The Republican journal., 1902-11-20
know he had been indulgent beyond his


wont with young James ever since.
Pm going to tell you what the last
straw with Willis was" said he. "You
know he was dreadful fond of amuse-
ment and it worried his Ma who hasn't
shiftless bone in her body. Well, one
night she got provoked and took the
boys checker board and hid it. He and
l both supposed she burned it. They
had some words and the next morning
the foolish fellow was missing. To-
night when l came in from the barn,
there she sat crying over the same old
board which had been tucked away in a
closet all this time | asked her about
the wicked Ping Pong game and she
said she guessed it wasn't so wicked, at
any rate, she couldn't see any harm in
it. Then James speaks up and asks if
he can go over tomorrow and play with
your boys and she said he could if he
wanted to, provided you was willing to
be bothered with him.
AS he talked, Deacon sat with the
side of his face towards the window:
Parson had his back towards it, but |
sat facing it squarely. Suddenly | saw
a face framed i'll one of the panes, then
disappear 1t startled me a good deal
but | controlled myself and didn't let
on, but waited to see it appear again.
When it did | knew whose it was. |
got up, poured out another cup of tea
for the Deacon, then leisurely walked
! out into the kitchen. Once out OF sight
flew ont of doors and around to that
watching figure at the window.
willis Bennett" said |, as calmly
as | could, seeing | was somewhat eN-
| cited and tremoly inside, ''come right
| into the house this instant. Don't you
know your Pa is just about crazy be-
cause you have staid away like this?'
Hes stood it five years and looks
hearty yet says he, trying to pull
away.
| saw he was only pretending and
| that he really was Just heartslck for
| home and his own people.
Nonsense" said l. ''You come with
me. Your Ma has been this very day
crying for you as if her heart would
| break"
81 don't believe it," says he, then as
| he recollected himself, "Oh, Miss Prls-
ella, | do beg your pardon, of course,
1 but l don't look scarcely fit to be seen:
passage home"
!
| he didn't look exactly dressy, but he
was wholesome looking and clean and
by the way his father grabbed him,
about the most attractive sight he'd
seen in many a day.
1t seemed that he'd been homesich
right along, but someway couldn't
make up his mind to come home until
he saw Miss Strong at the Bishops
| then he cOuldn't stand it anV longer
He had very little money and it took
what he had and all his surplus stock
of clothes to get back as far as Danvers
He'd walked from there, not waiting tC
get a mouthful to eat, although he'd
not broken fast all that day. | was
going to get him some supper but he
said NO" he would go home and get
his mother to feed him. liked it III
! him. | knew what delight it would be
to her to wait upon him, and what a
relief for her in her first outburst OF
JOY, to have some way of giving ex-
preston to it, by service.
Il declare" SAID the Deacon in tell
| ing us about it next day. II don't know
I but she viii Kill the boy with kindness
We haven't exactly killed the fatted
calf, tor Willis never did like veal but
the chickens are taking to the woods
( for fear of their lives, ana there's sucl
a brewing and steWing and baking
! going on that it is equal to ThankSgiv
ing time"
1T is Thanksgiving time said Par
son. Wiping his glasses and then, sur
reptitously, his eyes.
Amen said the Deacon, and deel
down III my heart, | echoed it.