The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-09-21
'DEUTFQO NOMY.
VIC. '~.-'--

Judge Powell sat smoking In the Union
League clubroom. Between the .puffs OF his
cigar. he was soliloquizing rapidly over the
~ events of the past few days. Two days ago.
the Ruby Hill Mining company, in which
he held large and valuable shares, ascer
tanned that their mines were worthless.
Yesterday the banking house of Clermont
q Co., wherein he had dennsited the greater
portion Of his money. had been run spon,
and failed. Surely two such great calami-
ties were enough to discourage any man.
Moreover, Powell was tired of New York,
tired of fashion, tired of formality, and
longed for a free breath Of air In his old
Tennessee home. However, how could he,
a busy judge afford to leave his work and
take journey? Yet the more he dwelt
upon this thought, the stronger it grew and
at length he decided that he would take a
vacation. and journey to Tennessee He
rose. and was on the point of leaving the
clubroom when bennington entered. Den
nington was an old acquaintance. a rising
lawyer whose Office was Broadway. To
him the judge eagerly expounded his plans.
After hearing these. bennington said Go.
by all means. my dear fellow; go. 1t will
be a great benefit to you. and II wasn't
SO busy at this time I'd go with you my
self" This decided the judge, and after
packing all afternoon, at $50 he was being
whirled away to the scenes Of childhood.
Somerset! Corbin! Jelico!" cried the
brakeman on the Cincinnati Southern rail-
way. Then, after short pause, "Byrds-
town." The locomotive, shrieking. slowed
down before a little weatherbeaten depot
and the lone man, who served In the triple
capacity Of ticket agent baggage man and
train dispatcher. came eagerly forward.
Visitors were rare in this little Tennessee
town. Powell alighted> from the cars, filled
with expectation. Yes, the little town was,
indeed, homelike. Far to the west he saw
the waters Of the Cumberland river, while
to the east, peak on peak, arose the noun
tains which bear the same name seeming
to pierce the sky. The judge drew a long
breath of delight. How truly sweet is a
return to our native home! How refreshing
and pure it's ar! Turning to the station
agent, Powell said: do you know whether
the old Powell homestead is standing YETI"
Lessee said the man, slowly; Eyes, it is.
Jes a little way down the road, stranger"-sl
but Powell had not waited for information
He was eagerly Fastening to where stood
the home of his childhood.
Yes. there 1t stood, the old red cottage.
Just as it had stood so years before Powell
AOICO Will plcdSuT0 tQdL the ola log renee \
waG still around it, that the tall we'll
sweep still inclined to the sky. He has
tened to the we'll and took a drink of the
pure cold water. Then he opened the cot
tage door. for the latch was broken, and |
went within. The love for his childhood |
home welled up within his heart and |
softly he repeated che lines of Payne's, |
Home, Sweet Home 1.-THE cares of a |
mother to soothe and beguile." With this |
line he ceased. His mother! He remem-
bered her as she had BEEN when clad in |
her faded Bingham wrapper, she stood at !
the cottage door to welcome her boy from |
his work. He saw again the patient, low
Ing face of her whose sole desire had been |
his happiness. That dear, dear face never /
to be seen again. He remembered the lines
In her forehead, lines of trouble and care.
lines which showed sacrifice and self-denal
that her boy might not want. Had he been
grateful? Had he loved his mother as
she had loved him. Alas! 1 fear too few
love their mother until she is with them
no more. In the distance Powell heard a
herder singing: For I miss my mothers
race within the doorway, where she used
to stand, her darling boy to greet" All
the yearning love within him burst forth in
the cry, Mother! Oh Mother!"
He left the house and made his way to
the village graveyard. Beside moss cover
ed stone which bore the simple inscription:
marion Powell. Born May 4, 1910. Died
December Is. 1884" He seated himself
with bowed head. A railroad train roared
through the eastern part Of the town. One
by one the stars came forth and shed their
gentle light on the lone watcher. Then |
all was silent.
The next morning the Byrdstown Gazette
published the following: early this morn
ing the body of Judge Arlington Powell, a
former resident of this city, was found In
the graveyard by the sexton. Mr. Powell
was well known Judge Of New York, and
his death is great blow to his friends,
and also to this community, where he was
much loved. Deceased was aged 6S years.
New York PAPERS please copy
Powell of Tennessee had gone to join his
mother. ROBERT H.4BLOOM