The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-07-08
For the National Era.
SOLOMON PEPPERELLs THANKSGIVING.
BY MARTHA RUSSELL.
InONnIIrnEn

CONCLUDED.
Little Milly sighed sadly, for she had often
paused in the shadow of Judge Kanes grand
monument to gather butter-cups and knew
that it had been raised above his grave many
years before she was born.
He noticed her SIGH and, adjusting the bed
clothes around her, badc her 60 to sleep while
with his cracked voice he croOned over her
snatches of that hymn which had soothed his
own infancy, and is even now sung by 30 many
sweet-voced matrons through the length and
breadth of our land-Watts's Cradle Hymn.
And. en- PEASANT let us say, friends, that
many times, when, at eventide. those simple
words murmured by well-beloved voice, t.
the monotonous accompaniment OF the rock
ing cradle and the hum of the myriad insect
tribe have reached us through the open win
dow, we have felt that we would rather have
written those simple lines than Coleridge's
| magnificent hymn to Mont Blanc.
Mas a revenr The little one drowsed
awhile uneasily, and then opened her eyes
with a shudder
ooh am 80 cold 30 very cold, GRANDPA
Their ~ she moaned, while her shivering frame
slight as was, shook the bed "pOn't you
think they would let us have little fire-just
little grandfather"
The old man glanced wistfully towards the
rusty stove, which, by the Doctors orders, had
been placed in their room some days before,
and the good man doubtless thought that his
little patient enjoyed the luxury of fire.
But since the first which he built with his own
hands. had burnt down, there had been no
light in their stove; for Sally Smart had de-
cided that people who lie in bed oil day did
not need, and, what was more, shouldn't have
T. ha.. E.t
baby quite a burden, since little Milly had
grown too feeble to carryit about, hour after
hour, on her hip. Sally had always acknowl.
edged that Milly was good to take care of
children, and nothing else, unless it were "to
sit with her eyes staring wide open at the
clouds, as if she expected to see the angels
that she was always talking to the young ones
about, coming right down into her mouth but
then she wasn't over-witted any more than her
grandfather"
Well, poor Mlly had need to think about
the angels for, sometimes, when Bill Smart
came home drunk, and cursed, and swore, and
beat the children until his wfes strong hand
and sharp voice silenced him, she grew sorely
troubled. and wept, for fear that the angels,
which dear old Widow Wilson had told her so
much about before she died, would never come
to watch over her in place like that.
After poking over the dead, white ashes
awhile the old man made his way down stairs.
Few heard the request he made to Sally Smart,
40 low and broken were his tones; but hers
were loud and short enough, and all compre-
hended when she said-"lf folks wanted TO
warm em, they were welcome TO come TO the
fire she shouldn't hinder EN-, nobody could
saw that she ever had--she defed 'em toit-but
as to keeping separate fire, the selectmeD had
given no orders, and she shouldn't do nothing
about it--so, there ~
The woman impaticntly pushed child from
her knee as she spoke, and perhaps she would
have added more but feeble and broken as he
was. there was contempt, scorn, In that Old
mans eye, that cowed her at once and, NUT
tering something about folks giving themselves
"airs,v she turned away while the woman they
had called Mabel rose, and opened the door
for the old man 10 pass, with as much respect
as. when a child, she had swung back the gate
Tor him in front Of her fathers house, which
gave access to a part Of the ColonePs farm,
and received the unfailing guerdon OF hand
full Of pennies. ,
little pale face, with its lips blue and stlifening
with cold. looked out from the ragged cover
ing and then, seeing he brought no fuel, was
turned away with heavy sigh and moan,
which her brave child heart could not repress.
The old man went up to the bed, and hung
over her saying caressngly, as no smootnsd
her hair-9Don't tremble no, darling The
warm weather'll come before long. 1t can't
be 10 cold always"
She made no reply. He drew one Of the
little shrunken hands from beneath the cover
inc. Il was cold as death. A strange, wild ex-
nre ssion cleaned in his eyes" Fire IRE" nc
said with laugh, @why shouldn't We have q
6rc "a we'll as other folksl There is wood
enough. and to spare!" And casting his rest
isss Sesring glance on every side VI him, he
stole down stairs and out into the wintry twi'
light.