Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-12-22

questions concerning himself. and his
parents, soon seeing that he did not care
to talk of his own doings in the wears
that were past. concluded that he had not
been fortunate, and introduced other sub
jects to make him forget his supposed
troubles.
As the forenoon wore away John helped
his father about the chores, and by skill
fully planned questions learned all about
his fathers financial troubles. He had
taken his satchel up to his own room and
was washing his hands before supper,
when he heard light step on the porch,
and bright-faced young woman walked
into the kitchen and, seeing him, stood
embarrassed until he, coming forward,
said:
This is Anna Scott, isn't %
why, John Warren, where have you
Kept yourself all these years? Oh, how
happy your mother must bei''
And dropping his hand, which she had
been shaking with the greatest enthusi-
asm she flew down into the cellar and
threw both arms around his mothers
neck, and that good lady embraced her,
weeping and patting her shoulder with
the empty cream pitcher which she had
taken there to fill.
Mrs. Warren insisted that Anna should
stay for supper and after pleasant even
ing, talking over the old schoolmates and
We'll, declare, it's 8 O'clock. | must
go home. Besides, | am so anxious to
tell the folks that you are home, and
brother Harry will be just wild to see
you"
1t seemed very much like old times
when John tucked her hand under his
arm and they walked over the road they
had Travelled so often years before Just
as they entered her fathers gateway John
said:
Anna, my parents think just as you
do, that L have made a failure of life.
Well, L haven't. / am junior member of
a very prosperous firm in the West. but
want to keep the secret a little while
longer, ana L want you to help me give
them kind of surprise"
Then he unfolded his plan to her and
her voice rang with delight, as she said:
"Oh, John, how lovely that will be-
me next morning, after the old family
Bible was read and a heartfelt prayer of
fered, John asked the loan of his ia
Tiers horse, and drove straight to Squire
Cobb's office, and that worthy being in,
John said
Squire, | came to see you about that
mortgage you have on my fathers
farm"
No use, young man. no use. l must
foreclose the last of the year; he has al
ready had notice"
John. want to pay it,"
With that he drew from his pocket a
large roll of bank notes and counted
down the $500 which would release his
father from worry and misery. The
squire Immediately became a man of
smiles, and speedily made the mortgage
over TO John, who drove at once to the
farm of Mr.. Scott and called, whoa"
Just as Anna, her father, mother and
brother came to the gate.
There were hearty greetings, and then
Anna, all ready for long drive, sprang
in beside him. How bright the morning
was! How happy were they as the bells
jngled and the sleigh moved with pur-
ring noise over the wilderness of snow
and through the deep woods. What mys-
terlous bundles they bought ont of the
stores in the large town of F, until,
when, at last they arrived at Annals
home, the sleigh was loaded with
aenough to stock a store" as Harry
Scott remarked.
Christmas day dawned bright and glo-
rious with sun and snow, and early in
the morning Anna appeared and she
wanted to help get dinner" soon John
brought the horse and cutter around and
II 3ked his mother to take a ride with
= m. and finally, after much urging from
lnsnna, Mrs. Warren put on her shabby
sand hood, and with warm soap
stone at her feet was tucked into the
sleigh beside John. He noticed the cloak
and gave little look of entreaty to An
IA, who only smiled and said: Il wish
you would call at mothers before you
come back" Away they drove toward
the mill and down by the river, and then
stopped at Farmer SCOTS. Soon Mrs.
Scott was showing Mrs. Warren her
new quilt, just taken out of the frames,
and the picture of Cousin William, who
is on the board of trade" and these two
IL Ao1I h1n
harmless things which constituted their
everyday life. John finally suggested
that it was time they were going If he
could believe the clock of appetite. An
ma met them at the door, her eyes dane
ing, as she said: Uncle Warren is al
most ready. You lay off your things and
sit down at the table
When Mr. Warren had finished the ten
derby thankful grace, fraught as it was
with a new meaning. Johns eyes as well
as Annals were filled with tears. Mr..
Warren turned over his plate and there
lay the cancelled mortgage. Slowly ne
lifted it. what does th'e mean. JOIN. p
The kind voice of the Oh man trenlbled
with emotion as he glance hrst at the
mortgage, then at the son. And John
mother who had been peering through
her glasses at something which wouldn I
pour out the cream pitcher, turned the
article upside down, and a bunch of bank
notes dropped upon the table.
Then the old couple saw it all and soon
the three were clasping hands, and no one
could say word until John managed to
murmur: Father, mother, it's part of
my repentance"
During these scenes Anna had quietly
withdrawn, and John called her, saying:
| ''She helped me plan 1t.
Then the father carved the brown, fat
turkey and John had his plate "heaped
with enough for regiment" After din
ner. while Mrs. Warren and Anna were
clearing up the dishes. Mr.. Warren and
his son sat in the kitchea and John told
them his story. AS they listened the
women were very careful to set the
dishes down gently. and often stood with
plate suspended while he recounted the
struggles of nine years.
The dishes cleaned and put away, his
fo4bar lOoLiur ONT of tbe window said