Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-12-20

her arm around his neck and patted
his cheek. He has risen somewhere.
father. know It, He could not be
your son and fail" she said. the 10y
ally and love OF lifetime lighting her
face with a soft radiance.
lie took up the tin horn from the
table where he had laid it. and fondled
1, as If 1t were frauGht with memories.
Instead OF merely recalling them.
It's ten years since he left" no
said. what i man he must be- now
~ tonight. But | was thinking, when
bought this. Of the time when he
was such a little yellcwhaired fodder,
and almost drove us Wild with just
such a noru as this at Christmas
time"
She took the horn from him. and
looking dreamily at it. said: Nell
keep this. father: ma! be Jacks boy
will some time make these Old walls
ring with ii at Christmas time as he
made Them ring. himself. 50 many
years ago"
God grant that he may" sad the
old man. DO YOU remember. molh"'
how he used TO come chasing down
the street after me when | won.d start
of to M work in the morninS?'
Yes. and how you would pick him
up and carry him back 10 me, ~"
said And do Won remember the tins
We came near losing him. the day he
ran away to han; you in 'hr ctfr'''
who thai saw yOu then could for
get it, noii!rr?' and he took her h"nd
in his ard drew her down TO the chair
beside him They sat hand in hand
in The silence. given over 10 voic.'!"os
memories of the past. only the ticking
Of the Old clock ke"pin;. an accom-
panimen. to their dreams of other
Christmas Eyes. They were sitting
thus an hour later when s'rvvnt
unened The door and said rcSicctrul-
ly: ''fhrrr is telephone CAL 20. Mr.
Wellington
"Can't you answer II. Nary" the
old man aykrd loath TO leave his com
Portable chair and dreams.
80. sir. II is especially for you \
long distance call. think
"Who tie deuc" wants 10 talk to re
from d distance" he said, as he rose
and Went 10 III" tclrrhoue in III" hal
"lIellU. who is ihiS?" he asked. a.
he picked Mp Inc receiver. Yes, this
is John W"l'iASt"u."
A party in Chicago wants to talk
to you," said the long distance ope:-
ator.
All right. put him M Who in
thunder do know in Chicago" he
calculated 10 himself, pressing the re
c"iver closer 10 his ear
\ peculiar ws!lng sound was all he
heard. and a puzzled expression crept
over his face. Talk little louder
can't understand thing you are
saying" and he listened more intent
~. The waiins grew little louder
bali still it WIS nothing but an iuart!c
u!ate wall. and for a moment the Old
man looked thoroughly disguised.
"Confound it," he shouted at last
Won sound exactly like 4 mewlins in
FAINT. don't know what you are say
inC"
Then mans laugh was head. fol
lowed by A merry Christmas. fa'he:.
Yuu kcow exactly what he sounds
like. but you don't know what he is
saying" and there was another laugh.
ringing joyful as in his boyhood days.
and the Old man knew he had found
his own.
Jack. Jack. my boy. is that YOU"
he shouted. staggered by the Nnex-
pected JOY OF his sudden discovery.
None other. father, but what you
just heard was another Jack. the sec
ond Jack Wellington. Jr. He has just
arrived. and sis command Of English
is somewhat limited. but he was doing
his best to introduce himself. and in
wife YOU and grandma 10 Christmas
dinner with him. and
oh. Jack. Jack where have YOU
been all these years" sobbed the
old man.
Catch The Lake Shore Limited e"
night. father. bring mother with You
AID I'll tell You all about il; when YOU
get here. You've got time. You see.
i.ther. I've kept track of YOU and
mother all along. | wasn't goinc TO
let anything happen to toe old folks.
and" there was a catch in his voice
i've got the right kind Of report 10
make father Never fear that
The old man could scarcely contain
! himself as he listened. pressing the re-
ceiver closer and closer 10 his ear. as
though De feared some bit OF the
precious news might escape him
Then he shouted: AL right. son
we're coming on the next train He
left he receiver dangling on the wall.
and started on a rIn TO the room
where bis wife sat. shouting as he
wont. Mother. mother. Us Jack