Reunited

REUNITED A True Story By Mrs. Alice Morrill James Briant sat in his palatial office on M Street in the rich mining center of B. There was a pause in his work, as he waited for the other members of the firm to enter, when together they would go over the business of the corporation and thus form an estimate of what he believed would be their mammoth assets. Mr. B's mind had long been running in one groove — that of making money earn money. For years he had bent all his energies in that direction. As Mr. Briant sat there in his office this afternoon, the factors which had been dominant in his rise _to wealth passed before his mind in ever changing juxtaposition, like the figures in a kaleidoscope. It was almost like a dream and yet there was one thought, clear and plain, which was that had he remained in Utah, wealth would have eluded him. In "The Valleys" he was just a common farmer drudging away on sixty acres of land, paying one tenth of his meager income into the Church treasury, making donations now and then from the residue and devoting time, besides, to Church duties. No, he would never have accrued wealth had he remained a "Mormon." James Briant thanked his lucky stars that his eyes had been opened in time to save his children, Hugh and Hazel, from growing up in poverty — for, of course, had "the break" between himself and his Church never occurred, Hugh would have inherited the farm with all its attendant hard work and meager remuneration, while Hazel would have been a common country girl and grown up to be a typical "Mormon" woman. The partners entered soon and their findings of the next few hours verified Mr. Briant' s conclusion that he was indeed a rich man — rich in stocks and bonds and silver and gold. The struggle of years along the upward climb of material things had reached its goal, but, if the truth be told, there was still something lacking in the resultant victory. But as Mr. Briant rode home that evening in his shining limousine, he would not have acknowledged to any one that there was any shadow of disappointment in what the years of his strenuous effort had brought him. Sometimes, in the lives of mortals, time passes by, bringing few changes, but with Mr. Briant and his family, this was not the case. Swiftly he had climbed to the pinnacle of wealth and swiftly he was to be hurled down and then, before he had even found his bearings in his changed situation, fortune smiled on his almost frenzied

648 IMPROVEMENT ERA efforts and hope of retrieving his lost fortunes again pursued him only to pass him by and once more leave him stranded. Added to these buffetings of fate, was the growing realization that Hugh, his only son, was growing to have ideals not in harmony with his father's ambitions, indeed he seemed to be losing faith in his father and was becoming silent and almost morose in his father's presence. The dreams of companionship, man with man, the realization of which Mr. Briant had always looked forward to, had failed to materialize. Of late, the barrier between the two, father and son, had increased in density. "I will stay with you, Father, until you are on your feet again, financially, and then I am going for myself." That was all. There had been no open rupture. The parting of the ways had come, now three years ago when Hugh was twenty-one. Since then father and son had not met. Hazel was devoted to her father and had worked hard to sup- port herself and help out with the family income while Mother labored beyond her strength at home-keeping for them all. Occasionally a letter came from Hugh containing money but these were always sent through some other person's hands and in a round about way so that the whereabouts of the sender might not be known. Mr. Briant had saved this money received from his son, not using a penny, partly on account of independent pride and partly because he had lost faith in the materialistic side of human destiny and thought Hugh might some day need his savings himself. However, there came a time when Mr. Briant weakened physically and could no longer pursue his daily work. Mrs. Briant was not strong enough to keep up with the necessary household tasks and give her husband the attention he needed and so Hazel had to come home and assist her mother. "Thank heaven we have Hugh's money!" she remarked to her mother as she exchanged her office suit for a house-dress and pro- ceeded to "set" the neglected house "to rights." "Yes, we shall need it," her mother rejoined and then added reassuringly, "But we will get along all right, Hazel." The next evening Mrs. Briant came to Hazel with an anxious look on her face. "Your father is so despondent, Hazel, I believe he is constantly thinking about Hugh." "I wish Hugh would come back," Hazel replied thoughtfully, and then added with serious eyes, "I think his presence is the only thing that would help Father." "Well, the Mother replied paradoxically, "I do, and I don't,

