Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-01-20
From the New York Ledger.
The Two Thanksgivihgs.
BY AMY RANDOLPH.

/ $3.50 S'Ni N'N 'NN'9N1 SHNNS"SN ~ SN'
pines and woven about with vines whose
strong stems were like traceries of strong
rope-a house whose roof. covered with
silver-gray moss, sloped abruptly down
to the top of the porch--there are many
such ancient dwelling places, along that
lonely road where half the beetlng rocks
that lean over the rayines are firm roof
ed in Canadian soil, and half belong with
in our own domains
Through the dense gray ridges of cloud
that seemed to belt the horizon from end
TO end a vivid burst Of sunshine suddenly
cleaned out, tossing its golden spear ath-
wart the brown aud scarlet foliage Of the
woods, down among the fallen leaves in
the solitary glen--a harbinger Of good
upon thar Thanksgiving day
"Well, | do b'lieve its going to clear
up" said EIam Kidder to his swarthy,
loose>j >jointed companion. 81 might ha'
left my old umberell TO hum-but then
always feel safer TO hev' it along. That
was a powerful good sarmon Elder Hotch-
kiss preached, wasn't il? / do like that
ar old fashioned doctrine, right straight
out OF the bible. None O your new fan
gled notions for me! Elder Hotchkiss
alays had drefful gift for getting at the
root o things. Won't you come in and
take bit o Thanksgivin' dinner with
me and Melissa p
"Not just now, Mr.. Kidder. If you
will be kind enough to smooth the way
for the proposition | have at heart, will
come in this evening"
"All right" said Elan, heartily, as he
opened the gate and went in, carelessly
brushing past the dark foliage of the
pines whose needle like fingers seemed to
catch at the butternut-colored coat, as he
passed, as il they would fain have detain-
ed him.
1t was a small kitchen, with bare floor
and yellow. washed walls--a room that
to be lower than it really was
from the peculiar effect produced from
The huge beams in the ceiling whose
smoke-tinted wood I'd almost as if il
might touch your head. On the great
stone hearth, fire of iringed logs
was sending up vast sheCts Of ruddy
flame, and very pretty girl was stand
ng by the table, arranging dark red ap-
pies among sprigs of blue~berried cedar.
You would never have thought she
was Elan Kidder's daughter, any more
han one can fancy the scarlet and Grim
ION slories Of the cactus to belong TO the
Tried and wthcred stem from which it
there was something in the
quars forehead not unlike his own---a
,leam in the purple-blue eyes akin to
he firm sparkle of the old mans keen
,ray orb. She was tall and graceful,
With a complexion fresh as sunrise over
he hills, and brigh; brown hair like the
attn she'll of ripe hazel-nut, while there
vas a sort of gentle dignity in her mo-
ions that city bellies might sigh after, in
-ain.
"I am glad you are come, father" she
aid, smiling bright welcome TO the old
weather. beaten farmer. "Dnner is in
apital order, and its past twelve"
"Ialays told folks so, Melisy--you can
eat any gal in town, cookin, if you be
chool ma'am up to Gates Corners
don't turn housekeepin' out
doors in your case, darterl Them pies
ooks about as rice as it's in the mater O
les to look, do say fort"
Melissa smiled little as she set the
hairs up TO the table.
"Come, father!"
await bit, child hain't got my
reat coat off yet. BY the way, | asked v
larry Winder to dinner"
n
"Did you?" Melissa had grown lit
e pale. u
she wouldn't come though. He's q
Omin' tonight to ask you to marry him
Day. You'll say yes, of a
ourse-Harry's pretty nice feller." I"
81 shall not say yes, father" e
Elan Kldder's wrinked forehead SEEM
4 all of sudden TO settle iato folds of "
ronze-hard-rigid-cold. d
"You will, if you're darter O. mine, Il
Ielissa." g
"Come father-let me pour you out d
'me coffee-it's getting cold"
The old man bit his lip. ii
"I'll neither eat nor drink, till this ere Ii
arter's settled-Melissa, / mean you b
lall marry Harry Winder." OF
"Father. cannot - al
"You cannot Melissa, you should =
- Al I Il