Daily American telegraph., 1852-07-09
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH.
from the National Era
Solomon PeppereIps Thanksgiving.
BY MARTHA RUSSELL,
CONTINUED FROM TUESDAYS TEIEoRAPHl
CHAP II

bl MAMMA hOooELI,
CONTINUED FROM TUESDAYS TEIEeRAPH
CHAP, II.
Dinner was over at the s-house--Thanks-
giving dinner, if the rack of rather dminu-
tive goose, the remnants of pudding, and the
broken vegetables, from which Sally Smart
permitted her husband and chilnren to do the
same, before it was placed upon the paupers
table, could be considered worthy of that
name--and the half dozen paralytic, rheumat-
ic, broken-down souls, that made up the town
poor, hobbled away from the table, some
crouching over the ashes and mumblng with
toothless gums Of the fine times they had when
they were young. Two or three, who carried
thankful hearts under all life's changes, lin
gered in the sunlight to warm their frozen
blood, and listen to old Nehemiah Tyler's ac-
count of the sermon, (for he was the only one
of their number who had been able to go to
church,) while one tall, gaunt, white haired
old man, who had fingered longest at the table,
although he seemed to eat little or nothing
buttoned his neatly-brushed but threadbare
coat around him, and hastily left the room.
"The old Colonel is in something of hurry.
He might have staid and just had sociable
chat, seeing it's Thanksgiving" croaked old
Grannie Beam as she extended her skinny fin
gers for pinch of Scotch snuff from the prof
fered box of one of her cronies.
"Whist, Grannie; he is worrying his life
out over little Milly. Didn't you sec he scarce
ly swallowed mouthful of his dinner, but
saved it all for her | saw him slip it into a
paper, and put it under his coat. He thinks
she could eat poor thing, if she had anything
cooked up nice," returned another.
And how is the poor child, Mabel?" asked
one of old Smiths audience, patient, meek
eyed looking woman, whose distorted limbs
showed her to be a cripple. II have not seen
got into my bones, and can't get up stairs for
the life of me- don't like to say much to the
Colonel about her, for it pears to me he gets
more and more lightheaded every day.
Mad-mad as a March hare" muttered
Grannie Bean, while the person addressed as
Mabel went on to say
Every poorly, Mary Dinnies. The Doctor
says she can't hold out but leetle while Ion
ger; and, considering all the circumstances,
don't know as we can desire to have her. It's
as good as sermon to hear her talk, though
once in while she gets kinder out, and talks
all manner of strange stuff about seeing her
mother, and the angels, and | don't know
what. And, then, the old man does get crazier
and craZer every day - and, between them
both, they say some queer things"
"No wonder" returned Mary Dinnies, mu-
singly. cts little thought, when, tailoress
girl, used to sew in his family week after
week, and everything went on so prosperously
and SO happily that sometimes envied them,
that he would spend his last days in the poor.
house-or myself, either, for that matter" she
added, after pause, as she looked down or
her distorted hands
can it's no ways likely you would, if John
Morris had lived, or if you hadn't gone to work
before you got over that dreadful fit of fever,
Mary" returned old Grannie Bean. "You was
most dreadful sick person. But as for little
Milly Gilbert or Milly Lee, as the Colonel in
sists on calling her-for it's getting to be i'm
possible to make him understand that it isn't
his Milly, who died away off yonder when the
child was born Il argued with him yesterday
about it, until got out of all manner of pa
tience)-it's my mind that she won't live out
the night There were two corpse-lghts in the
candle last night, and never knew that sign
fail. You needn't shake your head, neighbor
Tyler for it's my firm belief that no person
dies without warning"
Leaving these worthless to their dispute about
"omens and warnings" let US follow their
gaunt old confrere to the forlorn chamber
whittier he had hurried. We use the word
forlorn, but perchance stronger term would
be better; for it were well if the unswept floor
the miserable bed-the tattered, stringless cur
tain before the window-the stained and dusty
stand, holding cracked teacups and sticky
looking phials-the tarnished, broken.handled
spoon, did not cause the most benevolent heart
to turn away in disgust
Aye it was q poor, mean, miserable place
but so, also, was that stable at Bethlehem; and
here, as there, lay child-not watched over
and guarded, alas by that mother-love which
hath lifted the curse from woman's discrowned
brow, and was consecrated afresh in the per-
son of the Virgin Mother No; there was no
love here save the dim flame which cleaned
and flickered in the heart of feeble, half
crazed old man and yet, no one could gaze on
that meek, transparent face, so thin and wan,
so patient, and serene, that looked out from
those tumbled pillows without feeling that
something of the divine presence of Him who
made that humble birthplace sacred to all time
was here, casting into shade the miserable ac-
cessaries of the scene by bright visions of the
eternal home in heaven. A girlish, childish
face it was, of some eight years old or so and
very beautiful too, with its blue eyes, deep and
clear as inland seas, and the mass Of sunny
hair floating like a golden cloud above them.
The old man spread his boarded treasures
upon clean bit of paper before her, and, ga
zing wistfully into her eyes, pressed her to eat
in his broken, disjointed way
"Try little bit of the wing, darling-just a
little bit; wings are good for sick folks he
went on. 4" remember, O bit of chickens wing
was the first thing they let your mother eat,
after she had the typhus fever How are you
ever to get strong and well again. if you don't
eat? There, that's a good girl, he added as
she made an effort to swallow bit of the food,
Meat makes folks strong and hearty, and when
the warm weather comes you will be well :;
you know the Doctor said so All, yes, when
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