The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-02
THE MAN REDEEMED.
BY WILLIAM wENDHAM. fCopyrisht, 1902. by Daily Story Pub. Col

; | /, by hunger They will thank me for rais- l ing the hue and cry. will fool them | and get the diamonds; and then, then I will go back home and pay up the | mortgage and marry Jeannie." Then he laid down in the grass and
 The twilight deepened and the summer night fell with the drowsy hum of in- sects supplanting the harsher noises Of up to the door of the palace opposite and through the open and brilliantly lighted windows the man in the park saw that there was a gay assembly ,th or | of which he knew naught It was a beautiful picture to look upon for one who was happy but terrible one for a man who was wretched and despairins The man in the park gritted his teeth and turning his face from the scene perfected his plan to seize the string Of diamonds from the lady's ne neck k,.ornsss | of his thoughts by voice of silvery sweetness which came floating out from the mansion across the way and the | so straight at his heart did the singer seem to aim. He listened closer. he arose in spite of himself, and. hugging the shrubbery close. he peered across the way. Straight to his listening ear came the words:
 'The puir auld folk at home, ye ken, Are frail and failing, sair. And weeI I ken, they'd miss me. lad. If l came home nae matr.
 The grist is out. the times are hard. The kline are only three; cannot leave the auld folk now. Wed better bide wee" rushed back upon his heart and through the mist in his eyes he saw the homely and honest features of the old father and mother waiting patiently for his re- turn, confident of this, that their boy was good boy and would never do aught that would make them ashamed. Neither had ever done dishonest act held MsO n ,hs 51 and tRst 1t would be exceedingly hard to offer them any portion of the price. of infamy. Dashing his hands across his eyes with throasS the foiiass o @ Yes. t w was her the beautiful woman with the silks and jewels who was singing and they were all crowding about her now speaking the Park sought desperately to control his rebellious thoughts Curse 1t, why must she select that particular song to set on fire all his better impulses against his plan. Hark. she Is singing again: John Anderson, my Jo. John.
 
 Your locks were like the raven, Your bonnie brow was brent; But now ysir brow Is beid, John.
 Your locks are like the snaw; But blessings on your frosty pow, John Anderson. my Jo."
 The Man in the Park held his breath. How did she know that his name was John Anderson. and how did she know that he was a Scot of the Scots. And the song-Jeanrie used to sing it, oh. so prettily; and to sing it at him and to tease him in the dear old pretty way. | And now they crow led around her | again and how beautiful and happy she looked. They talked and laughed a great but the Man in the Park only thought. At length they prevailed on her for an- other song. and she returned to the piano: The Man in the Park held his | breath in awe. What further message had she for his better nature?
 Clear and sweet rose her voice. pene- trating through the stiffness: Mid pleasure and palaces. through which we may roam.
 Be it ever so pleasant. there's no place l like home.
 A charm from the sky seems to hallow us there.
 Which. seek through the world is ne'er | met with elsewhere
 The Man in the Park sat still and rigid behind his clump of foliage. The tears were streaming from his eyes. The brown stone front and all the lights of the house opposite had faded from his sight, and he saw before him in veritable | reality the old home among the hills a home where temptation or sin could not abide where all was peace and rest and honor and honesty-where 1t was better to starve than to fall. Then came Into the eyes of the Man in the Park a look born of the light and the fires within him. which, could the singer have l lknDu yyb baf nd eli had brought into it. she would have re- alized that she never before sang to so good purpose-and never would again.
 Then the singer came out onto the broad piazza with a handsome man, who | said.
 Alice, it was beautiful. It wouid-it | would-redeem man.
 And he spake truer than he knew, for the Man in tho Park started that night. afoot. hungry and tired, toward the old home among the hills.
 l." by John Gaston.