, 1900-02-21

lease of life, and"-she glanced at his
shabby clothing-'we will share our
little possessions with you, my dear,
long-lost son."
His father reached out his hand,
rough and knotted with hard work, and
pressed Johns hand in loving approval
of his mothers words. Then his moth
er began to place some food on the
table, stopping every now and then to
cry softly, such happy tears, while his
father told him the neighboring news.
John easily parted questions concern
ing himself, and his parents, soon see
own doings in the years that were past,
concluded that he had not been for
%tunate, and introduced other subjects to
make him forget his supposed troubles.
AS the forenoon wore away John
helped his father about the chores, and
by skillfully-planned questions learned
all about his fathers financial troubles.
lie had taken his satchel up to his
OWE loom and was washing his hands
ief0Ie supper when he heard a light
sep on the porch and a bright-faced
young woman walked into the kitchen
ard. seeing him, stood embarrassed I'M
IT, he, coming forward, said:
This is Anna Scott. isn't it?"
why, John Warren. where have you
kept yourself all these years? Oh, how
hGrpy your mother must be-"
And dropping his hand, which she
f&G been shaking with the greatest en-
tfusiasm she flew down into the cellar
ard threw both arms around his motr-
e!'s neck, and that good lady embraced
hei weeping and patting her shoulder
with the empty cream pitcher which
she had taken there to fill.
Mrs. Warren insisted that Anaa
should stay for supper, and after d
pie asant evening, talking over the old
schoolmates and old times, Anna sud
denly arose and said: We'll, l declare.
| am so anxious to tell the folks that
you are home, and Bother Harry will
be Just wild to see you"
Il 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 be-
fore. Just as they entered her fathers
gateway, John said:
Anna, my parents think Just as yo,l
d., that l have made a failure of life.
Well, haven't. I am a junior member
Of a very prosperous firm in the west
bat | want to keep the secret a little
while longer. and | want O to help
me give them a 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-
The next morning, after the old fam
lily Bible was read and a heartfelt
player offered, John asked the loan of
his fathers horse, and drove straight
to Squire Cobb's office, and that worthy
being in John said:
Squire, l came to see you about
that mortgage you have on my faith
eI S farm"
mo use, young man, no use. l must
fcieclose the last of the year; hs has
already had notice."
You are making a mistake" sale
John. Il 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 he
farm of Mr.. Scott and called, whoa,
Just as Anna, her father, mother and
brother came to the gate.
There were hearty greetings, and
IL en- Anna, all ready for a long drive,
sprang in beside him. How bright tae
morning was! How happy were they
r.; the bells jingled and the sleigh
moved with purring noise over the will
dorness Of snow and through the deep
woods. What mysterious bundles they
bought out of the stores in the large
town Of F., until, when, at last they
arrived at Annals home, the sleigh was
loaded with enough to stock a store"
as Harry Scott remarked.
Christmas day dawned bright and
glorious 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 asked his mother to take a ride
with him, and finally, after much urg-
ing from Anna, Mrs. Warren put on
her shabby cloak and hood, and with
a warm soapstone at her feet, was
tucked into the sleigh beside John. He
noticed the cloak and gave a little look
Of entreaty to Anna, who only smiled
and said: II 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 Far
mer Scott's. Soon Mrs. Scott was show
ing Mrs. Warren her " new quilt, just
taken out OF the trames," and the pic
ture of Cousin William, who is on the
Board of Trade" and these two good
old women talked over a hundred
harmless things which constituted their
everyday life. John finally suggested