The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1905-01-13

Yes. snh. II amt 50 mighty large
but it's all W" had. That's one reason
ran away. 50 us to get rich and help
her"
she mIst I've right plucly lady,
| your mother. Does she favor you:'
II don't know. I've got her picture
hcrc, if yon'd like to see it," said the
boy. He brought out carefully wrap
pod III, Dh2tograph from :,n inside peck
ct and showed il proudly
Hair brown. like yours. and curly
suggested Thornton. and blue eyes,
too. | reckon
Yes. sub. Shes the prctticst moth
er you ever saw said the boy. Il
don't know any lady that can come up
TO her
'Shc certainly is mighty fine look
! ing returned Thornton heartily as he
handed back the picture
lie paid the bill, and the two went
| out into The street.
Il reckon" Thornton said, you
wouldn't mind sleeping in real bed
tonight. Well, I've got big double
bed up 10 the hotel. and it'll be just
about Il fit for us two. No. sir; I'm
not going to let & guest 20 that way.
1t amt the way we entertain our
friends back home, and you've just got
TO come along with me-
Thornton did not sleep much that
night. He lay awake TO think of the
! home the boy described-of its big oaks
| and ''chancy" trees, of its clean swept
| yard of white sand. of the negro cabins
| sitting i'll the midst Of cotton fields. of
| the long. waiting calls of men cchoins
through the woods as nightfall came
| poorwill in the dusk.
y great wave of homesickneSS swept
| over the man. What would he give to
see it all again? And why shouldn't
| he? What was to hinder?
lie turned and looked at the sleeping
boy. 1T wouldn't be Il bad idea" said
he thoughtfuIly. Il reckon she'd be
| right glad to see him. l certainly
would like to see the meeting"
1t WAS Christmas morning when the
train ut last dropped Thornton and the
| boy at Four Pines Station. They had
| telcgraphed from Silver Bow they were
was waiting for them, with white
wooded Peter grinning on the front
seat
The mistis didn't like to come in
| because of the drinkn' an drammn',
| but she says l was to bum the grit
| goiu' back he explained as they rat
| tied out of the village.
Everything was good to Thornton on
that drive. The creaking OK carts they
| passed. the sunbonneted women rub
| bling snuff ut cabin doors, the thin
! hounds lying asleep i'll the sun, the
| rich, soft voices of the people they
met; the gaunt raZorbacks scuttling
under the horses hoofs, the stick and
mud chimneyS. the martin gourds
swinging from the high poles-all gave
| him welcome home and wished him
merry Christmas.
He sent the boy ahead when. at the
| turn of the road, the stately old white
| pillared house came i'll sight, feeling
| that i'll the greeting between mother
and son there was no place for Il
! stranger, and walked slowly up the
| grass grown avenue.
She and the boy We're waiting for
! him at the gate-a slender, graceful fig
ure she was. looking hardly old enough
| to be the mother of the lad beside her.
| AS Thornton came near she ran for
ward and gave him her hand.
How can l ever repay you, Mr..
| Thornton she cried, for all your
kindness to my boy and for bringing
| him back to me:'
Il don't know as l did bring him
back. 1t seems more like he brought
me. I'd never have got started but for
| meeting Clem.'
But at least l can try to thank you
| for my 'Chris'mus gif'.'"
II ought to do the thanking, ma'am.
If you had seen what a lonesome, sorry
| Christmas | was expecting to have the
| night | met your boy" replied Thorn
ton gravely-''well, l reckon you'd say
| it was | who got the Christmas gif.'
And as events turned out it was.