Morris tribune., 1903-01-24
TIE RET RNED
FRAME

It was all fraud. The forage
cap on one side of his narrow head,
the WORKOUT livery coat with epau-
lets, even the leathern strap sus-
lending from his shoulder his box
Of knavish wares, affected military
air and countenanced bis lies and
receptions.
The face was not repulsive even
now. Some distinction appertained
to the heavy mustache, and the hol-
low beneath the high cheek bone,
the crows feet around the eyes, the
tanned, weather beaten ruddiness Of
his complexion, might have beto-
kened honorable service in poison
Gus swamps or under burning skies
instead Of shifty, footsore wander
ings with alternate hours Of want
and wickedness.
He dragged himself to the dusty
grass beneath the SFive Ashes" at
the four crossroads. He was faint,
for the hill had tried him, and sat
painting with his back against tree.
Then he opened his box and began
rolling infallible pills between his
filthy finger and thumb. Their
composition was a secret, but doubt
less they did some people lot of
good.
For twenty years his heart had
never softened with a sentiment, his
.eul rover qGickened with an inspi-
ration, and now his wandering eye,
resting on finger post across the
road, mechanically read: Upton.
Leigh. Sutton-Darcy."
All SO familiar once, and the last
his birthplace!
A strange impulse, absolutely I'M
reasonable, for recognition might
still be dangerous, took possession
of him, an irresistible desire to see
the place again, even though it were
by stealth at night. From the
boughs above his head came the
''pink, pink" Of a chafinch, and
through the filth and fog of a quar-
ter of a century of evil, indistinct in
the fumes of drink and smothered
in its own futility, cleaned rem
iniscence clear and sharp as the
birds note:
An old farmhouse matched and
stone built, with mullioned win
dows; in the garden a tall pear tree,
with yellow buds glistening in the
early spring, and beneath a youth
with gun peeping to get a shot;
then a man in breeches and hose,
elderly, but hale, drawling half hui
morously "Why, Jack, my bWoy,
thy shots do het off more buds than
all the chafingers."
The old people must be gone now,
for Jack was the youngest and the
favorite five and thirty years ago.
Muttering against his own folly,
he slung on his box and limped
along the Sutton road.
At evening he entered the Cups,
an inn on the outskirts Of Sutton
Everything was as fornerly-the
same bench and stools, the same oak
settle by the hearth. Two laborers
playing at shovelboard called each
other familiar names, and the sing
song Of their voices brought back
the past.
"What parish may this be,
please?" he asked.
'Fzutton,' replied both Abs and
Abe.
"a large village?''
" Hidden 20 terrible large"
Small"
",Tidden 20 wonderful small"
Satisfied with the subterfuge of |
these questions, he sat down and
continued eagerly
s'Any O the name Of Craddock
live here now?o'.
"Craddock, eh?' grinned Abs.
what dost gay, Abe ?"
.sNoo fear,7 said Abe.
He hesitated, but the longing to
know overcame his judgment like
the craving of a vice. M
"And the farm at the foot Of the
aill-who lives there T"
.1Mr. Craddock, be sure Warmer
William"
4 when ] came this way before,
somebody people called Sand
ford
'Ha hap laughed Abs. .Then
you be a woldish bird, not Matched I
oct c117nnnr Whv tho n1d Nor,