The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-06-05

1t gave him q start. IN case "a
! accident" Sarah had been anxious
about hin. then. She had meant to
come to him. She and John, if any
thing happened. He took off his
! glasses and wiped them TREMENDOUSLY,
then he put them on and read the
! card again. 1t seemed like a message
| from home reaching out to him
| through all the strangeness and dis
comfort.
, The sun was Just coming up next
| morning when the train backed onto
| the main track and moved on to meet
the train waiting feT them on the
i other side. When he reached the
| river he followed the people uncer-
! tainlv. down to the rude plank walk
temporarily thrown out over h tiNl-
| hers, but he did not attempt to cross.
| A brakeman offered to assist him out,
but he shook his head.
Coin back to Milwaukee, amt
YEP" he asked.
Eyes: start in about five minutes"
the brakeman told him.
".Any boat goin' out to Grand
Haven tonight"
Eyes. the boat leaves at II O'clock.
Going back with us"
The old man nodded. Eyes, I've
took a notion to-" he said.
When the last passenger had
crossed Father Harlan walked briskiy
back and took his seat again. He felt
better. The empty car was a relief,
and he sat erect and looked about
him with interest. He ven got up
and examined the AK hung up at the
end of the car. "Ain't sharp enough
to do no damage" he decided passing
his thumb critically along the edge.
Milwaukee almost looked familiar
as he got off the train, and he walked
down to the landing with quite a
feeling of confidence. He had his
passage paid on the Robert Harmon
to Grand Haven.
1t was noon next day when he got
into Dumfries. The first man he saw
when he stepped On the platform was
old Sam Higgins. who seemed sur
prised at the cordial way in which
Father Harlan shook hands with him.
Been away?!" he asked. wonder
ingly.
"Yes, been away visitin'. It's ter
rible wearin'," he added.
There was no one in the house
when he got home. 1t was a hot day,
but the sitting room was cool and
quiet. Not V a fly disturbed the
restful stiffness, and he sat down in
the big rocking chair with n sigh of
relief, and wiped his face on his
handkerchief. The very stripes in
the faded rag carpet were good to
see. Even Sarah's geraniums did not
seem to look so scrawny as they used
to. He got up and stuck his fingers
into the dirt. "Gettin' too dry. Good
thing I've got back" he said, going
for water to sprinkle them.
"Sarah's plants"had always been an
eyesore to Father Harlan. She
hadn't any 'knack" with flowers like
Nancy, and he had threatened to
throw them outdoors time and again.
Now he picked off a few following
leaves considerably. "I1l take 'em
in hand myself after this he decided
magnanimously.
When John and Sarah came up
from the pasture, Father Harlan had
on his old clothes and was wedding
beets in the hot sun.
"Why, Father Harlan! What under
the sun is the matter? "Why, -,"
Sarah began, but he cut her interrog-
atory remarks short.
81 took a notion to come home"
he explained briefly.
us Aunt Abby well?" v%enturing one
mor question:
"She's well, far as I know he said,
then he gave his undivided attention
to the task of distinguishing young
beets from young red-roots.
John laughed. He was pretty we'll
used to fathers notions"
Sarah had hoped so much from the
softening effect of this visit upon
Father Harlan. She had hoped he
might come to feel that-the tears
We're very close when she turned to
go to the house, but she paused in
response to Father Harlan's call.
would you mind steepin' me a cup
O. tea, Sarah, not too strong?" he
asked mildly.
The glow Of pleasure that over.
spread Sarah's face was a revelation
to Father Harlan. 1t vas q daughters
pleasure and it crept into his old
heart and warmed it into fatherly
love at last.
"of u I will, father" she re.
plied.-Orange Judd Farmer.
Would Not Be silenced.
Attorneys as a rule are exceeding
~ quickwitted, and in encounters
with witnesses generally ret the. hes