The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-05-15
THE PRODIGAl SON
Hy AUeUsTUs G. sHERwIN.

DsOSWONOOSOS-OSS7
Copyright, 1918, by Western Newspaper Union-)
He was man of whims and impulse
apparently, for he was almost child
ishly engrOssed in viewing q pretty
picture, of which a bright, attractive
looking girl was the center. She was
just inside the fence of q clover field
and was daintiiy picking the IuciOus
red tops. Then she would go to the
separating barbed wire fence, reach
/ through and pet, converse with and
feed a white-speckled calf, plump,
friendly and spOtless OF CRIME or
brier.
I've an idea-the fatted calf! %
abruptly chuckled the onlooker. 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 outF'' he asked
The girl, quite startled, flushed and
fluttered and gave a confused assent.
''III take that calf If the figure Is
right" resumed the stranger.
But Whitley is not for SALE" an
DOunced Hilda. "She does not belong
to the farm. Mr.. Warren gave her to
me when she was the tfnIest little
thing and have raised her."
''You wouldn't sell her, then?'
"Oh, mol Never! That is-unIess 1
had to. And maybe that may come"
/ said HiIda, mournful shadow cross
ing her pretty face. ''Mr. Warren is
breaking up and must look for new
home. I am an orphan and have only
n few distant relatives"
Her artlessness charmed Bart Mil
Ter and her simple ways aroused his
sympathy and interest.
"fHeigho!' he uttered "We're pretty
near of a kind. I've been an orphan
myself for ten years-that is, I ran
away from home and haven't seen IA
| Their or mother since.'
"Oh, dear! how could you stay away
from them?" chided Hilda.
''Well, I got going careless and rough
and bad. Then in trouble, and finally
I settled down to life among the hard
est crowd a ranch ever knew. It 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"
ooh, are you? Are you" cried Hill
da, sprightiy. 'How glad your folks
will be to see you'll"
Father is dead" said Bart, 'Fbut
mother is living, and I've sort Of spied
out the land before I ventured to let
her know was around. As said,
was a reckless one until a year ago.
I had gone to prospecting. Bad as
ever, I trained with hard crowd. One
day took drop too much, and tum-
BILE. I went into a pitt must have
been over fifty feet. How I escaped
being killed I couldn't reckon out
When I landed 1T was on a soft bed OF
sand-On my knees"
He spoke the last words solemnly
A strange, spiritual expression came
into his eyes and illumined his face
until Hilda was fascinated in an in,
tense, hypnotic way.
Eyes, on my knees" repeated Bart
t'There I was-saved by the Almighty
was, as I had been at my mothers
side way back in childhood. Ali my
bad life flashed upon me. The words
of Now lay me down to sleep drift
ed dreamily through my mind.
couldn't stir for over an hour. All the
time some new spirit seemed to come
over me. Young lady, crawled out
of that pit weak and broken-a new
man."
''Oh, how glad your dear old mother
will he when you tell her all this =
cried Hilda.
with good behavior came goot
luck" went on Bart tersely. ST STRUCK
a rich mine. / saved, instead OF
squandering. I'm going home a prett.
rich man, and my money will do som,
good. for found my mother poor and
neglected. I'm still queer IN my no
tons, young lady. I know what moth
er will say when she sees me coming
back
'What?" urged Hilda breathlessly
as absorbed as though listening t.
/ some enhancing fairy story.
''Well, mother is biblical, and i
would be just like her to say, in he
gentle, kindly, forgiving way: 'Prodi
gal son. you are welcome, and for yoI
Sudn De kIIIeU the IaIIoQ cali. But
you see, poor old soul; she has M
fatted calf. And your Whitley strucl
my fancy. And thought I'd buy her
lead her to the old home@it's onI,
ten miles across the country-and say
Mother, I've brought the fatted calf
. and bag of gold, and my WORTHLESS
self, all at once back home'"
ooh, she won't think you worth
less And what grand man you hav
i been to stop-stOp being rough an,
careless, and all that, and thinking s
much of your dear old motherl An,
what a blessing you will be to her, ant
| I'm so glad met you, for you can tax
Whitley, and you're welcome to hel
and it's all like some beautiful story,
and, overcome by her emotions, Hid.
broke down in tears.
1t was with a pretty ribbon tie,
around her neck that Whitley was lie,
away from her devoted young mis-
a treSs.
Hilda had urged him to tell her tn
: end of the charming story he, she, tn
old mother and Whitley were actinI
! out. Mother says she must see you,