The Worthington advance., 1901-03-01

Cd"S u AoAAI cCuO Ae"ueI1 6uU ne
started and pressed forward. He
turned unerringly into the gate, passed
through the open door, and, throwing
himself on his knees, buried his face in
the old woman's lap, as she sat by the
table, "Oh, mother! mother!"
why, father!" she said, with only
= faint surprise in her tone. She halt
put out her hand as If to stroke his
hair, then drew it back. The man rose
and brushed his sleeve across his eyes.
'She does not know mel"
Mary stood and grasped tho table.
looking at him speechlessly for mo-
ment. Later she broke out: "Oh
Lem, is it you? Why, why have you
never sent us a word all these years?"
'Never sent q word!" he echoed.
"Didn't write again and again and
this is all got-my own letter re.
turned" and he drew from his pocket
an old envelope with postmark. Of an
cient date.
"Oh, father!" Mary murmured, and
:hen she turned away to stop the fast
flowing tears.
where is father?" the man asked, .
sterner note coming into his voice.
I'm the (churchyard, this many q
year." she answered. And he sat down
heavily.
The old woman glanced at the new.
conner furtively, but silently. The
other two fell into talk in low, sup.
pressed tones, going over briefly the
life that lay between this and their
parting.
eyes, I sowed wild oats enough at
frst," the man said, "but managed to
work my way across the ocean, and
then there came over me great dis
gust of myself and my evil ways. Faith
er was hard enough on me-but I was
wrong, too, very wrong, and for moth.
er's sake I should have been patient
and tried to do better. Please God my
boy shall have no such experience"
"Your boy ?" Mary asked eagerly, her
face lighting up.
"Aye, my boy-bless him. He's
great lad. Well, I settled down in
England, in a good, sizeable village,
after awhile, and did fairly well.
Then I married and we had this one
boy and girl"
"Where are your wife and children ?"
He turned his face away for mo-
ment to conceal its quivering. 'crhe
boy is with me-the other two lie un-
der the sod. When they were gone
Lemuel and I didn't care to stay. So
we've been wandering a bit. Then it
came over me that must see the old
place once more. and here I am"
"But where is your boy?" pressed
Mary.
"He's"down at the hotel. lust want
ed to walk around and: take my bear
ings frst-it's all SO changed except
this house."
eyes, mother always wanted this
kept just the same: against. you got
back. How like you've grown to faith.
er, Lem. Is your boy like you?"
At every mention of his son the man'a
face lighted up. "Yes, I suppose he's
like me some, but he's taller and roster,
too, since he's English born, and whilst
see look of the mother in him.
Bring him!" Mary cried. I'm pin
ing to see him.
"Yes, III go and fetch him now," he
said, rising. "1t's seldom we're 20 long
separa ted"
So she hustled about tidying up the
always neat little house and looking
into the glass to give some touch of i'm
provement to her own personal appear
ance, of which, poor soul, she scarcely
ever thought but she had sudden
wish to be pleasing in the strange
young eyes.
The mother wandered around rest.
lessly, going again and again to the
door and looking out toward the hills,
but saying no word. And thus they
waited. At last the click of the gats
sounded and the two, father and son,
came up the path, the latter looking
around with questioning eyes. AS they
entered wild cry rang out. and the
old woman threw herself upon the boy
with passionate caresses, exclaiming
unconsciously in the words of Scrip.
ture:
" NY eOus III SOu! nc was QedU
and is alive again! He was lost and IL
| found!" -
''Humor her, lad" the father whis.
pered, and the boys rosy cheeks grew
roster as he stopped to her embrace.
Then she drew away, yet still cling.
ing to him, and looked imploringly al
the elder son. 49,. ~. ass<1. ...I,. z:
"Oh, father! be friendsl be friendsl
He's q good lad, he means no harm!"
and the two men clasped hands silently
while 3 Tranquil, happy look creptove
the poor harassed face.
So no more the sad cry rang over thu
fields, but an old woman and a. boy
might often be seen walking together
on the, road near the cottage, and lat<
roses bloomed on the faded cheeks, and
the sad eyes grew calmer, though rea.
son no more fully resumed its sway.
| Lemuel, the older. remained in iii,
former home and builded onto7the cot
j tage, which was kept unchanged, as
wing to the new Iouke, where. Mary
was happy again i'll being a mother t
her nephew. When her short Indian
summerwasoyer and; they laid the littll
mother 10 rest they wrote "Peace" @ q
the white headstons Rsosel