Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1911-10-12
RETURN OF THE
WANOERER
Village Bad Boy Makes
Amends For Youthful Folly.

A train stopped at little station in
the interior Of Connecticut. gen e.
man alighted and stood with satchel
in his hand and light overcoat ON
his arm looking about him.
THE railroad hasn't changed the
appearance Of the place much" he
mused.
So saying, he left the station. strUc&
into the path and entered the wood
Orville Gilbert when boy had run
away from home. He was a bad hoy.
and his parents could do nothing with
him. He was always fighting with
his companions, and when a lawless
gang Of boys was caught in some act
Of destruction Orville was sure to he
found among them. One evening after
his father had whipped him for being
absent from home for several days
without giving any account Of himself
he disappeared entirely.
Orville worked his way westward
until he reached the Missouri river,
where he Joined wagon train start
ing out to haul stock Of goods to
San Francisco. He delighted in rid
ing in advance of the train, scouting
for Indians, and by his GOODNESS and
bravery several times he saved it from
capture and the travellers from being
murdered. On reaching the Pacific
coast he was taken into the store
where the goods were sold, helped to
sell them, soon became partner and
at last grew very rich.
At first he did not write home, part
ly because he did not think it safe to
give his whereabouts and partly be-
cause, like all boys who are trouble
some, he considered himself badly
abused. After that he became so i'm
mersed in business that he took no
interest in anything else. One day he
took up poem by James Whitcomb
Riley called THE Afterwhiles:'
Afterwhile- we have in view
far scene to journey to
Where the old home is and where
The old mother waits us there,
Peering as the time grows late
Down the old path to the gate.
How We'll click the latch that locks
In the pinks and hollyhocks
And leap up the path once more
Where she waits us at the door!
How we'll greet the dear old smile
And the warm charlottesville!
Gilbert discovered a tear in his eye
after reading the poem and the next
day found himself on train going
home.
Reaching the house from which he
had departed In anger years agone, he
laid trembling hand on the gate latch.
then went up to the house. A young
girl of fifteen came to the door.
"Are Mr.. and Mrs Gilbert at homer"
he asked in faint voice.
"The old people who used to live
here?'
yes"
mo; they had to give up the house
during the hard times"
where are they now"
She hesitated. and Gilberts heart
sank.
81 don't know. They had son who
ran away. They always were looking
for him to come back and give them
lift. The neighbors all laughed at
them for thinking so, though my moth
err used to tell me the boy wasn't so
bad. only full of deviltry."
"YOur mother was Margaret Pix
ey?"
Eyes. How did you know that?"
II knew her when she was half
your age. Who lives here nOw?''
Mother and l."
sTc vonp mot bar q widow
Eyes"
"May l 60 in and rest?"
The stranger was made comfortable.
though when the girl looked up at him
suddenly she saw tears in his eyes.
Presently woman slightly less than
forty came in.
margaret Pixley," said the stranger.
rising. 81 am Orville Gilbert. I have
been to blame in leaving my parents
and paying no heed to them. Can you
tell me where they are now?"
Yes. Maggie, go out to the we'll
and draw some water"
Maggie went out, and the woman re-
piled to the question:
"In the Home For the Friendless."
The man staggered and caught the
back of chair
"Will you go and bring them"
Eyes"
81 will be here tomorrow at this
time Don't tell them that l have
Gomez
The next day when Orville Gilbert
clicked the latch of the gate wo-
man with snow white hair tottered
down the path and threw her arms
about his neck. Then he went into the
house. where he found his father. too
feeble to rise. but Orville took him up
In his arms
ut is not much that l can do to
atone for my neglect, but what l can
do will be of more comfort to me than
to you. We will live here or go to a
finer house,
"a finer. not better" SAID the old
mother
"No: this Is home. Whatever we can
do to improve 1t we will do, but we
will stay here"
Margaret kept us here as long as