Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-11-03
Squire Stanton's Thankssiving.


sleet dashes against the windows and how
the old doors shake and creak Thanksgiving
day THANKSGIVING evonng-what is it to
me, say? What is Thanksgiving to you, l
say, Amos Stanton, or for the M, 'er of that
Thanksgiving evening""
The speaker was mau of some fifty years
OF age, yet there were other lines than such
as Time leaves, upon his brow, and lurking
about the corners of the mouth This was
Squire Stanton-miser Stanton, so the villa
gers called him, for he lived in miserable
! old house and boarded up his money-for
whom no one could tell and he was talking
to himself this thanksgiving evening.
Fifteen years before the old house was new
or, the paint was fresh aud bright, the rooms
were pcopled with. bright laughing faces
Fifteen years ago, this very evening, Mrs.
Stanton, meek-eyed, lovely Mrs Stanton was
alive, and did the honors of the table; and
fair, fragile daughter, just blossoming into
womanhood, was the pride of the house,
Fifteen years ago Squire Stanton was not a
mlser Fifteen years ?-they seemed short
( years, as he looked back through them that
stormy evening, sitting there alone in the
twilight drinking his wine
But Mrs. Stanton was dead now, and the
fair haired daughter had gone forth from be-
meath her fathers roof with curse resting
upon her; for she had chosen home of pov-
crty with the man she loved, rather than case
and luxury elsewhere. Squire Stanton had
dislnherlted his daughter, and it was said she
had died of broken heart for, like many
another, she l'od loved too blindly, not wisely,
bat too we'll
"Well, she is dead - SO muttcrcd Squire
Stanton, and then followed, What is
| Thanksgiving for me 2" he took another sun
of wine, drew his chair nearer the fire, and
gazed into the bright blaze.
Rap, rap, rap.
e" Who can it be %
Rap, rap, rap"
"'ris a little girl, sir, little girl" said
the old housekecper
I'm so cold" said the child, "may |
warm by your irc?"
The old man looked at her tangled golden
hair framing pinched, white face-pinched
with carcand poverty, with hunger and cold
little blue hands, such little wan, taper hands,
and such threadbare garments The old
mans heart softencd Once he had little
daughter but she was dead, dead now
" Where are you going, my little girl?'
{" To him-mothcr always talked about him
Father and mother arc dead, where else should
| 90 Y'
" And who do you call him, my dear ?"
" She said must call him grandpa--and
told me | must give him this; it is her like
ness"
The old man took the picturc-a dimness
came before his cycs--tears in miser Stan
tons eyes
Come to me, ohld p he smoothcd the
tangled golden hair from the white forehead,
and laid the deEcncolcss little head upon his
breast and clasped his strong arms about her.
g am your grandfather, child," he said
softly, "may our Father in Heaven forgive
me -
And this was Squire Strnton's Thanksg;v-
ing. And if Margaret Stanton, from her
spirithome could look down, she rcjoiccd that
peace for the weary had come at last.
How TO FoREraLL WEATHeR-T man
ual of the baromcter, compiled by Rear Ad-
mlral Fitzroy, and just published by the
board of trade, the following useful observa-
tions occur: Whether clear or cloudy a
rosy sky at sunset prcsagcs fine weather; a
red sky in the morning bad weather, or much
wind, perhaps rain gray SKY in the morn
ing, fair weather high dawn, wind low
dawn, fair weather. Soft looking or delicate
clouds foretcll fine weather, with moderate or
light brecxcs hard edged, oily looking clouds,
wind. A dark, gloomy blue sky is windy;
but a light, bright blue sky indicates fine
weather. Generally, the soft clouds took the
less wind, but, perhaps, more rain, may be
expected; and the harder, more "grcasy,"
rolled, tuEtcd or ragged, the stronger the
coming wind will prove. Also, n bright
yellow sky at sunset, presagcs wind; pale
yellow, wet; and thus, by the prevalence of
red, yellow, OF gray tints, the coming wealth
or may be foretold very nearly; indeed, if
aided by instruments, almost exactly Small
inky-looking clouds foretell rain light scud
clouds driving across heavy masses show
wind and rain; but, if alone may indicate
wind only.
High upper clouds crossing the sun, moon,
or stars, in a direction different from that of
the lower clouds, or the wind then felt below,
foretell change of wind. When sea birds hy
out early, and far to scaward, moderate wind
and fair weather may be expected; when they
hang about the land, or over it, sometimes fly
ing inland, expect strong wind with stormy
weather There are other signs of coming
change in the weather known less generally
than may be desirable ard therefore, worth
notice; such as when birds of long fight,
rocks, swallows, or others, hang about home,
and fly up and down, or low--ran or wind
may be expected. Also, when animals seek
sheltered places, instead of spreading over
their usual range when pigs carry straw to
their stys; when smoke from chimneys does
not ascend readily Cor straight upward during
a calm,) an unfavorable change is probable
Dew is an indication of fine weather; SO is