The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1909-09-24


City of Fort Worth, Texas, was being
wrapped in mantle of snow. 1t was a
terrible night out of doors, when an old
man with tattered garments and slouch
hat walked into Sullivan's saloon and
approached, with a low bow, to the
crowd seated about the stove and the
domino tables, and remarked: 1t is
terrible night"
you are nearly frozen, amt you,
Dad?" The saloon man said, come up
and have a drink. "
please excuse me-" the old man
said.
"You talk like you never drink.
No sir, not now; behind me are too
many broken treasures and lost hopes,
caused by drink in the long ago. "
''Oh, now Dad, don't turn preacher
on us, for you talk like you had as soon
preach as not. Have this chair and
warm and rest your old bones; it is too
bad to be out tonight. y
The old man sat down in the chair and
held his trembling hands to the fire,
and when warm he moved back near a
table while quite a crowd had gathered
in and the tables we're filled up with
players at dominocs. On one OF the
tables lay an old violin, which was hand
ed to Dad to give to the bartender. The
old man thumped the strings and turned
the screws, and finally drew the bow
across the strings. Several called out,
Dad, give us tunel"
The old man seemed lost to all about
him as he drew the bow, and the strings
responded to his touch as never before
heard by the mob in that saloon. Sew
eral got up from the tables and stood
gazing at the upturned eyes of the old
man, and the tears that stole down his
cheeks, and still the music grew sweeter.
The bartender walked out from behind
the bar and stood looking on, every
voice was hushed, and the rattle OF the
dominoes had stopped, and the sweet
ness of the strains, from old masters,
grew until grandeur and melody filled
the room and everyone was on their feet
and the change came when the soft
strains of Home Sweet Home" was
touched and the old man laid his violin
on the table and said, Such was some
of my early touches and sweets | slipped
long years ago in home all my own. "
The bartender snatched up hat and
said Chip in boys, make the old man
feel good" +"
No" said COW boy, II will take
him to the best hotel in this town.
tell you boys he can have home with
me if he will just fiddle that way Of
nights when the boys come in. =
But the hat went round and not
nickels, but dollars fell in the hat and
was laid on the table by Dad, as they
called him.
Boys" the old man said, will you
be quiet until go back up the hill OF
life and stop at some of those spots in
memory which linger with me; will you
let me pluck few flowers by the way?''
Go on, Dad, you bet we will all lis
ten'
Away over in the hills of Tennessee
was a home bya spring, two sweet sisters
and fond father and mother loved anc
caressed an only boy. 1t was musica
and religious home. These strains to-
night carried me back there. As the
wears went by the sistes married, the ole
folks grew feeble and the sun was rush
ing down soon to set forever. The boy
had wandered over a cold, dark worlc
for many years, but returned home, the
only home for a boy, where mother is
Yes, boys, | am that boy and that wai
my home. | always carried my violir
with me and often after the sun set anC
the world was left in darkness and tC
me, would touch the strings as | have
tonight and memory would fly like {
dove and rest for while at the OLE
home. The end came, parents crossed
the divide, sisters seemed to have for
gotten me, and here in this city | dranl