Evening star., 1900-12-22
HE PRODIGAL'S RETURN
1t Wal Christmas eve.

1t was Christmas eve.
"Ahw exclaimed the grizzied man who
stood regarding the humble little home
/ down on M street southwest, this Is In
deed the glad and joyous season of family
reunions. Strange, is 1t not, that twelve
long years have passed since have cross
ed the threshold of that little home of me
YOUTH and he passed his hand across his
forehead rehectively. "And how l have
longed,' he went on musing, TO once
more look into the faces of my little BROTH
ers and ssters-now so grown, l suppose,
that I'll scarcely know them-and my
white-haired old mother, and my stern, bu,
kindly, old father-how l have looked for
ward to this hour! And how little they
expect me. And is it not extraordinary t.
reflect upon all that has taken place in my
checkered life since L left this little home
behind me and went forth alone into the
great, wide world!'
And, as it all came back to him, some-
thing moist shone at the corners of his
eyes. over which he involuntarily passed
his sleeve.
He remembered with mingled feelings,
now that he was getting along toward
forty years of age what an incorrigible
lad he had been while still under that Old
vine and fig tree upon. which he was now
gazing for the first time in twelve Ions,
weary years. He recalled how he had
first fallen into the tide of dissipation, and
how thus he had saddened the old folks
how his growing sisters had pleaded with
him. all to no effect
IF one but had it all to live over again! y
he muttered, as he stood in the shade or
a tree box and looked wistfully upon the
little home that he was now about to enter
for the first time in so many years.
He remembered how his kindly, but stern,
OH father had warned him time and again
to leave off his dissoiute ways-how all OF
the warni ings had been unavaling-and
hn = hoI fro, hoI n
until even the sweetheart to whom he haa
beer engaged, loyal as she had been
throughout all his self-created difficulties
had been compelled, for the sake or hef
good name, to Shun him.
1t was twelve years ago this very ChrlSt-
mas eve that he had stepped beneath the
Intel of the door of his old home the last
time, and his life since them-hoW full II
seemed to him that he should now be
standing once more in front of the place
that had sheltered him from the day OF
his birth up to the time he had brought
about his exile therefrom-and how his
arrival would surprise them.
He had travelled far during those nterven-
ing years, and his adventures had been
many. For two years he had been in the
Klondike, and he Shuddered now as he
thought of the awful hardships he had en-
dured in that frozen cline.
Il wouldn't go through it again. he NUT
tered, even and then he seemed to be
''It would be cruel' he said half aloud.
after awhile, IF 1 walked right in on my
poor old mother changed as l am. or
course, she would know me, but not having
heard of or from me in so many years, she
might suppose me to be an apparition, and
no, l shall not startle her. l shall go
around the old alleyway and creep in the
back gate. Besides" he added looking fur
lively around him, the graft ought to be
better in the back part of the old home,
anyhow
Whereupon he went around to the back
gate sneaked in. opened the Kitchen door
with the practiced hand of the night
prowler tiptced over to the old cupboard.
on top of which. under the oilcloth, he
knew that his old mother was wont to keep
her change, found two dimes and three pen
MES showed them into pocket of his
ragged vest, quickly picked off the four
stove lids from the fireless Kitchen stove
he remembered the location of an old junk
dealer where he could dispose of them-and
softly slouched into the night.
That's one time when l done the old
family bunch without 'em getting wise to
my play" he muttered. with his finger on
the latch of the back gate.
However, he was a mite too previous IN
his calculation. for just then rolling pin,
unerringly thrown by his old mother, VINO
had watched his entrance and exit from
dark corner of the room next to the kitch-
en-. caught him right back of the left ear
and he fell unconscious in his tracks.
On the following morning. when all the
world was gay with the joyousness OF
Christmas. his old mother appeared against
him in the Police Court and he got ninety
days over by the Eastern branch.
For was it not the merry Christmastime!