HOME ON BEAN BLOSSOM CREEK.

THE Deacon had been afraid to telegraph directly to his wife that he was
bringing the boys home. He knew the deadly alarm that would seize
mother and daughters at the very sight of the yellow telegraph envelope
directed to them. They would interpret it to mean that Si was dead, and
probably in their grief fail to open the envelope and read the message.
So at Jeffersonville he sent a message to Sol Pringle, the agent and
operator at the station. The Deacon remembered the strain the former
message had been on the young operator's intelligence, besides he
himself was not used to writing messages, and so, regardless of expense,
he conveyed his thoughts to Sol in this wise:

Deer Sol: put yore thinkin' cap on, and understand just what
Ime sayin'. I want you to send word out to the house at once
that Ime comin' home this evenin' on the accommodation
train, and bringing the boys. Be keerful and doant make a
fool of yourself and skeer the wimmin fokes.

Respectfully yores, Josiah Klegg.

Sol had plenty of time to study that dispatch out, and he not only sent
word as desired, but he communicated the news to all who came to the
station. The result was there was quite a crowd of friends there to
greet the home-comers.

The reception of the message had thrown the household into a flurry of
joyful expectancy. It was far better news than the Deacon's last letter
had led them to anticipate. After a few moments of tearful ejaculation
and mutual kissing over it, mother and daughters began to get everything
in readiness to give the returning ones the warmest, most cheerful
welcome. Abraham Lincoln was summoned in from his rail-splitting, which
he had been pursuing quite leisurely during the Deacon's absence, and
stirred to spasmodic energy under Maria's driving to cut an additional
supply of dry wood, and carry it into every room in the house, where
little Sammy Woggles, the orphan whom the Deacon and Mrs. Klegg were
bringing up, built cheer-shedding fires. Mrs. Klegg had her choicest
young chickens killed, and after she and Amanda had robbed every other
room of whatever they thought would add to the comfort of Si's, she set
herself to work preparing a supper which would outdo all her previous
efforts.

Hours before the train was due Maria had Abraham Lincoln bring out the
spring-wagon and hitch the horses to it. Then he had to lay in a bed of
clean straw, and upon this w