Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1902-12-11

things and go home again.
James and 1 came out together;
we were always together-togethe,
at school, and we should have gone
to the university together, but that
my father cast me off one day, in q
fit of rage, because 1 would not do q
certain thing he wished. Then James
said-I can recall his very words:
Cheer up, old fellow, I'll stick to YOU
When my father learned this, and
saw that James would keep his word
he was bitter sorry for what he'd
done. But he wouldn't forgive me,
and he couldn't turn James against
me. So he gave James $1,000 in gold
and a part of the household furni.
ture-you see it about us now-and
we came out here together.
Land was cheap, so we bought a
farm and built this house. The life
was rough, and eve a letter came
from home; but there was always a
deal to look after, and by and by we
grew to love the marshes and the big
tides of the bay. 1t was lonely some
times in the long winters, but we
soon accustomed ourselves to that.
The worst was when the autumn
storms came up the bay, for then
often the dikelands would be flooded,
and u cattle and sheep be in dan
ger. And sometimes there would be
wrecks of good ships"-he paused,
with a puzzled expression, then has
tily resumed:
But one summer James fell sick.
l can't recall the year-my memory
is not what it used to be. I am much
alone, sir. But James fell sick, and
/ was hard pressed to bring him
around. He recovered at last, and
then l showed him a letter which had
come for him. 1t was from our IA
theirs lawyer, and it told us that IA
Their was dead, and James, as the
eldest son, should go home to settle
up the estate. Never a word of for
giveness, mark you, from him that
was dead! He was a stern man. Now
this was a good thing for James,
meaning change of air and a long
sea voyage to put new life into him.
l went with him as far as Halifax,
where he took the Cunard steamer.
"Yet sometimes now I wish he'd
never gone. He was sad at leaving
the farm. T"
The speaker stopped and moved
restlessly in his chair. Suddenly he
turned to me and said:
"You think he will return soon, do
you not?"
"Why, yes" 1 replied, somewhat
surprised by the question; 81 don't
see why he shouldn't"
Once more the old man gave his
peculiar, wistful glance. Then he
went over to the picture above the
mantelpiece.
ut fell down n night long ago."
he said, as if to himself. "There was
a storm and I was away-somewhere
I forget where. The rain was flood
ing the marshes and the wind was
bowling up the bay. God help the
poor ships out that night! And when
I came home the picture was lying on
the floor" He ceased. There was a
long silence. Finally, he struck his
forehead impatiently. II cannot re-
member what happened that night.
The storm and the darkness, and
where was James? But it doesn't
matter now, for he's coming home
SOON" =. Another pause followed,
which lasted until | rose to leave.
Going down the garden path he
stopped and called attention to his
flowers.
81 am getting all in order for
James Homecoming" he explained.
"He is fond of bright flowers"
"T1l look out for your brother in
the village" l rejoined. 81 think I'd
recognize him from the picture"
"I'm greatly obliged to you for
your Kindness" replied my compan-
ion. "Tell James to hasten out, for
I've long been waiting for him!"
At a Try in the road I glanced
back and waved my hand. The old
mar was still standing at the open
gate in the gathering dusk, gazing
after me
The village was only a few miles
away, and 1 soon arrived there. My
stopping place was a small hotel
which overlooked the head of the
bay. AS I sat outside smoking in the
cool of the evening the landlord
joined me for the customary chat.
"Well," he began, show fur did you
git to-day?"
I told him and then related my ex-
perience, touching lightly on the old
mans story.
$50 he stopped you, did hep" said
the landlord, with a chuclle, "and
told you bout brother James? Well,
you amt the fust, nor bout a thou
sand, that old large Montague has
told the same story to-"
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"This is the how of it," answered
the landlord, fitting his chair into a
more comfortable position. 81 vas a
lad at the time, but I can remember
it all right. Him an his brother come
out from England-that's all right.
An then his brother got took sick
an went home when the old man
died-that's all right. But now I'll
tell you what old large didn't tell
you. James Montague did come out
here again, but he warn't alive when
he landed. He landed from q wreck
with O hole busted in his skull"
Seeing my amazed look, the speaker
proceeded to explain.
"He come out to Halifax in a Gu
nard steamer; she was called the
Scotia, l ~guess-one of them big pad
die boats that used to run in the old
days. That was way back in the six
rI