The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-22

have been sufficient for the other man who was leaning over the grilled gate, his arms folded on the spiked top.
 Who cares if, you are busy?" said the | prodigal easily You're cross. Mike
 Your supper doesht agree with you.
 What whsss the, hen meatter? Got nobody that Mike rested on his broom and grinned. | Four In here now" he said, jerking an
 nnaerstanding thumb over his shoulder l they say there's half dozen'll be down m m. tn the ecorse of the morhin'. There's ai-
 ssay, Mike. said the prodigal, reaching | the arm of the other: "what'll you take for one O these fellows in there?' And he nodded toward the gray door.
 :'Git away from rom herer' he I said indie. | nantly. You must take me for bloom in medical stoodent. Go som CTS else from mean have me hauled up To for not not doin' things regiar-an' body-snatchin'
 an things like that"
 T want the body of man." said the
 prodigal never moving from the gate. You can get me one any day-and. I'd like to have 1t by this evening or tonor- row morning, if it's perfectly conven-
 yen not git it." said Mike, scowlins
 at the prodigai fiercely.
 Listen to me, Mike.'' said the prodical
 easily. The man that's had it is '
 need it any more, and couldn't get it If l he wanted It. If you don't let me have 1t. it'll be buried in the potter's field got nice clean % grave ' waiting val w for 1t is l down In the country. Of course I'll get
 Mike went a little nearer and looked at You ain't lost your mind nor nothin'. have ye, Jerry?" he asked with concern. Lost nothin'! I've got a decent grave
 ers S ess yon wDnS now go what S the se like. funerals forthcoming down in the country, and nobody's going to be hurt by 1t. It'll bring peace to an old ing for son that ran away and left him-you see how it affects me, Mike he's concluded that if he could know the boy was dead he'd feel happier. That's how it is. Mike-and you've got lot of folks here every day that need Christian burial. Think of lying. in a nice, clean grave, in a country church-yard. right preacher reading something over him and people singing hymns out under the
 "Lord." said Mike, greatly moved.
 And with a good old man to come there every day and look down regret fully, and maybe say prayer or two" "Yo9 s rsekin there's any way to man; ?: ,.WeiI. of course. At the last minute I'll come in and Identify him as g friend Mike, whoever he is-and I'll bring a coffin, and-and everything-and maybe there'li be a. little something for you, in
 "Go along wid yexw said Mike, begin hing to sweep rapidly. Then he paused and leaned against the gate. Tt does seem like pity to put man into a reg'lar grave, som'ers,' he said pen- slvely.
 "Yss-and be read over and sung over.". thing, Mike-not that it would matter to the body-the body-but all things con- sidered, I'd rather the fellow that had 1t last was a-was gentleman"
 It would seem that a gentleman, wan- dering sadly down to the last breath and the eternal silence, did fall asleep in one
 laid on the santnS Ga stones of te deSd house floor was one who was at once Identified as James Sanger. With myste- rious quichness, almost as though it had been prepared beforehand, a coffin was produced beaAng the name of the sleeper on little silver plate and the gentleman was composed to rest in quite unexpected grandeur. After 1t was finished the prodlgal looked 1t over admiringly.
 'The old man'll like these silver ham dles," he said with pleased smile. And the name on that plate,h just simply fetch the whole town. They take great stock in such things down in the coun- try I'd have bought a finer one, but had to save car fare down therefor myself and for Jimmie"
 And so on the same train Jerry and the gentleman who had slipped of his identity and lost 1t forevermore, went down to the quiet village.
 Not that the village was asleep now. Jerry's message had preceded him; and the entire countryside had turned out to see the burial of old Amos Sangers long gone son-the reburial, 1t appeared, for 1t seemed that Jerry had found his tomb. where he had been buried year ago, and had simply changed the abiding place. street, the coffin in a wagon leading the way and all the people walking two and two. Jerry walked beside the old man, holding his arm and talking to him.
 ''Of course traced him." he said. "It's mighty easy to trace a dead man. Now, when fellows alive he's hard to keep track of, but when once he's dead, there he Is. I found the people he used to live
 T wonder if Mrs. Blenkinsop would | recognize herself from that description? he added inwardly, with the ghost of a smile. on him more and more
 And she cried when she spoke of him." was such a kind, thoughtful, generous young man"
 He used to be that" cried the old man. tears rushing to his eyes. He'd
  day-if he'd lived"
 "Yes," said Jerry steadily. 'He couldn't come back. because he thought-he thought you'd not be glad to see him. after he'd been so ungrateful. He told her that. And after his mother died-- and all-but she said he was never tired of talking about his father and mother | and the old home. She told me some | things that'll help you to judge if 1t was | really your son. He said something | about big tree in the yard, and place | he used to climb up to sit there to read"
 FYes, yes. it was my boyr' cried the old man. "The trees there yet!'
 And he said something about a creek. | and 8 place in it where he used to fish for big trout that always got awayw
 "Oh, Jimmie, Jimmie!' cried the little old man, laying his hand wlstfully on the black cloth that covered the coffin; "an' so you've come home at lastl''
 And with tears still on his brown, wrin- kled cheeks, a smile settled there, too. l His boy had been long dead. and he was | about to be laid to rest beside his moth- CT. He was no longer a wanderer. "It | seems too good to be true" he whispered | chiidlshly. And I can bring flowers | there-some O the children O them same | flowers he planted when he was a little boyP%
 There was reading. solemn and deep | toned, in the little cemetery, and there | was singing out under the trees. while | all the men stood with uncovered heads. | Jerry, looking around, could hardly be- | lieve it. He thought regretfully what a | pity 1t was that the gentleman, the un- | known gentleman. could not see how |