The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-09-27
So PER ANNUM.

er Tor years. L never pass such tr,
without thinking Of the slow death of Il
heart to which some writer has strikinol
f eomparedit. 1t was thus that AdeIaid
stood among the other plants of her fail
u er's nurture. Have you ever seen fror
such girdled tree young shoot sprin
y out and striking down its fibres form
feeble connection with the bark below
and sustain sure though sicklv life j
the treea 1t was thus that little Robe,
came, to bind a few broken fbres fror
3 her early hopes and dreams to earth.
But we are forgetting our thanksgiving
None OF the aunties forgot il, however. O
the cousins; and by the time farmer Tai
bots "big sleigh" had emptied its COZ
tents twice upon the old salt,sprinkle,
stone step, all were brought home from
church and all were there.
All-except two unaccountable strap
Iers, "the boys" as two striplings nearly
SIX feet high continued to be called, VIII,
were cultvating the sciences in a coIer,
not many miles away. And why were
they not ,herel So questioned every
one; and grandmamma did not answer
only wiped her spectacles every two
minutes on her apron. and peeped out Of
the southeast window.
Meanwhile the new comers were all
clustered in the Sitting rooin," making
merry use OF the interlule between service
and dinner. There WAS Robert the eld-
est, with his ronping family and anxious
looking wife. There was Charutte-no,
nobody knew her by that name-Lottie,
her little ones to charm. There was
Pliip, the "old bachelor" though hy no
rneans acrusty one. Next him sat pale
stiff looking cousin from the nearest facto.
ry village. Last but not least-though
in truth she has a little onc,--was the
School ma'am,"-the youngest Of her
fathers flock, the laughing, fun-Ioving
had been, but there WAS such world Of
good nature in her low broad forehead
and dimpling cheeks, that you loved her
at first sight. | will not attempt her por-
trait, for | do not know that she ever sat
still long enough to have il taken, except
in church. This day she was here and
there and everywhere, among the children
kissing one, romping with another, and
stien tossing up Roberts baby, to the ter.
r,r Of its mamma and the delight Of all
others. ..... ...
"You must let me go aud help grand
mamma take up the turkey, indeed you
must" cried Susan, laughing, as she push
ed through the doorway, followed by the
whole scampering ,roop. One had sprung
from the top Of the arm chair to her shoul-
der, and growing like parrot on his
perch.
As she advanced towards the kitchen,
the outer door was thrown suddenly open
and "a merry thanksgiving to you p burst
from the lips Of the intruders, amid the
renewed shouts Of the boisterous brood
"Bless me. where did you drop from r.
cried the mother, dropping her ladle into
the Goals in her surprise.
"Why brothers, We never heard your
sleigh BELLS" exclaimed Susan, throwing
of her circumference, heartily welcoming
the young collegians.
II dare say not" replied Edward, as
he knocked the snow from his boots. Ave
chartered other sort Of yehicles--hey,
win r.
THE fact Vs." Said Will, "that we star.
ted with the sunrise this morning, but
met with most provokipg .break down
| by the way. So not TO be cheated out o'
our thanksgiving, we footed Il through
the drifts. We've lost parson Woods ser
mon, but we're in tme for mothers din
ner and assure you walk Of eight miles
has given us pair Of appctites."
So they sat down TO dinner at last, al
the loving and the merry ones Grand
u father husied them for moment while
10 lifted bis bronzed hands over the hug
platter and invoked bountiful heaven in
} lengthy, but fervont blessing" The'
|. followed the usual chattering, and--but
need not describe il all you see il as we
/ as | do. 1tE
II
; The dinner being over. the juvenile
a amused themselves in various ways, wall
: ihe elder members Of the family conser
T ed on various subjects in which all wei
. more or less interested.