The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-07-04
Tuesday Morning, July 4, 1866.
ynssIn.s THANKserY1No.

path the creeping vines ON the piazza col
umns glowed scarlet in the misty autumn air,
and the woods in the valley were stained with
the bloody footsteps OF many a midnight frost.
And yet Hezekah q nderhill, standing pensive-
ly polishing his spectacles before the fire, was
not satisfied with natures great kaleidoscope
ofcolor. sgeiiA15
AIt don't seem just right" soliloquized Hez-
ekiah, mot to have a genuine snow-storm afore
thanksgivin'p
"Take things as you find 'em, fatherw said
Mrs Hezekiah, stirring body who never stood
still long enough to give wrinkle time enough
to settle down ON her face, and whose coffee
colored cap ribbons, owing to perpetual mo-
tion," were like brown birds, continually on
the wing. Elder Jones says, there is nothing
but what's for the bestr
"Well there is no harm in wishin,' s'pose,'
said Hezekiah argl1mentativeiy.
"No,' said Mrs. Underhill; but if was go
ing to wishs 'twouldn't be forsuch little thing
as a fall o'snow. / know what I'd give bic
apple for"
Il sWhat ~ questioned Hezekiah, rather sur
prised at his c0ntented helpmate's expressing
any ungratifed desiueE AafTaCST 40
The little woman futtered up close to him,
and there was liquid glimnler in the eyes she
raised to his face. slisa85 l4aae9
Think of the many, many empty seats
there'n be around the Thanksgivin' ffreside TO-
morrow, Hezekiahl o, if l could have my
wish, I'd bring em all back from the graves
upon the battlefield, and from the weary hos
pitfalls. Think of our Jared, keeping guard
along the Potomac; think Of Hiram Steeles
brave boy wounded under the very flag he
fought for, and dying in a strange land p lfl
,SDo you think he win die Aunt MaryP'N1
ID A slight figure was clinging to Hezekiafl's
arm, and pale, pretty face, with bands of
shining black hair and wild, startled eyes, was
turned upward in breathless suspense.
'sThere, now, do say fort, never meant
she should hearl, Is'posed she was up stairs 7
calculated the flIirried old lady. mo, dear, /
hope he viii get better; any way, it's our du-
ty to hope for the best. That's what Elder
Jones said only last Sabbath day "
ssUncle, do they think he viii die ?'' repeat
ed the girl, turning to the old man, as if she
had neither heard nor needed her aunts
words m So seiHN4 .afsf sepl .T3N sIag
''Child, how should knowp You've asked
last week if you've asked it once" said Heze
kiah good humoredly. & @S'posin he don't get
well, why should you fret about it? When
you went away six months ago, you was tirt-l
ing with Harry Mossmore, and playing with
his feelings just exactly as our cat leases a
mouse. Didn't hear you with my own ears
telling Frank Steele hew was nothing more'n a.
friend to you, and you wondered at his pre-
sumption in ever supposing he could be any
thing moreP Vr,gI EGT
"I never meant it uncle" sobbed the girl,
"neverl 1t was that mad spirit of coquetry
that possessed me, i scarce know how. The
words had not passed my lips before I'd have
given worlds to have recalled them. But O,
the punishmentis is greater than can bear--
Tell me, uncle, do they think he viii die ? 20,
ifI could die, tool
"He is in Gods hands, my child; !" said the
old man solemnly' "and He who raised the
widows son at Nain,1 and brought Lazarus
back to life, will not fail to do all things well.
Trust in him, Jessie, and pray to him"
Jessie Underhill scarce heard the old mans
words; she had resumed her seat by the WIN
dow and was gazing sadly out upon the gold
and incarnadine of the sunset as it hamed
above the western pine forests, likening it in
her own mind to the fash of cannon and the
dreadful stains of blood upon the battlefield.
And with the throbbings Of her heart rose and
fell the treasured bit of paper cut from the list
of''WoundedY in the daily journal, and con
tanning but one line" Francis Steele, private,
DANGEROUSLY frcag YE3EaF
HezeEiah Underhill looked at his niece's
dropping figure, while strange contOrtions pass
ed over his weather beaten features Once or
twice he opened his mouth and shut it again
with a click like the spring OF steal trap
once or twice he made an Involuntary step to-
ward her, and then resumed his former pos
ure as if by an effort, ...,.s4,..
fairly beating retreat, and never pausing un-
til he was under the tossing boughs Of the old
naples. ~She's daughter and niece, and every
thing else to me but / can't do it It would
spoil all Poor Jessie, poor broken hearted
dovev n sa.lt .ssfl gsoY 8sr
Was Hezeliah Underhill demented that he
should break out in that strange smothered
chuckIe. even while the tears were streaming
down his cheeks? Certain it was that he con
Quoted very strangely all that evening, reading
the newspaper with its columns upside down
depositina The pitcher of cider in his wife's
workbasket, and finally bringing down on hi
devoted head that lady's remonstTances by stir
ring the fire with his snuff box and trying TO pu
the poker in his waistcoat pocket
"Hezekiah, are yon crazyT' ejaculaeed .'dL Mfs
Underhill. IS
3WeIl, no. not exactly said HezeBiah, sheep
ishly: but do feel kind o'elevated. Come u
to the fire, Jessie; don't sit way oil In tn
cold That's right, puss-nestle down to you
old chimney corner seat That's the way yo'
and Frank Steele used to sit together Wnel
you were children" aaA q 's
@Fatherp exclaimed Mrs. UnderhiD, re
proachfully, as Jessie burst out crying, witt
her face hidden on her aunts knee.
Il didn't mean to-" apologized HezekiaE
but even then his face was in glow Wit
something brighter than the genial shine ofth
freight sas
1t was evident that Hezekiah was gloryln
in the mystery Of some wonderful secret
And never did any secret struggle so despel
ately for disclosure as Hezekiahs on ths
Thanksgiving eve. But he kept it. For th
honor of mankind let 1t be recorded that He;
ekiah Underhille kept his secret.
y X $3.50 n
of course it was no use trying Soyer hin
self. even were he gifted with the descriptiy
mowers Of the wizard Of Waverly, never coul
have given you any idea OF Mrs. Underhill
Thanksoiyin9 dinner The brown, crackliT
turkey, Ilnctuous with stufiing, ana oeaginol
with rivulets Of gravy; the pyranlds Of crir
son quivering jellies; the green crisp, pickle
the battaIlions of pumpkin pies, nesting =
amber lakelets In the shores of rasset crust
the pudding triumphant mystery Of clnlila
art; the whole dictionary Wonld fall snort
expressing the plenteous glories of the feast
fafness.
Hezekiah disappeared soon after break1
whether he had gone nobody knew, for
the explanation he vouchsafed to his "
was that he was "goin" to bring compa
home to dinner. But punctual to the noon-ms
on the kitchen floor he returned, but ]
Alone is ~
Jessie was in her own room thinking S
rowfully and crying little between viii
when Mrs. Underh came up with fusl
cheek and voice strangely tremulous.
Darling, your uncle wants you to co
down stairs. Es.als Rs.
@Indeed, aunt, ! had rather not" and Je.
sank involuntarily into her chair, Is