The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-03-22
THE WANDERED.

end of the road, about quarter of mile away in a straight line from the old inn was lit up by the setting sun, but seemed strangely indifferent to the compliment. The gardner, Old Scan dalous, and bulbous-faced man with a bad ankle were sitting on form outside the taproom window. No one was speaking; but looking along the straight road to the church one could see some one approaching, dressed in white corduroy brooches, a jacket and vest of blue cloth and a straw hat with a liliac ribbon, which, on closer inspec- ton l discovered that he had tied himself. He walked up to the garden CT and looked at him fiXedly. The two presented contrast which was obvi- ous even to the man with the bad ankle, for he regarded them with look of amazed curiosity The gardne- CT, his thin face almost hidden, with gray whiskers, his pale blue eyes that seemed to grow dinner every day, and yet never without the softness of fate in them; the stranger, clean shaw ell, dIlu NllH d lINUuStlllu WI lilhlCDs face. But the large eyes were bright and keen and maintained permanent look of amaZement.
 Well, Bill,' said the stranger at last, "how are yer" The gardner turned his eyes away, abashed; but Old Scandalous, planting his stick firmly between his knees, strengthened his back, threy up his head and gazed defantly at the stranger. With an amused smile the stranger turned his amazing eyes upon me- Then he held out his hand to Grandad.
 Cousin Bill" he said fits forty years since we saw each other last, but I knew you as soon as l saw you"
 Why, Jack Boy" said Grandad rising and taking his outstretched hand Now, then, didn't know ye, 'tis certain. He's my first cousin" he continued by way of explanation to Old Scandalous and myself; "and we haven't seen each other for forty years.
 | Old Scandalous received the infor- nation coldly, and still gazed haughti- ly in front of him. Cousin Jack gave him a moments look, then winked at me.
 Where you bee all these years, Jack?" said Grandad, suddenly ap nearing with two pints of old ale.
 Mostly in foreign partsr' said Jack, slipping his ale. This is the first drop of beer I've tasted for ten days"
 You don't like beer?" I ventured to ask. Old Scandalous grunted. l T had a better reason than that" said Jack, with his queer smile-hhe never laughed. T couldn't affor to buy any"
 1 Flows sam?" asked Grandad. His cheeks were now flushed with excite ment. For generally he was a very silent man, whose only love was his garden. But the memory of his youth had been awakened.
 "Sam?" said Jack. Dead"
 And George?" asked Grandad. Dead"
 And Robert?"
 | Dead"
 "Is Charlotte dead?" asked Gran dad, with a quiver in his voice.
 NO; Charlottes alive" said Jack, T was staying with her in London just before I started on this tramp. I'm just back from New York, Bill. Ay, ay, rolling stone that gathers no mess. But I have to be idle; must always be on the move, and the further you wander the more difficult it is to drop your anchor"
 You have been sailor" re- marked"
 q joined the navy in 1860" replied Jack q was on the Challenger when we lay off San Juan for four months, during the American Civil War. Then he went to Halifax and brought home a regiment forget now what they were--a battalion of the Guards I think. After that I joined the Bull Dog, you know what I mean?" He turned his eyes on me, and the wrinkles on his face increased as he smiled and showed few yellow tusks.
 Ships are not the same now as they were in your days" I said.
 Right you are" he said. T hard- l ly know the way from the forecastle to the quarter deck" he seemed to muse, then smiled. "Ah, well,' he said, that sort of thing happens to all of us. You can't get through life without being whacked."
 "Is Charlotte well, Jack?' asked Grandad, in his low unconditional voice.
 She's all right, Bill' said Jack. Dye remember when father drove Charlotte and me over to pay a visit? We were only so high"-he put his hand a yard from the earth-"you were years older than me. Bill; Lord love me, you must be 67, Bill"
 I'm all that, Jack, said Grandad shaking a mournful head.
 ",Well, well; Dad drwove me and Charlotte to spend holiday-now that must be more than 50 years ago. Bill come out to meet us and took us into the orchard Says he, Now you can eat the apples on all the trees except this one,' Then he walks away. Now, what d'you think? I was up this forbidden apple tree quicker than another one. Bill come 1 back in a couple of hours, and catches me eating my apples. Hello, Jack he says, where you get those apples Looks to me, he says you got them off the forbidden tree Do you re- member that, Bill?'
 Tt comes back to my memory now" .oi5 Crondod +rn,,o1,1O,,c1I- stTo 1yo,,