Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1905-07-21

OtUe NC back yer son Nehemiah"
Die. thefs what ye're dom; fndin' lots
nv 1t right there n the fire. Trouble d
goin' t git mighty source round here
this very selfsame night Amt goin' t.
be nobody lookin' fer 1t, thet's why.
Fer years we've been takin' care o.
sbomcbody ETH take care O. you long q
~ live, sartin sure. Folks they said ye
was fools when We took 'em In. Man
said was fool once. Allwus he'd a
purity fair idee O. myself sence then.
when some folks call ye fool 3 ruth
q good sign ye amt. Ye'ye waited a
long time Ter yer pay. Amt much
longer I: walt now.
There was little quaver In bis voice
Ws all looked at him In silence. Uncle
Nb drew out his wallet with trembling
hands. his fine old face lit with deep
emotion. David looked up at him 40 Il
b wondered what joke was coming
until he saw his excitement.
sHere's twenty thousan' dollars,r
said Oncle Eh, "a reel, genuwine bank
ehcck, jist as good as gold, Here tbs!
= CEtssmus present fer you an Eliza
beth. An may God bless ye bothl'
David looked up incredulously. Then
he took the bit Of paper. A big tear
rolled down his cheek.
4 Why. Holden! What does this
mean3'' he asked.
At the Lord pays his debts" said
Uncle Eb. "Read it"
Hope had lighted the lamp.
David rose and put on his spectacles.
One eyebrow had lifted above the level
ef the other. He held the check to the
lamp light. Ellzabsth stood at his ell
bow.
why. mothefl, said he. "Is this
nom our boy? From Nehemiah Why,
Nehemiah ID deadl" he added, looking
eEer his speotaolss at Uncle Eh.
Nehemiah Ia not dead" said the lat
~.
"a Nehemiah not deady' he repeated.
hooking down at the draft.
They turned 1t In the light. reading
sver and over again the happy tidings
pinned to one corner Of 1t. Then they
hooked into each others eyes.
Elizabeth put her arms about Da-
ySd's neck and laid her head upon his
shoulder. and not one Of us dare trust
himself to speak for little. Uncle Et
broke the silence.
Got another present" he said. as
= Gaod deal better n gold er silver
A knock at the door interrupted him
He swung Il open quick. "A tall, beard
u man came In. "a
4 &. Trumpullr' Hope exclaimed. ris
hg.
aDaYid an Elizabeth Brewer said
Uncle BIB. ''the dead hes come t. life
give ye back yer son Nehemiah"
Then, be SWING his cap high above
bis head. shouting in a. loud voice
SGerry Crissmns. merry Crissmusl''
The scene that followed shall moi
: try to picture. It was 90 full Of happi
ness that every day Of our lives since
then has been blessed with It and will
q peace that has ughtened every sor
!ow. OF It I can truly say that Il pas
seth ALI understanding
"fook here, folks,' said Uncle Et
after awhile, as he got his flute. my
feelin's hev been teched hard. II
don't hev some Publication I'll bust
Bin Brewer, timber up yer leather 9
}eetle bit..s
Nehemiah. whom I bad known al
John Erumbqll. sat q long time be
tween his father and mother, holding {
band Of each and talking In low tone
while Hope and ! were In the kitchen
with Uncle BIB. Now that father ani
son were side by side we saw how Ike
they were and wondered we had never
guessed the truth.
do you remember" said Nehemiah
eAe4 ~ tstrrueA 20 you tsinsnBbs
~
J, t.;as :.