Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-12-09
GOT NC HOME
loriginal.l


A train stopped at little station in
the inteyiur Of Connecticut. A gentle
man alighted and stood. with q satchel
IN his hand and light overcast a his
ann, looking about him.
~The railroad hasn't changed the ap-
pearance Of the place much" he mused
There IN the wood through which l
shall have to 60 to reach the village
The trees IN that Aeld were saplings,
but they are now fun grown. There ID
an iron bridge down there where that
wooden one WAS I helped to destroy
In other respects the face of the coun-
try Is the same az 1t was thirty years
ago."
So saying, he left the station, struck
into the path and entered the wood.
Orville Gilbert when q boy had run
away from home. He was bad boy,
and his parents could do nothing with
him. He was always lighting with
his companions, and when a lawless
gang Of boys was caught in some act
Of destruction Orville was sure to be
found among them. Ono evening after
his father had whipped him for being
absent from home for several days
without giving any account OF himself
he disappeared entirely. It was well
that he did. for he was wanted BY the
civil authorities for being implicated
n firing the bridge he had noticed re-
placed.
Orville worked his way westward
until he reached the Missouri river,
where he Joined a wagon train start
Ing out to haul a stock Of goods to
San Francisco. He delighted Ia rid
ing in advance Of the train scouting
for Indians, and by his GOODNESS and
bravery several times he saved It from
capture and the travellers from being
murdered. On reaching the Pacific
coast he was taken into the store
where the goods were sold, helped to
sell them, soon became a partner and
at last grew very rich.
At first he did not write home, partly
because he did not think it safe to give
his wherea bouts and partly because.
like all boys who are troublesome. he
considered himself badly abused. After
that he became 30 immersed in bust
ness that he took no interest in any
thing else. One day he took up poem
by James Whitcomb Riley called 1.-THE
Afterwhiles:"
Afterwhile-we have in view
A far scene to journey to
Where the old home ID, and where
The old mother waits Us there,
Peering, as the time crows late.
Down the Old path to the gate
How we'll click the latch that locks
In the pinks and hollyhocks
And leap up the pa tn once more
Where she waits us at the door!
How we'll greet the dear old smile
And the warm tears-afterwsaile!
Gilbert discovered q TEAR In hts eye
after reading the poem, and he next
day found himse4 sn q txan going
home.
Reaching the house from which hs
had departed in anger yeaN agons, he
laid a trembling hand On tho gate
latch. then went up 10 the house. A
young girl of nftssn came 70 De door.
Are Ar. and Nh. 0Lbsrt It homer
h. asked h faint voice.
~Ths ed people VIE ussd 10 I'VE
hees1",
YES"
mo; they had - give ~ the hssse
during the hard timsa"
"Whers are thsy nowr'
She hsatatsd, and 0tlbsst.s heart
sank.
II don't know. 1hey had Z - who |
ran away. xhsy always V0s Iook1ng |
for Mm to come ba<k md gfvs them
ut. The nsdghboss "a hughsd q them !
for thinking %. though ~ mother
ased - tell mo ths bog wassat - bad,
enly fun Of devslyy."
"Your mother Was HaRGaEet Pi1iey"
'Yes. How "a 20 know thatf'
n knew Aer wh0 - W. Ha1f ysw
aSA Wbe lives h9s nswr
mother ard L"
"qs your msthsr q ws6swr
"Yea."
may y In and ssst<"
The stranor W. made eem1ogtahae,
Ihough whn ths 81 hooked - q Inn
Iuddenly ~ nv teaU u ~ e5es.
Presently 4 weanan AkgAklV lsss usaa
'esty eans n.
'.Naegaast Rixis1," said Tie s1anoer,
:asang, ri an Ovve1s Unbst I havs
,een 10 hlaGns n haStng NJ paRsnts
md paying No hssd - them. On yos
Ill me- whses ~ - nowr
"Yss. AaGgis, - ct - ~ weal
md draw some ws*se." |,
Maggie went at, aDd the woman re-
lied to the question: |,
TN the Home for, the 1yaandfess."
The man staggered and caught the
'aek Of q chair. !;
"Will you go and bring thsmT'
"Yes."
II will be here Tomorrow 1T this time.
Don't tell them that have come."
The next day when Orville Gilbert
clicked the latch" Of the gate q wo-
IAN with snow white hair tottered
own the path and threw her arms
bout his neck. Then he went into the
o,,sa whnre ho found his father too