Smyrna times., 1918-07-17
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THE PRODIGAL SON
BY AUGUSTUS G. sHERwIN.


lie was a man of whims and impulse
apparently, for he was almost child
lshly engrOssed in viewing a pretty
picture, of which a bright attractive
looking girl was the center. She was
just inside the fence of a clover field
ana was daintily picking the lucious
req tops. Then she would 20 TO the
separating barbed wire fence, reach
through and pet, converse with and
iced a white-speckled calf, plump,
friendly and spOtless of CRIME or
brier.
I've an idea-the fatted calfw
abruptly chuckled the OnlOOler. cal
most as pretty as the girl" and he ap-
preached the fence near which Hilda
Strong stood.
Part of the big farm a bit back
where they're selling Out?" he asked.
The girl, quite startled, flushed and
Huttered and gave a confused assent.
I'll take that calf If the figure is
right" resumed the stranger.
But Whitley is not for SALE" an
nOunced Hilda. "She does not belong
to the FARM. Mr.. Warren gave her to
me when she was the tiniest little
thing and have raised her."
"YOu wouldn't sell her, then?"
"Oh, no! Never! That is--unless l
had to. And maybe that may come"
said Hilda, mOurnful shadow cross
ing her pretty face. "Mr. Warren is
breaking up and must look for a new
home. I am an orphan and have only
a few distant relatives"
Her artlessness charmed Bart Mil
Ter and her simple ways aroused his
sympathy and interest.
"HeighO!" he uttered 'We're pretty
near of a kind. I've been an orphan
myself for ten years-that is, ran
away from home and haven't seen ia
ther or mother since"
"Oh, dear! how could you stay away
from them?" chided Hilda.
''Well, got going careless and rough
and bad. Then in trouble, and finally
1 settled down to life among the hard
, est crowd ranch ever knew. 1t was
cards, drink and fighting most of the
time"
Hilda had shrunk. little at the con-
fessiOn. You don't look very careless,
and rough, and bad" she said. He
laughed quite bOisterOusly at her in
| nOcence.
"Pm not-nOw. That's why I'm
going back home"
| "Oh, are you? Are yOu?" cried Hill
da, sprightly. ''HOw glad your folks
will be to see your
''Father is dead" said Bart, "but
mother is living, and I've sort of spied
out the land before l ventured to let
her know l was around. AS / said,
was a reckless one until a year ago
had gone to prospecting. Bad as
ever, l trained with a hard crowd. One
day 1 took drop too much, and tum.
BILE. 1 went into a pitt must have
been over fifty feet. How 1 escaped
being killed I couldn't reckon out
When landed it was on a soft bed Ot
Sand-On my knees"
He spoke the last words solemnly
A strange, spiritual expression Cam'
into his eyes and illumined his face
until Hilda was fascinated in an in
tense, hypnotic way.
eyes, on my knees" repeated Bart
"There l was-saved by the Almighty
I was, as 1 had been at my mother
side way back in childhood. All M
bad life flashed upon me. The word
of Now l lay me down to sleep drift
ed dreamily through my mind.
couldn't stir for over an hour. All tn
time some new spirit seemed to com
over me. Young lady, 1 crawled ou
of that pit weak and brOken-a ne'
man."
"Oh, how glad your dear old mOthe
will be when you tell her all this
cried EIllda.
"With good behavior came goo
luck" went on Bart tersely. II struc
rich mine. 1 saved, instead {
squandering. I'm going home prett
rich man, and my money will do SON
good, for found my mother poor an
neglected. I'm still queer in my n
tiOns, young lady. 1 know what mot
er will say when she sees me comiI
back"
"What?' urged Hilda breathlessl
as absorbed as though listening
some enhancing fairy story.
"Well, mother is biblical, and
would be just like her to say, in h
gentle, kindly, fOrgiving way: Proc
gal son, you are welcome, and for "
shall be killed the fatted calf Bl
you see, poor old soul; she has /
fatted calf. And your Whitley stru
my fancy. And 1 thought I'd buy h
lead her to the old hOme-it's or
ten miles across the cOuntry-and Sc
Mother, I've brought the fatted ca
and a bag of gold, and my wOrthle
self. all at once back hOme.'"
"Oh, she won't think you wOr
less! ! And what grand man you ha
been to stOp-stOp being rough a
careless, and all that, and thinking
much of your dear old mother A
what blessing you will be to her, a
, I'm so glad met you, for you can ia