Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-12-05

4 y
is almost hermit and no one seems
to know very much about him. am
almost positive that ne is your man,
but l am not 30 certain from his
looks and from what have been told
OF his habits that he would leave his
eccentric, solitary life" The letter
continued with further details of the
man and place.
1t was not the first time that hope
had been raised in the hearts of the
husband and wife. But Rivers cheer
fully prepared to leave at once for
the place named In the letter of his
fellow-traveler. With his wife's Oft
repeated story and her message of
love fresh in his memory, he sought
the old man alone when he arrived.
The letter told that he spent most of
his time around a grist-mill, the
repairing of which afforded him oc-
casional employment.
BY the direction of the keeper of
the mill, he followed the bank of the
winding pond and without much diff
ficulty found Old Millwright at his
favorite pastime,-fishing.
The face under the weather-beaten
hat and the eyes that peered from
under the bushy brows did not en-
courage Acquaintance. But Rivers had
mission to perform. He sat down
and began to talk about fishing, until
rather to his surprise the old man
relaxed so far as to bring out an
extra line.
For an hour the two men smoked
and fished. Then Rivers having salts
fed himself that the old man was the
lost father, put down his line and
stood before him.
"Fsther, after all these years of
silence, wouldn't you like to hear
from Baby Lucy?"
The hermit started; be looked up
with an eager expression in his eyes.
He gazed at Rivers for a moment,
then dropped his head.
Gently and persuasively, Rivers
told him Of how the wife had died
years before, of how Baby Lucy, now
a grown married woman,-h wife,
-longed so much to have him come
back and end his days with them in
peace and comfort.
"Did you ever see this before?"
asked Rivers, taking from his pocket
an old-fashioned locket, containing
two locks Of hair and the picture of
a man in the prime of life.
swat minute said the old man
husklly. From the inside of his
ragged coat he produced something
wrapped with long strips of cloth,
which he unwound, disclosing the
counterpart of the locket Rivers held,
except that it con tanned the face of a
pretty young woman.
The old man held the lockets in
his hands, gazing at them as if he
were child. His eyes were filed
with tears.
wont you come with me?' Rivers
pleaded; "we would try to make You
happy, and you would make us very
happy"
The old man seemed not to hear.
Out on the water violent ripple re-
vealed the presence of large fish
close to the minnow struggling at the
end of his line, but he did not notice
it. He rose and without word,
held cut his hand to his companion.
de was as joyous as q child that
night while the great steamer plowed
the waves between him aud the city
home Of his Baby Lucy. Shaved and
neatly dressed, he was different
looking man. Rivers put him to bed
early that ne might be fresh and
rested the next morning. When
Rivers came in at midnight, he was
sleeping soundly and smile was
fitting across his careworn features.
As the steamer lay at her dock the
next morning, sweet-faced woman
with her husband by her side stood
by the stateroom door, trembling with
happy excitement.
FsVt
The old man was lying where
Rivers had left him when he dressed
and went to the carriage to meet his
wife. They were bending quietly
over the berth of the sleeper when
Rivers with u quick movement put
his hand on the old mans brow.
With a look of unutterable pity in his
eyes he drew his wondering wife back
out of the room and clasped her
silently in his strong arms.
Old Millwright had gone home.