Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-01-14
the stone and attended to affairs.

Prender had not seen Billy for two
years, but wanted to more than he dared
to confess. The boy, puny, weak. slim
lad as he was, had his mothers eyes. the
tone of her voice and the sort touch of
her hands. And Prender missed them
so-ah, how he missed them, The de-
light OF 1t all, the sweetness of all such
passed away from the merchants life
when his darling died-the mother OF
Billy, who is fighting for his life I'D In
the woods.
Prender is seated at his desk, trying
20 work. The air chokes him and a
mist comes before his eyes, He is angry
because OF his womanish weakness-and
he tough as nails. Premier, he who had
never known a sick hour in his life IA
growing weak and i'll. He tries to down
the foolish fancy that creeps over him.
FOOLISH to him who has been so strong
The air grows more and more op.
pressive; the lines and figures on the
sneetunderhis faltering hand looked like
tiny black streams that flow away from
him like things OF nothingness. fancies
he cannot follow. The mist before hi.
eyes grows dense-and is now like an
almost impenetrable veil. He gasps for
breath and tries to lift his hand to touch
the tiny button in the desk. He cannot
mt or move muscle He cannot speak.
He is slowly freezing, so he thinks as
the sluggish blood halts in his veins.
HIS head sinks upon the desk. The old
war horse OF business has reached the
border line and is slowly drifting upon
q sea that carries him afar. afar,
And there Prender is found shortly
afterwards with eyes that are open. but
unseetng; with lips that humble. but
say nothing.
When the leaves turn to russell and
nutter down softly, slowly, whisper
ingly, the old merchant comes back unto
his own from border land. The glaze
passes from his eyes and the blood be-
gins to flow more rapidly In his veins.
his lips fashion words that are freighted
with meaning, and things beneath Tn,
touch OF the hands, that have been like
frozen members, are less like vague
things to his brain.
In quiet coy corner where the raw.
or the sun stream across the old mans
lap, the old merchant is seated pronped
IN pillows. Upon his lap is a tiny tot
whose soft pink fingers play with the
snowy beard that falls like a biilow on
his breast
He stares, he bends his head down
and gazes upon this strange face before
him-nay, not so strange, for there ia a
look like unto his Marie there. He lifts
his feeble hand and strokes the yellow
tresses, SO like those of one he dearly
loved to stroke years ago. Softly he
draws the little one close, and when the
baby cuddled its warm cheek AGAINST
MS a blessed light came into his eyes
ana glad tremor of delight passes
through every fiber of his being. and he
lives again. The clog drifts from the
old mans brain and he can think can
reason once more.
For the first time in weeks ths tears
tnat stream down the old mans cheeks
mean something. His lips move and he
utters slowly, softly and rsverently:
My Marie!"
And the baby, the little tot with hts
Marie's eyes, looks up and cooes and
plays with the silver strands in her mink
fingers
And then the brisk, brown. robust
young fellow who has been watching the
little scene from the corner, steps close
to the old mans chair and leans over
and lays his strong hand upon the thin
shoulder
My Billy-thank God! But where IN
me, she who has been like a beautiful
dream angel to me while was dream
Ing my life away in the shadow land ,
Let me see ner. Billy"
A pretty lady-the lady of his dreams
steps near, bends down and presses a
kiss upon the old mans brow.
Billy, and my pretty dream ANGEL
and-and, this is my own Marie. come
back to me to stay forever. Oh! Billy.
L must keep them both. Do not take
them back to the cruel woods. Billy do
not"
They have come to stay forever.
ather. My wife and baby"
Thank God for that! am so happy
now"
And tear that rolled down the silver
beard touched the pink finger, and the
child cooed and played with the pearly
drop.
INSURES AGAINST HOI DIIpc