitchen he had known
when but a boy. And there by the
fireplace sat a man. feeble. and
wrlnkled. and gray. Father. have
come back" cried william whitley.
The old man turned In his chair
and gazed at the stranger unknow-
ingly.
Don't you see who ami" cried the
long-lost. Il am William. I have
come back. I went away twenty
years ago"
A peculiar light came into tho eyes
OF tho woman. who. during the atranE-
er'a appeal TO the old man at the Are
place. had stood still at the end OF the
table with one hand on her hip.
"I-I-I-understand now" she said.
William looked HIS thanks in his
eyes. lie was about to close his arms
about tho old lady when she waved
him back II understand" she went
on. "Arter you went away your mother
died In 'beout year and your pa mar
ried me Then when he died married
George there. an we've been llvln' on
tn OIL place ever sence. So yew see
we amt your folks arter all, though
likely on not yew may have some legal
connection with us"
William put his hand TO his brow
and reeled. He staggered to the door
-sobblng. with his head bowed upon
his breast. he walked slowly down the
old country road. And that night he
went back to the west.-Dotrolt Free
Press.