Show THE PRODIGALS RETURN I 1 by R C copyright I 1 lee by pally daily story pub co one hot august afternoon a tramp walked listlessly down a dusty iowa lane there was nothing about his clothes nor general demeanor to distinguish him from other tramps yet hia his face seemed prepossessing and his forehead was intellectual finally he came within sight of a group of trees whose green freshness spoke e ly of rest he lie increased his pace and was soon seated on a shaded dank behind him was a picket fence and farther back pack was a substantial farm house hous e halt half hidden by its grove of trees after I 1 ahting his black pipe the tramp clasped his hands behind his hi head and gazed reflectively into the green leaves above him better not let father catch you there or or he had straightened up in surprise before him stood a self confident young woman with features very like bis his own A look of wonder came into her eyes when she saw his face and she hesitated and stopped confusedly you are mary are you nota he asked his voice trembling with re pressed feeling yes and you are you are will come home again oh will will wilif youve youe come bac back k to vs us again I 1 you don t know how weve we ve missed you will heedless of the dirt she threw her arms about his neck and kissed him id I 1 d hesitated mary I 1 didn dian t know whether they d m want ant me now or not indeed will it a e ou in fact he ginterr apted I 1 wasn gasn t sure that I 1 was coming at any time I 1 got as far as glenwood and then I 1 had to walk over here and see it if the old place looked the same but I 1 gasn wasn t going to stop unless unless jou ou mere welcome she finished yoi yet are will we need you here father 4 s growing old and mother wants her son and and flor ence she a still florence dear he hissed her and they won t mind my clothes 7 why of course not you foolish boy come along quick we must go and cee ree them mary caugh t his hand and halt half dragged him to the gate and down the lane oh how youve you ve changed she chattered I 1 didn dian t know you at first I 1 took pity on you because father and hate tramps so wasn gasn t that tun fun I 1 in glad that they won t eat this tramp anyhow but youve you ve changed too mary why I 1 ve always thought of yon you in braids she tossed I 1 er head I 1 took those up the year you went away you ve been gone four years bad boy don it talk about that mary for I 1 want to forget it it I 1 can you had better go in and tell mother mary ran info into the house and in an instant a white haired old lady came to be caught up in her sons son s arms the prodigal s homecoming home coming was mas all that the br brightest optimist could have hate wished will was home and after the first transports gulet quiet of absolute content settled down on the farmhouse then he be his old room untouched for tour four years and shaved and dT dressed essed him self when he came downstairs again his father a still till in his it overalls was pacing up and dow h 1 oom nal the old gentleman a f face a c e I 1 li gh gated ed up with pleasure when he caught sight of his son will he said well we 11 forget the past I 1 was hasty my ray son and you took after byoir yo ir father I 1 suppose A smile flickered about the corners of his mouth tor for an instant your mother and I 1 got to know florence better afterward she ashes s not like the old man I 1 always disliked barnes quarrelsome fellow licked me when a boy don t forget such thing i but there its it s alt all right youre you re all dressed up H in hope you re not thinking ot of going over there to nighta why 1 I 1 id d like to father it if well I 1 dor don t know you d better stay at home boright to right barnesel Barne sll be ITO foft 40 ik you are mary are you not he asked his vo ce trembling gone tomorrow to morrow don t like him but 1 I reckon me a e 11 have to patch I 1 up sometime will s face tell fell but he was deter mined not to cross any of his father a 8 whims so lie he t toward a win do v without replying pline re rhen mary came in you deal dear boi boy QI ie e said now 3 ou look like mi ml littler faill youre thinking of li 1 biorn orrice re I 1 now per naps haps a sly glance rt pt hor lslie father perhaps hell bell let you go orr ever after abhi e father doean doesn t want me to go mary looked at the old gentleman who winked portentously A ripple of amusement ran over her face hello called will heres here a a buggy they might let us have our first meal alone anyhow who corn com ing mary and her father glanced at each other oh said the former that s spats atiat a a new friend whom we expect to dinner you 11 like her will she a e as pretty miry mary I 1 thundered the farmer mary la Is sighed and ran from the room come here will his father con linued va you 11 have to learn about K 9 arx fa C shook his HI fist across the fence at him the farm and I 1 reckon that now 9 as good a time as any to begin in will left the window and the old gentleman entered into a statement regarding the stock talking talling in an un necessarily loud tone thought but after all he paid little attention to that he ile caught a glimpse of a face in ln the buggy could it be true but no his imagination had been at fault of course yet that face somebody a in the parlor mary announced and would we like to see will her brother took a step forward and turned white to the lips not he said not go and see she answered and then pitying his forlorn look added its it s all right dear don t be afraid will went forward with a 1 eating ii heart cart the hall seemed of In able length and when he reached the parlor he was trembling violently A homad stood by the window Vs i florence he cried ob will look here you rapscallion ll 11 was the farmers voice get off that or let loose on jou ou eha he cried starting up con get out of that I 1 wont won t have tramps around my bouse house the farm er shook his fist across the fence at him why why father gasped will I 1 get out or ill let loose wow wow mow wow chimed in gosh the tramp muttered guess I 1 must a gone to sleep all right mister ill git only hold on to the dog |