River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-07-23

ed them 10 caperlng 1aunIlly ana gdyly.
If the president of the United States
and his cabinet had been coming to
Greenville on that train no finer well
come could have been given them The
train Numbered up. and white capped
porters jumped from the steps of the
coaches.
Among the passengers were two old
people. one bent. white haired man
with long arms and a face that would
have been grotesque in its ugliness
but for smile Of patience and gentle
ness that played about his clean shaven
lips: the other was a slender woman
we'll beyond middle age. dressed in
black. with a dolman and hat that had
been long years out Of fashion
To this homely and humble pair the
cries of joyful greetings.
The Bryan servants fought to wiz
the honor Of carrying their two pieces
of luggage The coachmen made their
horses dance afresh.
The crowd exclaimed in one long
drawn AIR as the pretty Mrs. Mel
son deliberately kissed the bent old
visitor and then put her arm about the
waist of the woman who had come
with him.
A strange word of greeting for the
ears of the rich and the fashionable
came from the lips of the old man to
John Nelson.
"Kidw
"Billp' was the reply.
The stately Mrs. Bryan was making
as much of the f1ustered little, old wO-
man whom the crowd heard called by
the name of Jennie as Mr.. Bryan and
Mr. Nelson were making Of the homely
man called Bill
The train pulled out on its way to
Atlanta. and the party bundled into
the fine carriages.
Mr. and Mrs Hawkins were taken to
their new home their first real home.
1t might have been called a cottage in
the south, but to the woman from Cor
lears Hook it was mansion such as
she had never dreamed of entering,
even as servant
Fresh and spick and span in new
paint, it's garden a tangle of glorious
blossoms, its piaZZas wide and cool and
it's grounds stretching good ten acres
about 1t. Bill and his wife thought 1t
the home Of the Bryans.
They entered the house. 1t was tine
ly. but modeStly. furnished. Silver
glistened on the sideboard, and vases
and jars of cut glass were filed with
freshly cut flowers. Everywhere was
a touch of femininity and cOZiness.
showing the hand of Molly Nelson.
There were comfortable desks and
easy chairs, lamps that hung low and
spread soft lights for old eyes and
many rugs There was even a fat.
sleepy tabby doing on cushion in
one Of the window seats
Molly took Mrs Hawkins to her bed
room, front room with a veranda.
She threw wide the deep windows. and
the east side woman gaZed out into the
loneliness of the garden.
ITS grand" she gasped. Mrs Mel
son. it's grand. ma'am. Central park
never had anything ON this
Nelson had brought behind them his
old friend and helper the man who
was of the type that society had given
up as unregenerate. The demands OF
his probation from Sing Sing had ali
been met. The rest OF. his life was to
be what be would make 1t for himself
Nelson signaled to Molly to come to
him.
I'VE are going to leave you two to-
gether for awhile" be said to the old
probationer This Is your home and
your wife's home"
Bills shaggy eyebrows were raised
in surprise.
You mean for visit?" he asked.
~ mean forever" replied Nelson.
You will find the deeds in your desk
downstairs"
Nelson drew Molly from the room.
As they closed the door they heard
Mrs. Hawkins sObbing.
THE END.