, 1900-02-21
JOHN WARREN'S CHRISTMAS

"NN' "a h"S NeA oa' ShN
ing a fresh cigar, stared III of the win
dow at the row Of dingy tenement
houses which lined the railroad into
the great city. Strongly built and
on his face a look of utter WEAKNESS,
resulting from a long trip in the west.
where he had been looking after some
interests of the firm of which he was
a junior partner. Nine years before.
in a fit OF anger, he had left his home
in the country and, too proud
to return, had by dint of logged per-
sistence, secured a humble place in the
packing rooms of Brace & Browns
wholesale dry goods store. Fortune
favored him, and this same quality of
resolution, together with application,
had raised him to the position he now
occupied. Though he was gazing out
of the window his attention was really
drawn inside to the group of travelling
men who were making ready to leave
the train. 1t was a jocular set and they
had e%nlivened their trip. and o as
they were getting into their o%yercoats
the jolly-faced hardware drummer
said:
Boys, where are you going to be
Christmas day."
I'm going back to the feshpots OF
Egypt and eat my turkey in the coun-
Try" said one.
Yes" said another, I'm going to be
in my old place at the old table with
my white-haired little mother smiling
at me from behind the coffee pot and
my dear old dad piling enough on my
slate to feed a regiment"
Think of those homemade pies!"
said another. those fat moons of APP
pIe, pumpkin, mince and cranberry.
Say, no OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
about them"
And said the boot and shoe man,
to sit around the old fireplace and
watch a row of juicy apples roasting
in front of the roaring, ~great-hearted
log fire. with two or three of the neigh
lors arguing about that wood lot on the
rorth side of the farm. Boys, you
couldn't fence me away from home that
day"
And so each one. with a home pic
tire in his heart. hurried out of the car
and up the long fight of station stairs
way to his destination. while slowly
tehind them came John Warren with
a surging tumult of feelings in his
breast.
Shame. that he hadn't written to his
parents in the nine years of his alb
sence. They don't eve know where
l am. Poor fool l was to be miffed at
them. Worse fool to stay mifed until
row they have dropped almost out of
my recollection. All, that home pic
turt that fellow drew And as John
mounted the last step a tear dropped on
his brown beard and a sudden resolu-
ton filed his heart. He almost shout
ed: I'm going home, too"
Dashing up to a cabman he said,
fremont, quick" and tlinging his bag
gage into one seat fairly hurled him
self into the other. AS the carriage
rumbled along the sleeping emotions Of
years awoke and seemed to choke him.
Then swiftly his practiced mind began
to plan, and by the time the hotel was
reached a definite line of action was
laid out. Scarce waiting to snatch a
hasty cup of coffee, he leaped into a
cab. and soon mounted the steps of
Mr.. Braces palatial home, was ush-
cred into his library, where he found
that gentleman standing with feet wide
apart, back to the fire, and contemplate
ing a picture on the opposite wall.
"Mr. Brace said he, after greetings
we're exchanged, Il must beg your par
don for talking business out Of business
hours, but l am going home tomorrow
and can't wait for regularity. My home
is just like that farmhouse in that pic
ture there, and I am in a hurry to go
in at hat little gate.''
His conference 10 ended, John hur-
ried to his hotel again and taking a
very shabby suit from his wardrobe
packed it with some things in a large
satchel, and then Fastening to the sta
ton climbed into the sleeper Just as
the long train pulled out for the east.
Arriving at a point twenty miles west
OF his old home, he went to an obscure
hotel and changed his clothing for the
old suit in his satchel.
When the eleven forty" pulled into
the town of Nj W days before
Christmas. the usual crowd of loungers
observed a tall, brown-haired man,
whose clothes seemed the worse for
wear, step off the rear platform, and
without looking at anyone strike off
toward the farm of Richard Warren.
Much curiosity was centered on this
event, much discussion engaged in, IN
til the seediest-looking loafer present
said:
That was John Warren, or III eat
my hat, Yes, that was John Warren,
and he's come home to live on the old
folks. 1t wouldn't be for long, though,
cause Squire Cobb has given notice
that he's goin' to foreclose the mort
gage hi has on the old mans place.
II they had followed the stranger for
half a mile they might have seen the
strong young man shed heartfelt tears
d, @ ba Iaopod aUoipat tho old Oak fpoa