The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-12-22
Jessle's l9.s thanksgiving.

had showered the last withered leaves upon
the path; the creeping vine on the piazza
columns glowed scarlet in the misty autumn
air. and the woods in the valley were stained
with the bloody footsteps of many mid
night frost. And yet Hezekiah Underhll
standing pensively polishing his spectacles
before the fire, was not satisfied with ma
lures gre It Kaleidoscope of ever varying col
orS -3a'4 efA ID s5f-it.ifa +sf' q, Id. I-ss..t
2 1T don't seem just right" soliloquized
Hezekiah. mot to have d genuine snowstorm
afore Thanksgiving +" f4 ssa @.9a
said Mrs. Hezekiah, stirring body who
never stood still long enough to give
wrinkle time 10 settle down on her face
and whose coffee colored cap ribbons, owing
to perpetual MOTION" were like brown
birds, continually on the wing Elder Jones
says there's nothin' but what's for the
best !" tsfs 3 .ai -
''Well, there's no harm in wishin', /, sup
pose," said Hezekiah. ...s 4..., ...-,.
no" said Mrs Underhi;, sbut if l was
gon' to wish, twouldn't be for such a little
thing as a fall O snow | know what Id
give big apple.
''What?'' questioned Hezekiah, rather
surprised at bis contented helpmate's ex-
pressing any ungrati6ed desire. s...1
a' The little woman huttcred up close to
him and there was liquid gliinmer in the
ewes she raised to his face. i1aJ
Think of the many many empty seats
ther'll be around the rhanksgivin' hresides
tomorrow, Hezekial! o. if could have
my wish, I'd bring EN- all back FROM the
graves upon the battle fields, and from the
weary hospitals Think Of our Jared, keep
iE' guard along the Potomac, think of Hi.
ram Steel's brave boy wounded under the
very flag he fought for, and dying in a
strange land.'
Aslight figure was hanging to Hezekiahs
arm, and a pale, pretty face with bands of
shining black Ii ir aud wild start ed eyes,
was turned upward in breathless suspense
There, now, | do say fort, never meant
she should hear! posed she was up stars
calculated the old lady
No, dear hope he'll get better anyway
it is our duty to hope for the best That
what Elder Jones said only last Sabbath
day..
Uncle, tell me do they think he will
die?" repeated the girl, turning to the old
man, as If she had neither heard nor needed
her aunts words
Child, how should know? You've
asked me that self-sanIc question forty times
this last week if youve asked it once, said
Hezekiah good humoredly '.Sposin' he
don't get WELL why should you fret about
it? When he went away, six months ago,
you was firth with Harry Messmore,
and playin' with his feelin's Just exactly as
our cat leases a mouse. Didn't | hear you
,,ifh ,,,., o,u,, an ~. t,lI;,,; Lr,,l, C+ooIo Ia.
was nothin' more'n u friend to you and
you wondered at his presumption i'll
ever snpposin' he could ever be anything
more p .,....,
Il never lseans5it, uncle!" sobbed the
girl, never! 1t was that mad spirit of Co
quetrv that possessed me, | scarce know
bow. The words had not passed my lips
before | would have given worlds to
recall them But q, the punishment is
greater than | Can boar Tell me, uncle
do they believe he will die? O, if | could
die too!'' ~ .tti
He is in Gods hands, my child,' said
the old man soIennly, ''and He who raised
the widows son at Main, and brought Lag
arus back to life, will not fail to do all things
we'll. Trust in film Jessie, and pray to
him" 1i', 4- 9af ,'.4n &
Jessie Underhil scarce heard the old
mans words; she had resumed her seat at
the window aud was gazing sadly out upon
the gold aud incarnadine of the sunset as it
! Tanned above the western pine forest, likeu-
ing it III her own mind to the fash of can
non and the dreadful status of blood upon
the battlefield. And with the throbbing of
her heart rose and fell the treasured bit of
paper cut from the list of wounded" in the
daily Journal, and containing but one line
-'trancis Steele, private, dangerously,
wounded "A } So @ rf
Hezekiah Underlill looked at his nieces
dropping figure, while strange contortions
passed over his weather-beaten features.
Once or twice he opened his mouth and shut
1t again like a steel trap; once or twice he
made an involuntary step toward her, and
then resumed his former posture as if by al
effort. @
No, no" he muttered between his teeth
fairly beating a retreat, aid never pausing
until he was under tue tossing boughs of the
old naples Shes daughter, and niece, and
everything else @ me but can't do it 1t
would spoil all! Poor Jessie, poor little bro
ken hearted dove" t so cs.tta
Was Hezekiah dernented that he should
le even while the tears were streaming
down his cheeks Certain it is that he ac
ted very strangely all that evening, read
ing re aiding the newspaper with columns
upside down. deppisting the pitcher of cider
III his wifes work BASKET and finally bring
ing down on his devoted head that lady's
circumstances by stirring the fire with his
snuff box and trying to put the poker in his
pocket.
',llezrkiah are you "" CALCULATED
Mrs. UnderhiI.
well no not exactly" said EIezelliali
''hut do feel kind o elevated.
Come up to the fire Jessie; don't sit away off
in the cold. That's right puss- nestle
down in your old chimney corue, seat
That's the way you and Frank Steele used
to sit together when you were children years
ago"
Father" exclaimed Mas UnderhilI, re-
as Jessie burst out crying, with
ier face hidden on her aupts knee,
81 didn't mean to, appoogized Heze
kiah, bnt even then his face was in glow
with something brighter than the genial
shine of the freight.
1t was evident that Hezekiah was glorying
in the mystery of some wonderful secret.
And never did any secret struggie 50 des |
perately for disclosure as Hezekiah on that
Thanksgiving eve. But he kept it, For
the honor Of mankind let it be recorded that
Hczekiah Underhill ken, his secret.
-
: OF course itsno use trying. Soyer him
self even were he gifted with the descriptive
powers of the wizard of Waverly. never
could have given you any idea OF Mrs Tn
derhiIl's Thanksgiving dinner The brown
cracking turkey, us,ctuous with stuffiug
and oleaginot,s with riviliets Of gravy; tile
pyramids Of crimson quivering jelies; the
green crisp pickles the battalion of pumpkin
pie nesting like amber lakelets in shores Of
russell crust; the pudding triumphant nIys
terry OF culinary art; the whole dictionary