REUNITED 649 Hugh was unhappy here, and some way I feel as if he is all right where he is." "Mother, do you know where Hugh is?" Hazel queried hungrily. "No, Hazel, I do not and yet whenever I think of him a peaceful feeling pervades my soul. I cannot explain it nor even under- stand it myself, but it is true." Evening after evening Mr. Briant sat propped up in his easy chair, or lay upon the couch before the fire in silence. It seemed as if his mind were miles away from his surroundings as indeed it was. The past was passing before him as a far off face of a loved friend obtrudes itself, ofttimes, on almost dreamless sleep. Mr. Briant was living again the years of his youth in far away Utah. He. was contrasting the peace and quiet of his life back there, with the "blare and glitter and rush, with its maddened grasp for painted baubles," of the city he had lived in for fifteen years. How trivial, now, appeared the little tangled situation which had assumed such big proportions in his mind back there, and finally set him adrift from his moorings. "Oh Father," he secretly prayed, lead me back and teach me to walk in thy ways. Restore me to the path by which I may renew my covenants with thee." Such thoughts would take possession of his consciousness and give him hope and joy and then the sick man's mind would lose its grasp and something would seem to whisper, "It is too late. Your youth has gone. You have lost your op- portunity." Wife and daughter left no effort unmade to recall him from his seeming lethargy. Their gentle ministrations were constant and patient until at last the pent up feelings of his heart broke forth one evening as the three sat about the open grate in the little sitting room. "Mother and Hazel," he broke out suddenly, "I cannot stand this any longer. I want to go back home — back to Utah. I have tried all these years to forget 'Mormonism,' but if I could be back tonight in the little gray chapel in L. ward listening to words of truth and love as they fell from the lips of dear old Bishop Peterson, I would give all that I ever owned of worldly goods, if I could receive administration and a blessing at the hands of those good men and faithful, my ward teachers of long ago, I would give the best years of my life." Quietly, but with shining eyes Mrs. Briant arose from her place, and going over to her husband, knelt at his side and took in both her own his thin trembling hands, "James," she said with a look of happiness upon her face, "you cannot know how I have longed to hear the words you have just spoken. For years, in my heart I

650 IMPROVEMENT ERA have yearned to go back but I didn't dream that such a feeling would ever come to you." Hazel stood listening in wonderment and then exclaimed pas- sionately, "No, Mother, Father, let's not go to Utah, let's stay here until Hugh comes back. Oh, you don't know what this separation from my brother has meant to me." With a sigh, Mr. Briant sank back in his chair. "Let us not talk more about it. I must lie down." The outburst of long pent-up feelings was followed by a few moments of more than usual depression and Mr. Briant lay upon his couch without moving or speaking. But the springs of feeling, so long held in check had to flow forth and later in the evening, he, himself re-introduced the subject so near his heart. "Don't you remember, Mother, when we were children we used to go to the same Sunday school in our little home ward? Ah," he mused, " I remember the superintendent and some of the teachers as if I had seen them but yesterday, and the Mutual and Priesthood meet- ing officers, and all. I know, now, that the things they taught me have always remained in my mind as gems of truth, though my stubborn will has kept a barrier between those early days and our lives out here. And then, after a few moments of rest, "What would I not give to see an Elder of the Church! I have not thought much about it before, but I am wondering if there aren't missionaries in this city. Oh, if I could but see one!" Hazel listened with tense interest to her father's words. She had never heard her parents speak of these things before; they were all new to her, as she was only three years of age and Hugh was ten when their parents had come to B. to live. That night she lay awake long after she had retired for rest, thinking of what she had so recently learned of her parents' early life. "Oh, if Hugh were only here," was the burden of her thoughts, "we could conspire some way to get them back to the life they had loved so long ago." The next evening, Mr. Briant seemed to have relapsed into his former state of silent dejection. Once Mrs. Briant sought to arouse his interest by suggesting semi-casually, that perhaps they could yet go back home after he should get a little stronger but he petulantly bade her not to mention it again. "It is all in the past," he said. "There is no more use of thinking about it. Let us forget." Hazel slipped away and went to her room. Presently she re- turned to the door of the sitting room and beckoned her mother out into the hall. She was dressed for the street. "Mother," she said, "I am going

REUNITED 651 out into the city to find some "Mormon" elders. I telephoned today and found out that there are some here in the city, and learned that they have headquarters in the Building, on State street. You know that is near the office where I used to work, «o I know right where to go." Mrs. Briant's face was beaming. "Oh, Hazel it is too good to be true, but what shall I say if your father asks for you?" "Tell him the truth. I will be gone beyond his recall and it is all for him, you know." President Cardson was in the office and smiled pleasantly when Hazel introduced herself and explained her errand. But in reply to her request, he said gently, "There are no elders here now, excepting two new elders who have just come in from Utah. They came up from the train that brought them in, only a few minutes ago, and of course I couldn't think of sending them out until — " President Cardson got no farther, for one of the new missionaries who had been taking care of his dust-stained traveling-bag and overcoat in an adjoining room, rushed past him like the wind, and clasped the visitor in his arms. "Hugh, Hugh, where did you come from?" was all Hazel could say. "From dear old Utah, little Sister, I was going right out to see you and Father and Mother as soon as I could get the dust of travel off my clothes. "Oh, Hugh," Hazel faltered, "Father is so sick and we want you so — " "Sick? Father? Hugh exclaimed, I will go right out with you," and then added, "Father needn't know, Hazel, that I am a 'Mormon' missionary — that is — not at first. I — " "Oh Hugh," Hazel broke in, "he's calling for the 'Mormon' elders. That's why I came. I found out that there were some in the city and I came to take them to him. Little did I know whom I should find here." President Cardson was already putting on his overcoat. "Elder Briant, we will go together," he said simply, and then added fervently as the three passed out into the lighted street, "Thanks be to our Father that you came tonight." Tridell, Utah