The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-13
THE PRODIGAL'S RETURN
By HARRY NJ. AYERS

Anniston, October 12.-(Specia1. )-The scientists and the hlghbrows would have called it nostalgia, but 1t was plain old Anglo Saxon nomesickness that gripped the heart of John Gen try, aged r, and victim of the wan derlust. and the gripping was so in- tense, so overcoming that today as the chimes ring out from the church spires there will be re-enacted in an old Spartanburg.( S. C., home the old, old story of the prodigaps return.
 John Gentry is the son of M. O. Gen try. well known Spartanburg real es- tate man. He.is a natural American boy and rich red blood. intefmingled with blue, courses through his veins. He shares the natural aversion of young America for the learning of books. and he preferred an experience of the TO- nance of the wild west to the rather prosaic existence of Converse High school and the prospect of four years at Wofford college. Hence 1t was that a week ago, in company with Hunter billiard. son of J. B. Dillard, and a schoolmate of the same age, young Gen
 
 of his parents home and down a post, thehce bareheaded to the station and out into the wide, wide world to seek his fortune. and to forget forever all gebraic and geometric problems and the fact that "Gallia est divisa." ct cetera.
 The two boys had about s25 when they left home. When they got to fI f1,n.r fr q diza d they ate at the best restaurants, pay ing for service. Their money began to rlsn short and their fears to rise. They apprehendeds detection, so they took the next train for Anniston. landing in this city hungry and with cents be- tween them. It was an embarrassing situation, but John met il. .rssourceful- ly by putting on two suits of winter underwear, two pairs of pants and then pawning his grip for the wherewithal to satisfy his palate. The surplus clothing served John well Thursday night when the two lads stretched themselves on a grassy lot within the shadow of the city hall, with only the canopy of the heavens as their spread. But Young billiard was not so fortunte: i: land every time I would doze off to sleep" John explained. Hunter would kick me and murmur as his teeth rat tied like bones. Oh, John: let's be moving. I'm about to freeze. and then the two lads would roam the streets until they were tired and warm enough to sleep again, only to repeat the per formance as soon as the harbnger of Jack Frost got close to the bare skin of the thinly clad wanderer.
 It took but one night of the back to nature" repose to satisfy young billiard. He wired his sister at Hattiesburg. Miss, and was sent transportation to that city. He promised to send fare to his companion but it was never re- ceived; and Jon was left all alone in a strange city. his only acquaintance being a hack boy, whose chief distinc- ton was that he could make thes moke 1t had been inhaled.
 Deserted and hungry, Gentry began to look for work He had once fed job press. but said that he did not like the work, because the very thought of feed ing anything had a disquieting effect on his stomach. He applied, however, and was turned down by two printers, after which he drifted into a newspaper office and was given job as ''bonncer' until an answer could come from telegram to his parents. Here 1t was that he told his story and confessed his penitence and his hunger
 r. In the Star office the lad found con genial souls in men who had trod the same ground that he was traversing and paid the penalty. In gentle cadences they pictured the beauty of home and told of on anxious, worried father and an old