The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1916-12-16
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THE NIGHT oeeoae
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~ wa I00 nOt0l0H OoI0QD u p I
mas. clear and cold. and the 0ool G !
the winter Holidays Wa In The a1R.
Inside the baf0ed. Wlro fenco Whbch
fnclosed the flrst dwelling O. ~ 0ue-
skirts OF the little town . nan WoD
standing. now tracing With ruoGA
weather-beaten finger imaginary No.
keen anxiety toward the clooo1y cuE.
tanned front room Of the eman aveIl.
ing and then letting his trouhaoa enao
wander tar up the section llno Whogo
. solitary figure was lust diDcesnihao
coming slowly southwark.
Just 20 he had stood i've years. -
today and watched . figure otrlklnG3y
similar to this vending IT. way toward
the North, while beside him hlo p1oo1-
ing wife had begged that he rocan H.
boy. But q stubborn something WITHIN
gave assurance that he Was d eho
right, and 90 he remained Silent WA1lo
the b0yish figure grew smaller ana
smaller in the haxy distance ana TIE
woman went inside and the cold North
wind chilled every tender impulse oe
the heart.
The traveller had reached the fence
now and his gray-blue eyes looked into
the faded brown eyes before him. and
in w0rdless greeting he held out hiD
hand. but the older man was again
tracing the pattern ON the gatopoot
and did not see It. Imply Il ten to
the prodigal's side.
At length he ventnred to say: TO
morrow is Christmas day"
"Yes." responded the other. bitter
ly. land didn't think" with . glance
toward the curtained window, Fl
didn't think she could last to see
Christmas"
The prodigal started and grew
deathly white.
rs my-is someone 90 very low!"
he gasped.
Yes. someone replied the other.
tremblingly, sis very low; . mother
who had a son and lived for twenty
years, and then" his voice broke:
then forgetful of her love and the
heartache he was leaving he went
away and for five long years that
mother hoped and hungered for his
Homecoming all in vain"
i The pr0digal stretched out hin
hands appealingly. what II he re
turned today and on his knees begged
forgiveness and promised balm for
jevery heartache?"
| The hopeless look from the faded
brown eyes answered even better than
his words, He is too late'
Tears were c0ursing down the cheek
OF the younger man as he leaned
over the gatepost and whispered:
Gould 1 see" but something In
the hard face of the other arrested
his words and he did not finish.
For a moment OF untold length
both stood in silence, and then the
tracer of imaginary lines moved from
the gateway, moti0ning the other in
SIDE
ut might ease her last hours, and
then" He pointed toward the sec
ton line down which the prodigal had
come. that will take you back to your
old haunts, wherever they may be:
that" pointing toward the south
! you'd best not take: its not much
but a trail, and leads to God knows
where, but north or south. take one.
i Hours later, as the village doctor
drew up before the house the prodi
gal emerged from the sickr0om. and
taking his hat from the peg. strobe
with faltering step out into the gath
ering twilight. At the road he halted
a moment and stood with barred head
} then turned southwark.
/ Almost out of sight of his boyhood
. home he hesitated and turned for one
. last look. Suddenly the cracking Of
footsteps in the stubble and the Ia
bored breathing of a man caught his
ear. and in a moment his father wal
beside him, but how changed. The
| face before SO cold and hard was soft
. ened now with pity and compassion
. and from mingled hope and love for
n giveness. With hands clasped and
. hearts receptive to the spirit of the
morrow. they stood. while the elder
whispered: "She will live; come
| home" and then two kneeling figure.
were dimly silhouetted against the
1 darkening sky, while a prayer almos
. inaudible assembled to the mercy seat
4 He arose and with his fathers arm
\ about him and the Christmas spirit
. filling both their hearts, the prodi
gal turned back from the road tina
led to God knows where
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