The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-11-26

on the nOOr OF the car ana stdIeu out
OF the window Strongly built and
handsome. he was just now wearing on
his face a look OF utter WEAKNESS. re-
sulting from a long trip In the West,
where he had been looking after some
interests OF the firm OF which he was
junior partner. Nine years before. In
a 1T of anger, he had left his home In
the country and. too proud 10 return.
had. by dint OF logged persistence. Sc
cured a humble place In the packing
rooms of Brace a Browns wholesale
dry goods store. Fortune favored him
and this same quality Of resolution. to-
gether with application, had raised him
TO the position he now occupied A
! group OF travelling men were making
ready TO leave the train. II was joe
ular set and they had enlivened their
trip with stories. politics and trade
gossip. and now the jolly-faced hard
ware drummer said:
Boys. where are you going TO be
| Thanksgiving day."
I'm going back TO the feshpots of
| Egypt and eat my turkey in the coun-
/ try" said one.
YES" said another. I'm going TO be
/ in my old place at the old table with
my white haired little mother smiling
at me from behind the coffee pot and
my dear old dad piling enough on my
place TO feed regiment"
Think of those homemade pies
said another. those fat moons of apple,
pumpkin. mince and cranberry. Say,
70 acknowledgements about
them"
And" said the boot and shoe man.
ito sit around the old fireplace and
watch a row of juicy apples roasting
in front of that roaring. great-hearted
log fire Boys. you couldn't fence me
away from home that day
And so each one. with a home pic
ture in his heart, hurried out of the car
and up the long flight of station stairs
away 10 his destination, while slowly
behind them came John Warren with a
surging tumult of feelings in his
breast, and as he slowly mounted the
last step a tear dropped on his brown
beard and a sudden resolution filled his
heart. He almost shouted: I'm going
home. too"
John hurried TO his hotel. and taking
a very shabby suit from his wardrobe
packed IL with some other things In
large satchel. and then Fastening TO the
station climbed into the sleeper just as
the long train pulled out for the East
Arriving at a point twenty miles west
OF his old home. he went to an obscure
hotel and changed his clothing for the
suit in his satchel.
When the Eleven forty" pulled into
the town OF NJ two days before
Thanksgiving the usual crowd Of loung
ers observed tall. brown-bearded man
whose clothes seemed the worse fol
wear. step off the rear platform. anC
without looking at anyone strike on TO
ward the farm of Richard Warren
Much curiosity was centered on thil
event until the seediest looking loafel
present said:
That was John Warren, or I'll ca
my hat, He's coming home to live OF
the old folks. II wouldn't be for Ions
though, cause Squire Cobb has givei
notice that he's goin' to foreclose tn
mortgage he has on the old man
place"
III they had followed the stranger 70
. half a mile they might have seen tn
strong young man shed heartfelt tear
as he leaned against the old oak tree b.
the little gate and gaze earnestly oi
I. the brown house at the edge OF tn
woods. Crushing the snow with hast
steps. ne was soon at the woodpile a
the side OF the house. Flinging dow
his satchel and catching up the ak. h
split an armfull of wood and openin
. the kitchen door said in a voice treahi
= lous with emotion. Mother. is thu
enough wood to get dinner WITH
\ A cry of wonderful joy and the mott
. er wept on her sons shoulder while hi
father paced the floor shouting. "Prais
God, Praise Cod" stopping often [
clasp his sons hand and murmur, M
3 boy, my boy" Then they drew UP
l. the fire and John said: Father. mott
. er, will you forgive me for my ange
"a nine years ago and my cruel silenC
n ever since?" And his mother said: IN
a. boy. not a day has passed by that "
haven't prayed for your return, an
X now that you are with us. we can tab
pr a new lease on life. and"-she glance
- at his shabby clothing-"we will shai
8 our little possessions with you, N
% dear, long-lost son."
y AS the afternoon wore away job
te helped his father about the chores an
s. by skillfully planned questions learne
y all about his financial troubles. II
had taken his satchel up to his Of
room and was washing HIS hands b
fore supper when he heard a ligi
<e step on the porch and bright-fact
Mt young woman walked into the kitche
as and seeing him stood embarrassed u
as I'll he. coming forward. said:
G. This is Anna Scott, isn't it,"
re "Why. John Warren. where ha'
IT. you kept yourself all these years? o
n how happy your mother must bel"
or And dropping his hand, which 81
On had been shaking with greatest e
&C. thusiasm. she flew down into the c.
lar and threw both arms around h
ct mothers neck. and that good lady Ell
he braced her. weeping and patting h
Is shoulder with the empty cream pitch
In which she had taken there to FILL
p- Mrs. Warren insisted that AM
EN- should stay for supper. 1t SEEM
i'll very much like old times when Jol
OF tucked her hands under his arm al