Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-11-15
Travellers Story - b
Genevieve Mincks

! I was visiting my cousins In the
st. Clair valley, Florida. They hae
q uncle who had lost his wife, whom
he loved very dearly. He had gone
abroad to try to forget and had beer
gone five years and now home his
footsteps he turned.
| We received the good news on Fri
day and on Saturday he was to arrive
My cousin Lillian barrett and I were
going to meet him in the pony phae
ton.
The day dawned bright and clear and
the birds seem to join in our gladness
Lillian and went to the train to meet
him and he was very feeble 80 he was
placed carefully among the cushions
between Lillian and l. We welcomed
Jour guest with real warmth and he
said it did him good to get back to his
native country. AS we drove along
the ways seemed strewn with flowers
and after turning from the main road
up a narrow lane thickly shaded with
orange groves We came within sight OF
the cottage. There were tears of glad
ness In his eyes for the Joy that he
was home for his was faith that
could not fall. Every one was glad to
see Uncle Dennis and shed many tears
to see him back. '=..
The invalid sat in his chair all day
and rested for he had many adven'
lures to tell the children.
| Lillian and I were very busy all day
unpacking his luggage for him all ex'
cept one large trunk which he would
not let us open till twilight when he
began his adventures and there were
to be surprises for us.
| All day Mrs. barrett moved to and
fro and the murmured melody of pleas
ant thoughts springing to her lisp was
music to us.
Soon evening came and we all went
out on the wide veranda and he said to
be among the loved ones again was
like moments of Joy which come in
right time of sorrow.
He said that when he first started
he found a boy of about fifteen years
of age and he was an orphan. He took
him with him as companion and he
said that every days experience raised
the boy in his esteem.
First he went north up the Hudson
valley. He said 1t was beautiful going
through there but when he got farther
north the nights were made h1deous
by the cries of the wolves and esqui'
maux dogs. He then went to New
York where he sailed for Europe across
the ocean. One night he said the
angry pillows beat against the side OF
the ship but the waters were generally
quiet and he was lulled by the muir.
muring Of their lappings. When he ar
rived he went to sunny Spain then to
Italy where he told US of the most
beautiful scenery that is ever seen.
He went to Switzerland where the
large mountains seemed like large
giants. He said in Lucerene there
were beautiful parks where sparkling
springs flowed and the deer would
stake their thirst at them, and mice
and rats were luxuriously fed by
thoughtless children.
He stops for he Is growing tired and
silence reigns profound till he starts
again.
He went to the art galleries in Ger
many and saw the windows that were
crowned with Ivy and roofs shaped
like domes and the ancient photo
graphs Of musicians, artists and other
WONDERFUL pcOp1c. no UA1A6S w
grapes from the Rhine and figs, dates,
lemons and rare treasures that he pur-
chased. Uncle said that as he was
travelling one evening and sat dismal
and homesick in the cold car he heard
1.-TWO men upon the seat before him
talking Of nature and he knew that he
had studied nature among his travels.
He told us we had better go In and he
would finish his adventures some other
time so we put him back gently In his
invalid chair where he slept the sleep
of the weary and homesick.
No story is the same to us after a
lapse of time, or rather we who read
It are no longer the same interpreters
and our traveller this morning brought
with him new thoughts through that
gray country, thoughts which gave an
altered significance to the story OF Its
past which we have not studied in our
books. .-
Our teacher required a composition
so 7 wrote this one. hope 1t will In
terest the Juniorsl So.
Genevieve Mincks, age 13,
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