s and stores and shops were all closed. He passed up
the hill to his old home; but his mother was not there, and the door was
fast. The cat was lying upon the step, and purred him a welcome. The
bees were humming over the flower-beds, and the swallows twittered
merrily upon the roof of the house. The remembrance of his boyhood came
back, and he was a child again amid the flowers.

He noticed that the people were around the church, and passed on to see
what had called them together.

"Why, that is Paul Parker, as true as I am alive!" said Mr. Chrome, as
he approached the church.

The little boys caught it up, and cried, "Paul has come! Paul has come!"
and looked wonderingly at his blue uniform, and the eagle on his
shoulders. It was buzzed through the church that he had come. Judge
Adams, who was on the platform, and who was chairman of the meeting,
said: "It gives me great pleasure to announce the arrival of our
esteemed fellow-citizen, Colonel Parker, who has so nobly distinguished
himself in the service of our country."

"Three cheers for Colonel Parker!" shouted Mr. Chrome, and the people,
glad to see him, and brimming over with joy for the victories, sprang to
their feet and hurrahed and stamped till the windows rattled. Judge
Adams welcomed him to the platform, and Father Surplice, Colonel Dare,
and Esquire Capias rose and shook hands with him. Esquire Capias was
making a speech when Paul entered; but he left off suddenly, saying: "I
know that you want to hear from Colonel Parker, and it will give me
greater pleasure to listen to him than to talk myself."

Then there were cries for Paul.

"It is not necessary for me to introduce Colonel Parker on this
occasion," said Judge Adams. "He is our fellow-citizen; this is his
home. He has honored himself and us. We have been trying to be eloquent
over the great victories; but the eloquence of speech is very poor when
compared with the eloquence of action." Then turning to Paul, he said:
"What you and your comrades have done, Sir, will be remembered through
all coming time."

"We tried to do our duty, and God gave us the victory," said Paul. He
stood before them taller and stouter than when he went away. He was
sunburnt; but his countenance was noble and manly, and marked with
self-reliance. He never had made a speech. He did not know what to say.
To stand there facing the audience, with his mother, Azalia, Daphne, and
all his old friends before him, was very embarr