Year: 1875

wrinkled with care and sickness, the
soft bands of brown hair bound smooth
ly back, the dark, tender, holy eyes, the
patient grace of the waiting figure, al
form picture upon which the man be
side her looks with eyes Imwontedly
gentle.


A stern, God-fearing Puritan. A man
who traced his ancestry back to the PHI
/ grims of the Mayflower, and to the
/ Judges of the Salem witches with as
much pride as every English peer might
feel to be acknowledged the descendant
of William the Conqueror. Making his
own narrow creed the rule by which to
Judge all men, and by which all men who
We're found wanting We're condemned.
Yet a Just man withal. Himself walking
in the barren, narrow road which he
pointed out for others to set their feet In,
whatever it might cost him. Born to
this religion as to his farm, he accepted
the one as he did the other, without
question, and to be so transmitted to his
children and his children's children.
Whatever of the fragrance of mercy or
the beauty of love this cold, hard man
has shown in his life, it has been through
the influence of this weak, quiet woman
whom he loves and reveres.


She is pleading with him now for the
only boon he had ever denied her-for-
giveness for their absent son.


Father father L cannot forget that
we have two children away from us and
home tonight. How can / sit down to
another Thanksgiving feast, with all my
loved ones around me save one, and that
one is forbidden to join me2"


"We cannot help his absence he left
of his own free will. Tomorrow it is
our duty as well as our pleasure to for
get the trials and crosses of our lives,
and be thankful for the many blessings
and the great degree of prosperity that
have fallen to us.


Cannot we help his absence? Do
you not think our boy would come to us
with JOY if we asked him to come
home?"


81 have no boy to ask home. He
ceased to be a child of mine when he
disowned my authority as parent. 1t
is not / but greater than who has pro-
nounced the penalty upon those who
honor not their father and mother. l
cannot remit it if / would, and dare not
If / could. As ne sinned he must suffer,
and we suffer also, the innocent for the
guilty. He denied his father, and | have
no son."


He turned impatiently away, and the
mother sank back in her chair with
heavy sigh. Here, too, she could only
wait.


"They are coming" cried Esther's
al
the bells on the hill. They are almost
here"


"My precious child, cried the mother,
starting up.


"That is right, wife. We must not
meet her with clouded faces tonight.
Nor may we forget she brings with her
one to whom she owes her life. Brave
fellow When L think of Hope, alone
and forgotten, in an upper room OF
burning house, feel as if all L could do
for him would in no manner repay the
debt | shall always owe him. At least
we can give him hearty welcome to our
home and hearts"


The sound of the bells grew nearer and
clearer. Then the drivers voice was
heard, shouting to his horses as he drew
up before the gate. Esther and Mary,
with Hepsa and Mrs. Grimalkin follow
ing, flew down the path. A strange,
quick silence followed their first noisy
greeting. A moment more and Hope
was at her mothers feet, clinging to her
mothers neck.


"Dear mother, dear father, it is so
good to see you and the old home again.
The mothers arms were around, the
mothers voice and kisses were giving
her welcome, but from his father to his
favorite child came no word or sound of
greeting. Erect and firm he stood, his
hand resting heavily upon the chair be-
side him, his eyes fixed upon the strange
group outside of the door before him.


Esther and Mary, with an arm of the
stranger around each, had hidden their
faces from sight upon his shoulders,
while Hepsa, alternately laughing and
crying, walked around the group, APP
parently distracted between love and
CONSERVATION.


There he stood outside the door in the
darkness and the cold, refusing to enter
until the master of the house babe him
welcome-a stranger no longer-his
disobedient, banished son. Recalled by
the sudden stiffness, Hope sprang to her
feet


"Father! fatherl" she cried, she
saved my life"


"And taught you how to deceive me-"


"Oh, no, father, alone am response
BILE for this act. But for him / should
never have seen you and home again. /
thought you would want to thank him
for yourself. L know you love him,
father, and he had nowhere else to go to-
morrow"


With a cry of yearning love that could
not be suppressed the mother rose to her
feet and laid her trembling hand upon
her husbands shoulder, stretching the
other toward her son in greeting.


"Oh, my boy the words were over
flowing with tenderness-''youa are surely
welcome. For my sake come in. Re
member, husband, the debt you owe him.
Remember he is your son-you cannot
cast him away" Hope threw herself at
his feet, and caught in hers the hand he
was about to raise.


"Go in, girls, out of the cold, and
you, Hepsa, said the young man. Trem-
blingly his sisters obeyed him, but
Hepsa, dropping her "curtsy," answer
ed, "After you, sir.


UWhv do Won not come i'm also ?" the