The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1860-12-15
LAST THANKSGIVING.

the day Inere sunny he6Q WHICH nSu
seen but its eighth summer, sat in the light
of the east window in the kitchen. Moth
err, please make some crullers, won't you
they are so cunning and so good; and
won't you put some raisins in the pudding,
Just as you did last year?-the children like
'em so we'll. - and jamie turned to the little
box of shelIed corn near him, and threw =
few kernels to the fAttening turkey which
CHANGED TO pass along.
81 see the turkey you can have next
year." continued jamie. to his mother who
vas in the pantry making sesd-cake.
Scan you, my darling?" and with her
check apron the mother wiped away the
tears that were gathering in her eyes-she
knew too we'll that when they were to pre-
pare for another Thanksgiving, Jam les chair
would be empty-his innocent, childish,
voice, hushed forever.
"Jamie's sorry for you. poor biddies. but
after all. Thanksgiving are good days"
said he, still scattering corn to the fated
fowls
John Blake and his wife were honest, in
dustrious people. They were above want.
Il use the word want in its comparative
wanting sense and often had something
tn give their poorer neighbors, yet Mrs.
Blake affirmed that it needed close econo-
my and pretty good management TO bring
the year about. They and the twelve chill
dr-n God had given them were blessed with
excellent health, excepting poor Jamie IN
the chair by the east window. When some
of Mrs. Blakss neighbors, who found it diff
6cult to worry through a third of the work
she accomplished. would ask her show 10
the world she ever did so much with all her
children" she would say, 20, Ia, l get
along easy enough. If one goes out. new
er call him inf another one goes to sleep,
l never wake him up-sometimes l s'pose
you'd call us pretty thick, but we always
get Strengthened out before Sunday"
In that working. busting family. Jamie
was never burden-ah, no; he was the
darling of the household. The children had
taught him TO read, and 20 apt was he TO
learn, that at the aye of six, he could read
better than most boys at ten. Jamie longed
to be ussful-he had roesssd5 tss,reccrsfEadle of
the three children younger than himself
he soothed their SORROWS. made and repair
ed toys for them, as well as for the older
ones. One day, after he had finished win
ding some yarn for his mother, he turned
YEARLY, and Looking out of the window, said,
why can't be well. too, DO you supposes
and work and play with the other boys. l
get SO tired sitting in my chair doing moth
ing, and you have to work so hard, mother.
and SO does father but know ought not
to complain. God gives me such good friends,
and every blessing could ask, but one
all but oae.''
Those sad, wishful tones, entered the
mothers soul like iron, an she would say
to John, her husband. at hurts me more'n
hard DAYS work to hear him make any
complaint--he's always SO gentle and pa
tent, but it amt no more'n natural that
sometimes he should get tired out sittIH'
there"
Every nsighbor that passed Jamie's win
dow almost always looked up and smiled
Many nice apples, many little bsgs of beech
nuts, hickorynuts, ETC., found their way in
to the small hair trunk that always stood
by his chair. In that trunk were his story
books and bis bible, his jack knife, pen
knife, an aWl and other ct ceteras of mechan-
icAl art which bsguiled many slow-footed
hour.
1t Was = pleasant episode in the Blake
family to prepare fol- ThanksgiVing-plea
ant to expect the children all home, to see
the pale face by the window bright with ex-
pectancy. 1t was customary for the chill
dren living from home, each to provide a
dish for the table, that their mothers hands
might be less burdened. Five of the eldest
were married. Susan lived twenty miles
away, and was the wife of thriving, mon
ey making farmer; she had four boys, prom
ising children rather, but so harum scaruin
and noisy:
Like eportive deer they chased about
And shouted they ran;
Turning to mirth the things of earth,
As only boyhood can.
Or course they were delighted to go to
grand pas, and ooisterous as they were
Jamie low voice had ever a charm for them
and the lillle trunk MANY tokens OF their gem
crosby.
Now, mother. what may we take to ia
ME this year," asked John, the second boy.
who was named for his grand father. Il
know what l shall take" broke in the stout
voice of George, the eldest.
20. ell what it is." pleaded johnny, Il
won't yet what you do"
mo, guess you won't-you hain't got
money enough. I'm goin' TO get him the
incest knife in Shepherds store--one with
four blades and tooth-pick in it. and a
place Ia mark his name. I've got ten shil-
Gngs; and l don't care q whiting If it takes
every cent of little Jamie shall have the
knife: and would you believe the great.
rough boy brushed tear from his eye,
| though be turned suddenly and walked away
toward the window whistlIng Wait for the
Wagon"
Joseph. Mr.. Blake's second child, was q
blacksmith living in q neighboring towa; he
was the most SNOWY of any of the family
always drove = handsome horse, which, In
! sieighing time. wore the merriess bells and
danced before the prettiest cutter any where
around. He had -round-faced, black-eysd
wife. Who vas IS proud of her husband as
was he of her, aud their little three year old
duplicate rejoicing In his first pair of boots
Marx and Henry we're house-carpenters
boys who loved their motherand tbs cares
of married life, with. nearly the same ten
derness as when they knelt At her knee. and.
! with her hands claspsd over their hs.de,