The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1902-09-20

! sug,s .Wn,cn rapidly increased in force,
. ulaking progress more difficult. With this
now and then spatter Of rain. foueh hit
steadily on, however and was half Wav
nome before night shut in But night
So ons me , inS iuil fury Of the tempest
proved safeguard, too, for while going
fast down hill flash revealed a fallen
Tree scarcely ten feet away. 1, did not
on and rolled in the mud, leaving the BIZ
! cycle to it's fate. Then / trudged man
f fniEy on .s afoot. trundling my wrecked ma
! chlne, while the wind shrieked in my face
and the rain drenched me, to the skin.
| At last. far ahead. a. light appeared
linen linen another and another. until a bril-
then quite suddenly. l recognized the
l outline Of the house on the uplaads But
what was the reason of this illumination !:
1 FASTENED forward, and soon stumbled
through the gate, up the pathway to the
front door, where l knocked loud and
long. 1t was throw open, and my old
Why %Sy he ezhg eagerly st mS
| thought it was James!'' and look Of
sep dls s5uo game over his face"
| mo- [ answered, and the light fell
fall on my soaked and muddy garme hts
me ne ora man gave, cry. r
come in! and you can get dry, and We can
welcome James together. For you do not
sheer and laugh as the others do He
drew me in and shut the door, We went
through the hall-catching a GLIMPSE of
bright-lit pa1lors as we passed-to the
big EXT kitchen at, at its e farther end. :
o MgrH drv huge gEh fire re- blazed and l vas
drink from brew which simmered be-
SIDE the hearth 1t put new life into me-
| Is your brother really coming to-
hhii sgl asked, determined to humor
Yes, oh yes!'' he cried TREMENDOUSLY.
! See, read this!'' With shaking hands he
unfolded a sheet of paper and gave it to
me-
II, It was letter, frayed and worn, dated
thlrty years back: 1t said that the writer
h had arrived in Halifax by the steamer
come round by schooner, avoiding the
tedious coach journey.
II purpose to come round in the Curlew
| schooner, which sails within a week. Have
the house ready for me- George, and ii
Jorum of that good punch you used to
make so well. will drive out from the
village. And 1 shall be right glad to be
home again, old fellow, for We had
| rough voyage coming across. Il am, dear
George, your affect Bror. James"
stained and blurred And as l handed
| back the letter and the old man folded it
so reverently and replaced it in his
pocket. the pity of it all brought tears to
at me expectantly, SO I forced smile and
talked to him of the returning one.
HOY the storm thundered outside! I
reach the village. and gladly accepted the
old mans proposal that should stay
with him: For" said he, lit will be
pleasant for James, and I would like you
to know him."
When my clothes were dry we went
over the house together. 1t was ablaze
with light. Wax candles were placed in
every wi Wind (le3.L and the somber parlors
We. brought them all out when we
came explained . the old man. .And
James will be glad when he sees the
lights shining to welcome him home"
But will he come such a night as
| tiis? said, as gust Of wind shook
the house and Jared us where we stood.
weak od Ths this yG afernoon hg
James is coming Tonight - He went t. to o
E boI Mta9as ark = Don't you heara
along the road.
The wind gradually shifted, and when
laundering at the front door and echoing
in the hall. Several times it tore at the
entrance like a living thing-so like tn 1T
half turned round. while my companion
my fatigue: oegan to overpower me. Even
the increasing nervousness of the old man
eoui ni not Keep me awake. I was rapidly
th6e s II Ct the borders of a slumbe7 when
the storm, which had dropped for q mo-
ment to utter silence, came roaring over
tne MARSH anew. 1t struck the house. it
OPEN with crash
Inc old man sprang up and started out
! .!Io the nall; then. uttering a low cry of
rushed from the room And upon the
n'oment giant blast swept through the
nouse; Instantly all was in darkness.
1elt my way ca utiously along the hall un-
IL shed Threshold.
1t was the old man. carried him into
the Kitchen and lit a candle. He lay very
never seen him smile before And when
morning came 7 was glad that he could
not wake to see his bright garden ruined
dependent.