John once told me a story about his friend, Michael.
John
once
told
me
a
story
about
his
friend
,
Michael
.
Michael happened to be on a train sitting next to a young man who seemed worried.
Michael
happened
to
be
on
a
train
sitting
next
to
a
young
man
who
seemed
worried
.
Finally the young man told the friend that he was a convict returning home from a prison far away.
Finally
the
young
man
told
the
friend
that
he
was
a
convict
returning
home
from
a
prison
far
away
.
What he did had brought shame on his family, and they had neither visited him nor written to him.
What
he
did
had
brought
shame
on
his
family
,
and
they
had
neither
visited
him
nor
written
to
him
.
He hoped, however, that this was only because they were too poor to travel and too busy to write.
He
hoped
,
however
,
that
this
was
only
because
they
were
too
poor
to
travel
and
too
busy
to
write
.
When he was set free he had written to tell them he wanted to go home.
When
he
was
set
free
he
had
written
to
tell
them
he
wanted
to
go
home
.
To make matters easy for them, however, he had asked them to put up a signal for him when the train passed their little farm.
To
make
matters
easy
for
them
,
however
,
he
had
asked
them
to
put
up
a
signal
for
him
when
the
train
passed
their
little
farm
.
If the family had forgiven him, they were to put up a white ribbon in the big apple tree near the railway.
If
the
family
had
forgiven
him
,
they
were
to
put
up
a
white
ribbon
in
the
big
apple
tree
near
the
railway
.
If they didn't want him back, they were to do nothing, and he would stay on the train, and go far away.
If
they
did
n't
want
him
back
,
they
were
to
do
nothing
,
and
he
would
stay
on
the
train
,
and
go
far
away
.
As the train neared his hometown his suspense became so great that he was afraid to look out of the window.
As
the
train
neared
his
hometown
his
suspense
became
so
great
that
he
was
afraid
to
look
out
of
the
window
.
He asked Michael to watch for the big apple tree.
He
asked
Michael
to
watch
for
the
big
apple
tree
.
They changed seats.
They
changed
seats
.
In a minute, Michael put his hand on the young convict's shoulder, "There it is," His eyes was filled with sudden tears.
In
a
minute
,
Michael
put
his
hand
on
the
young
convict
's
shoulder
,
``
There
it
is
,
''
His
eyes
was
filled
with
sudden
tears
.
"It's all right.
``
It
's
all
right
.
The whole tree is white with ribbons."
The
whole
tree
is
white
with
ribbons
.
''
John once told me a story about his friend, Michael. Michael happened to be on a train sitting next to a young man who seemed worried. Finally the young man told the friend that he was a convict returning home from a prison far away. What he did had brought shame on his family, and they had neither visited him nor written to him. He hoped, however, that this was only because they were too poor to travel and too busy to write.  When he was set free he had written to tell them he wanted to go home. To make matters easy for them, however, he had asked them to put up a signal for him when the train passed their little farm. If the family had forgiven him, they were to put up a white ribbon in the big apple tree near the railway. If they didn't want him back, they were to do nothing, and he would stay on the train, and go far away.  As the train neared his hometown his suspense became so great that he was afraid to look out of the window. He asked Michael to watch for the big apple tree. They changed seats. In a minute, Michael put his hand on the young convict's shoulder, "There it is," His eyes was filled with sudden tears. "It's all right. The whole tree is white with ribbons."