Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1902-11-22

Phineas Quimby was late. The
neighbor had kept him longer than
he expected, and It fretted him.
Neighborly assistance was all right
enough, but on Thanksgiving Day,
when your sons folks were coming
home, it was vexing to be kept al
most till dinner-time.
"Get up, Dan; get into a trot, will
We? DO you want the turkey to be
oil eat up before we get there? Jer-
rvs folks won't know what to make
Of these doin's; get up, there, pony!"
He ratified home, into the lane, past
the house to the barn. his mind in
tent ON grievances, else he might
have seen the peering little faces at
the parlor window-mother had for.
gotten those.
Old Dan put up and given his
Thanksgiving dinner of oats and
clover-sweet hay, Phineas Quimby
strobe into the house. A frown was
on his face. Being Phineas Quimby,
this interference with his plans an
noyed him greatly. Jerry's folks
were not plain farmer folks. They
would hardly understand this-what!
What was the old cradle on the kitch-
en- floor for? And little Jerry and lit
tie John in it!
Phincas Quimby stood still over the
old cradle and gazed down into it in
helpless bewilderment. Had he lost
his wits, or had the years rolled
from his bent old shoulders and left
him standing there, strong and
straight, looking down at the crum-
pied faces of his little twin sons?
Was he young again? Were the old
age and the loneliness and the heart
break in his stubborn old soul only
bad dream? And he was young
and had little John again-had both
his boys!
The babies stirred from their pla-
cid browse, and one of them flung
out lusty little fist and opened
pair of wide blue eyes. Little John,
that one was! With an inarticulate
cry OF tenderness and love, father
stopped and gathered the warm,
sweet morsel into his old arms, and
laid his grizzled head against it, in
the old, old way. Mother found him
SO.
"Fatber. father!" she cried, from
the doorway. All her soul was in her
eager, old voice.
Flush, don't speak, mother; don't
wake me up! I've got little John in
my arms"
In the quiet kitchen there was only
the sound of baby-crooning then.
Mother had lifted little Jerry, and
was grading him in her own arms.
The noon sunshine lighted all their
faces, young and old. 1t was father
who spoke first, after awhile:
"Don't tell me, mother, I know all
about it," he said, quietly. II know
we amt grown young again and
found our baby boys. 1t was only
minute / half believed that come
in so sudden and found them in the
old cradle with the old quilt over
'em. I've got my wits back now. and
I know all about it. This is Johns
baby I've got here, and Johns baby
over there in your arms. They're
Johns twin babies-did you think ]
never hunted up Johns letters to you
and read 'em through and through?
Do you think don't know the names
of all of Johns little shavers by
heart, mother? Here, you may have
'em both. I've got to go-I want
john"
"Here I am, father. I'm here!"
And It was John standing there In
the door, and father striding toward
him with his hands out! And it was
mother with her arms full of Johns
babies who lowered over them both
with unspeakable thanksgiving in
her heart.-Country Gentleman.