Evening journal., 1905-04-26
lcontlnued from Yesteraay.l

tcontinued from Yesterday
He paused a moment. His mother
put her hand upon his shoulder. with a
word Of gentle sympathy. Then he
went on:
"Well. six years after ! had gone
away, one evenlngin midsummer we
came into the harbor Of Quebec. ]
had been long in the southern seas.
When l went ashore on a days leave
and wandered of in the fields and got
the smell OF the north ! went out Of
my head--went crazy for a look at the
bills Of Faraway and my own people.
Nothing could stop me then. ] drew
my pay, packed my things in a bag,
and on / went Left the burg afoot
the day after; got to PARKWAY In the
evening. II was beautiful-the scent Of
the new hay that stood in cocks and
winrows on the hill, the noise Of the
crlckets the smell Of the grain, the old
house, Just as remembered them, just
as had dreamed Of them a thousand
times. And when l went by the gate
Bony. my old dog, game out and
barked at me, and / spoke to him, and
he knew me aud came and licked my
hands. rubbing upon my leg. l sat
down with him there by the stone wall,
and the kiss OF that old dog. the first
token Of love I had known for years,
called back the dead and all that had
been bis. / put my arms about his
neck and was near crying out with joy.
"Then l stole up to the house and
looked IN at a window. There sat ia
ther az table, reading his paper and
a little girl was on her knees by mother
saying her prayers"
lie stopped n moment, covering his
eyes with his handkerchief.
"That was Hope" ] whispered.
''rhat was Hope he went on "All
the kings oxen could not have dragged
me out OF PARKWAY then. Late at night
| went of into the woods. The old dog
followed TO stay with me until he died.
II it had not been for him l should
have been hopeless. had with me
enough to eat for a time. We found a
cave in a big ledge over back Of Bull
pond Its mouth was covered with
briers. II had a big room and a stream
OF cold water trickllng through a crev-
Ice. ] made 1t my home, and a fine
place Il was, cool ia summer and warm
in winter. I caught a cub panther that
fall and a baby coon They grew up
with me there and We're the only
friends / had after Bony except Uncle
Eb."
"uncle Ebw l exclaimed.
"You know bow I met him. he con
tinucd "Nell. he won my confidence
! told him my history. l came into tn,
clearing almost every night. Met hin
often. He tried to persuade me tc
come back TO my people. but could
not do it. I was insane ] feared some
thing. did not know what Some
times | doubted even my own identity.
Many a summer night sat talking for
hours with Uncle Eb at the foot of
lone pine. Oh, he was like a father TO
me- God knows what | should have
done without him Well, I stuck to my
life, or. rather, to my death, there In the
woods, getting fish out Of the brooks
and game out OF the forest and milk
out Of the cows in the pasture Some
times / went through the woods to the
store at Tifton for flour and pork. One
night Uncle Eb told me IL would &c
out among men to try my hand at some
kort OF business he would start me with
$1,000 Well l did Il. / had also 500
OF my own. ] came through the woods
afoot Bought fashionable clothing al
Utica and came TO the big city You
know the rest Among men my feai
has left me. so / wonder at it. / am g
debtor TO love. the love Of Uncle El
and that Of noble woman shall sOor
marry. IL has made me whole anC
brought me back to my own people"
And everybody knew he was limo
cent the day after he left" said David
Three cheers Tor Uncle Eb" / de
manded.
And we gave them.
Il declarew said he 'In all my bori
days never see sech fun. It's tree-men
5iousl tell ye. them 'et takes car
Nv others n be took care uv-'less the
do it o purpose"
And when the rest Of us had gone I
bed Uncle Eb sat awhile by the FIR
with David. Late at night he came M
stairs with his candle. He came owe
to my bed on tiptoe TO see IL wer
awake, holding the candle above m
head. was worn out and did nc
open my eyes. He sat down snickel
ing.
Tell We one thing, Dave Brewer.
he whispered to himself as he drew o.
his boots. "when some folks calls Y
fool s a purity good sign ye amt"