Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-08-28
BACK HOME.

low her, on the steps, was a young
man whose shoulders were straight and
broad, ard whose locks were not gray.
But his eyes we're brown like the wo-
mans and the lire III his lips was mod
eled from the Older feminine ones.
.Come, mother must look about the
old place and You must go with me. 1t
seems only yesterday, | lettings
look so natural Here's the corn foot
bigh-jUst as twas when / went away
the cherries tempting the robins just
the same. and the clover smelling like
honey. Come along, mother, now do!
/ want to see the spring house and the
hen coops. Like as lot they need some
carpentering though twas only yes
terday, it seems like. they were good
enough"
Yielding to her sons persuasion, and
the delight of bis return after many
years abseRce, the old woman descend
ed the steps and walked by his side out
through the barnyard into lane lead
ing 20 the pasture
"Seems like | ought to stay in and
fix the fire for supper, David. Now |
got you home again, l feel as though
I'd kinder like 10 get meal. You al
ways made it worth my while to cook,
David. Are you still partial to fried
chicken and corn bread"
"Am /? Do look as though I'd pass
by on the other side?"
The pair laughed with the harmless
10 Of inI-
"Now here's the old board between
the tulip pOplars, by jung! Let's sit
here, mother, and smell the hay.
want 10 hear all about your life while
] was gone"
Slanting shadows fell over the
meadow The hay was piled in mon
ster mounds in corner, and through
the June air came the fresh, clean
scent of blooming elder. The old wo-
man began:
after you went west to seek your
fortune, / was the fOrlOnest woman in
these parts Father, he just moped,
too. and how those first lonely days
dragged l can't say. Everything SEEM
ed to NOPE too. The hay was spoiled,
tbe rust got into the wheat, and that
year father had to put the first mort
gage on the farm. Along about Christ
mas time | was as near discouraged as
could be: l just pinned for you, David.
That's the time Ellie Martins parents
died. and the child had to be sent to
the poorhouse. Neyer'll forget the
morning that little girl came a-running
into my kitchen:
ION, Mis- Allen she said, let me
stay here with you. Don't let 'em take
me to the poorhousep
And the tears were running down
her cheeks. She took hold of my
apron and wiped her eyes with it, and
looked at me so pitiful like l just
couldn't keep from crying myself.
I'm oe just as useful she said. L
can skim milk, and feed the chickens,
and. oh, lots of things
II stood stock still there a minute,
thinking how hard times were, and
now the cows were slckening, and the
chickens, too. for that matter. Then
! looked at that orphan, and, thinks l,
What if that was my David| Father
sat by the stove, and says he. 'Motherp
We looked at each other and then |
took Ellie by the hand and says: Stay
right here, Ellie; l guess we can man
age. The little thing was that happy
she lust hung on to me the rest of the
day. and we hadn't any more tears
from her till she went to Kansas last
year
Did you miss her much?" asked
David.
Miss her? Well. since she left
seelas like father and me had grown
old. | guess you couldn't understand
what kind of a girl Ellie grew up to
be. Why. she was the busiest, hap
piest child ever saw. We never had
cause TO be sorry for keeping her out
of the poor house. Father and | got
to feel she was our own, and 1t went
a long ways toward filling up that gap
you left. And pretty! How that plain
little black-haired thing did blossom
PITY YOU never saw her. David"
HIN" said David. "IvC seen some
mighty pretty girls out west
But not as pretty as our Ellie. sure
She promised 10 come back some day
You know how she came 10 60"
Tell me that. said David. He
leaned lazily back against the poplar
and surveyed his mother.
well, you know her fathers broth
er, who disappeared SO many years
ago2 Wen. he turned up and took the
greatest kind of fancy TO Ellie. He
had family out in Kansas. and moth
ing would do but Ellie must make then
a visit. She was set against it, ana
wouldn't hear to leaving father anC
me. harvest time was coming ON an6
all the extra fan work. She shook bel
head every time going away wa:
mentioned, but l. noticed how keen shs
was 20 hear all the interesting Storie.
her Uucle Reuben had TO tell. One,
1 heard her sigh and say: 1t must b,
grand To see the world That settled
Inc. l just made up my mind she'd so
10 so. l wasn't going 10 stand in tn,
way when she had the chance to Sc,
something outside our COW pasture"
The old woman quietly wiped he
yes Win tde hSAn "a ASA aRANA+ 6ofAs
only smiled.
You can't guess how lonesome w
were. and how lonesome we feel {,
this day. No one bustling about an
singing and chirking US up all ia,
long" A long-drawn sigh. and then
looking fondly = her son. old Mrs
Allen said brighl.s but il is good I,
see you. David. snd l only wish yoS
aad come 10 stay"
Dave Allen brought his palm dow
soildly on his knee and said:
That's what I've done"
You've come to stayT Quaveringly