It was after midnight when the boat upon which Shawn took passage
reached Skarrow. As they climbed the hill, Coaly instinctively turned
toward Shawn's home, but Shawn had determined to first visit old Brad
and make inquiry as to the kind of welcome he might expect from his
mother. He knocked gently on the door of old Brad's cabin.
"Who dar?" called Brad.
"It's Shawn, uncle Brad; I've come home."
"Great Lawd!" exclaimed the old darkey, "Wait er minnit tell I strack a
light--come in hyar, boy." Shawn went in as Brad threw a chunk of wood
on the fire. "Set down thar, boy, and lemme put dis coffee-pot on de
coals an' brile yo' a piece uv bacon. Lawse, chile! some say yo' done
drown, an' some say yo' rin away wid race-boss men, en yo' mammy jes'
'stracted an' axin' me ef I heerd frum yo' ev'ry day. Is yo' seen yo'
mammy yet?"
"No," said Shawn, "I felt like--"
"Out wid it," said old Brad, "Dat's right, an' say dat yo' felt like yo'
wuz ershamed uv yo'self en had done wrong, but yo' go down thar jes' as
soon ez yo' kin an' see yo' mammy. Yo' hain' no wicked boy, Shawn, but
des kinder ramshackel an' loose-jinted in yo' constitushun, but yo'
hain' wicked. I know what wickedness is, but even de wicked hez got de
chance to tu'n frum de errer uv dey ways befo' hit is too late. De
wickedes' man I ever knowed, honey, wuz Captain Monbridge, down in
Louisiana. He wuz de wickedes' an' han'sumest man en de richest man in
dat secshun, en when he got drunk an' got on his big black hoss, he
would shoot de fust nigger whut crossed his path, en when he wuz drunk,
de niggers wuz mi'ty skase eround. He fell off'n his hoss one night an'
wuz kilt, en de folks all say dat he went straight ter hell, but de naix
spring after he wuz daid, a strange flower cum peepin' outer his grave,
en hit wuz de mos' curios flower dat wuz ever seen 'roun' dar--a kine uv
red dat nobody ever see befo', en hit kep' a-comin' an' a-comin', en
purty soon de people all cum to see dat flower on Captain Monbridge's
grave. Byme bye de flower grow to a big stalk, en down in de center uv
de stalk wuz a leaf, en when dey tuck out dat leaf, dar wuz writ on hit
dese words:
'Betwix de stirrup an' de groun'
He mercy axed an' mercy foun.'
"Yassir, he wuz saved." Uncle Brad took the coffee-pot from the glowing
coals and poured a steaming cup of coffee for Shawn. "Shawn, I'm gwine
tuh preach at de chutch Sunday mawnin' an' I want yo' to heah me. I'm
gwine preach on de Prodegale Son, an' hit's gwine tuh be a sarmon."
"I'll be there," said Shawn.
Shawn and Coaly went down the hill. Coaly gave a yelp of delight and
stood barking before the door. Shawn's mother sprang from bed, opened
the door and clasped her son to her breast. "Oh, Shawn, bless God,
you've come!" And Shawn's home had never looked so inviting before.
"Mammy, I'll never leave you again."
He went to sleep in his little room overlooking the river, and he heard
again the night wind crooning through the trees and the night owl's
tones echoing through the distant wood. His heart was warm again in the
glow of sweet memories. He was in his old home.
The next day found Shawn enjoying the surprising event of being
cordially welcomed by the inhabitants of the town. The worst sort of
straggler is often astonished at the kindly interest accorded him upon
returning to his old home. Old Doctor Hissong greeted him by saying,
"Hello, been seeing the world, have you?" When he went up to the Alden
home, he found the same good friend there; the same sweet smile and the
kind words, and Mrs. Alden still anxious to help him and guide him to
better pathways, urging upon him the great need of an education, and
Shawn promised to return to school.
"Don't fergit about dat sarmon," said old Brad, "I'm gwine tuh look fer
yo' at de chutch termorrer."