The Washington times., 1905-05-28

deep into each ~itving heart, Broodne
| upon the night each felt the presence
OF the Judge and heard the awful con,
demnaton OF rigid justice, For a mo-
ment with the. mystic shade fell s
Isiienee, broken only by the inarticulatt
prayer of the kneeling woman and tn,
thin crying of the neglected child
Suddenly Scranton raised his faces
look upon it like that upon a fathe,
/ listening to a frightened child relating
| q tale OF inonstrous wrong,
Girlie. can you hear me?" he sait
firmly.
Yes" framed the white lips,
y X
Then, boy, listen; You remember last
| fall, when We were discharged from
Buffalo Hospital, and broke. hungry
and shivering. wandered around the
yard; eating with the boys out of their
| meager baskets. sleeping one night be-
side the sand dryer at the round house,
the next ON the yar0 Office tables. You
remember one afternoon as we sat in
the back of saloon, looking out
through the dreary fall of the autumn
rain. You said: Scranton, this is too
bad. Here I am weak, cold, and hungry,
but in ten hours I could be home, to
warmth and plenty, but I've treated my
father so badly that I am ashamed to
go to him. A few moments later q
young man from your town entered -
Here Howe glanced keeniy at the speak
er. After learning your condition and
views. he said: Why GirIie, it would
give your father a thousand fold more
sorrow TO know you were sick, destitute
and repentant. but staying away from
shame But he was unable to persuade
you. Then when the next day your
brother came with money. and loving
commands. how you struggled with
yourself. you heard him say:
" Our father bade me say 10 YOU.
that Of ali the sons who had obeyed
him, none were so dear TO him as his
homeless, penitent wanderer. The next
day You Insisted upon my accompanying
you-and oh. boy. would to God I could
go with you on your journey of tonight.
my dear, dear boy"
Gray grasped Howe's hand in a crush
ing clasp, then threw the other arm
over Seranton's bowed shoulders; the
touch seemed TO recall him to his calm
contained self; raising his head, he,
after a look OF loving understanding
with tie blue eyes fixed 50 eagerly upon
him, resumed.
And when 1 protested you said with
a laugh:
'' Guess you don't know my father.
why old man, his house is as big as his
heart, and that is large enough for ali
of my friends
SO Grille, I accompanied you home,
Do you remember the stormy night we
arrived at your home station? The
stumbling walk along the frozen, rough
FoadE How the wind, snow-lG den, roar
co through the writhing leafIess trees:
Under the buffeting waves we trndged.
shtvering; then as the bright radiance
of a many-windowed house strea1ned
cheerily out against the night, you said:
We are all right; there are the
lights Of home, and Scranton you will
see what q, fathers welcome means. -
From the hushed crowd came the rip
pie of sobs. rough faces broke, as ice
over dark pools, as the surge OF the
speakers meaning ran through them.
Gray hid his face from Howe, who ST.
lently looked into the fast glazing eyes
near his.
Then as we passed up to the porch
continued the low thrilling voice. ''you
knocked upon the heavy door. Say, dear
boy, you eyinced no fear then. AS it
flashing light and warmth stood a fig
ure, as the outstretched arms clasped
your neck, voice, broken in love, said:
My boy, my boy; home at last Then
as the door swung shut. the roughness
Of the road, the bitterness of the storm.
and the blackness of the night were as
naught; you were at home. in your
fathers house"
Here the crowd reverentIy made room
for little delicate figure. 1t was
Father John Of the little mission near
by. One whose life was bright with
the lilies of loving deeds and 10 whom
the piatttudes of dogma, or creed, were
as blasting desert wind. AS the last
words fell upon his ear. he pauses; then
TO stand unnoticed by the little group,
as Scranton resumed in a voice of
thrilling pleading:
Now. Grille, can't you understand.
The Master gave us the keynote TO it
all: in His truest lessons He spoke in
parallels; in like manner He yet un-
folds His divine lessons before our
blinded eyes, We are all out in the
storm, hungry, cold, and so very, very
weary; only dark door separates us
from the Father; 1t is slowly opening
for you now, and. Grille. within is love.
warmth, peace. and eternal rest"
Grille raised his eyes-sweet in loving
trust-then. brokenly, said:
"Old friend, believe YOU"
At the words Father John knelt, and
placing his hand upon the damp fore
head, said;
My dear son. I've heard the words
of your friend, and am very glad you
are helped TO believe. You should be
the last TO fear. It seems that God, at
times. sees the lesson Of His Sons
sacrifice growing dim in the hearts of
men, and then 1t Is. to a chosen few.
He gives, by the manner and way of
their dying, the high honor OF impress
ing afresh upon our hearts the true
symbol OF Calvary-'Greater love hath
no man than this, that a man lay down
his life for his friends. 4"
The door Is nearly open now. The
eyes grow dim under the mists of the
river Broken, meaningless words fell
from the blackened lips. Suddenly tse