Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1870-12-01
TheO. ThurstOn's Thanks.
giving Turkey.
BY AUNT HATTIE.

can't possibly afford it. l did think,
if you would all be good children,
I'd have a roast chicken and a dish
of mashed potatoes with a nice
brown crust over the top of them,
and that is a dinner good enough
for a king, and one that even he
ought to be truly grateful for
"Oh, but a big brown turkey
would look so nice, and taste so
goodr' said little Lefty.
Yes, but we'd have to pay two
dollars for the turkey, and by the
next day there would be nothing
left Of it-eXcept maybe a few bones
to pick-and We not 4 whit better
off than if we had never had it."
"Only we would have the good
taste of it in our minds" said
Lefty.
Her sister Emma laughed and
said: ''Little good that would do
us, so long as we couldn't have it in
our mouths; and I think it is as
mother says, that there's no use
talking about a thing we can't
afford"
When the children were all snug
in bed that night, Theo. Thurston,
the big brother of the family, heard
his sister Lefty say: "Mary, when 1
said my prayers tonight l asked
God to please to send us a thanks
giving turkey; do you think he will
be angry with me for asking such a
thingY"
"Well-no-I guess not" was the
hesitating reply. "You know they
tell us in Sunday-school that we are
to ask God for everything we want
just as we would ask father, if
we had one-and the minister says
God is our Father, and that he loves
US and wants us to be happy"
"Well, l asked him real earnest
tonight to send us a turkey, and l
mean to keep on asking him till
Thanksgiving Day comes. If he
does send us one, then I'll think he
is like a Father, and that there is
some use in praying to him. Emma,
did father always give us everything
we asked for?" said Mary.
" Not quite always" was the an
swer. Sometimes we wanted what
would hurt us; and other times
when we asked for something he
would say he couldn't afford it,"
"But God is so rich he can afford |
said Lefty, gleefully, and |
IS a thanksgiving turkey isn't going
% hurt us, he'll give it to us, 1 know,
f I keep on asking real earnest, as |
mean to do"
"Since he is so rich that he can
10 anything he pleases, suppose you
lsk him to send me, at the same
line, a pair of brown kid Gloves"
iaid Lizzie.
"And me one of those new col
ars, that we saw to-day, with lace
IN them," said Emma.
"And tell him I would like a pair
If jet bracelets" chimed in Mary.
"Yes, 1 will," said the child, with
Ter simple faith.
''And 1 think, if l were vou,"
'aid Lizzie, 81 would ask him for
,air of blue boots to match your
lress."
"Oh, l don't know about the
'oots; maybe God would think l
lidn't need them, and that it would
'nly be making me vain to have
hem; but mean to pray for all the
'ther things, and for that pair of
'pectacles mother was wishing for"
he child said so earnestly that the
,ther girls could not help laughing
outright.
And Theo. Thurston laughed
'oftly to himself as he listened to
his little chat among his sisters.
As he counted upon his fingers the
lrticles desired, he resolved that his
title Lefty should have her faith
strengthened by a literal answer to
ZACH petition. He had but lately
earned how pleasant it is to 90 to
'ur Father in heaven and spread all
,ur wants before him, and he longed
% have all his sisters, both big and
title, learn the same sweet lesson.
But where was he, poor young lad,
o get the money for all those pur-
;hases? All! that is his own glad
secret! For several weeks he has
,een working beyond the regular
business hours, and the money for
his work is to be paid him the day
before Thanksgiving. 1t is thus
his, to hold or to spend as
le pleases. No one at home knows
If it-not even his mother-and
low he is glad of this, for he can
'et them all to wondering and guess
ng where in the world their thanks
giving turkey could have come from.
How completely taken by surprise
hey were when-on the afternoon
before Thanksgiving-an express
nan called at their door with pack
lge, on which was written in plain,
lear hand
"For Mrs. Thurston, thanks
giving turkey. To be delivered at
No. 2O4 - Street"
Accompanying it was 4 note which
said: 1.-The express charges are all
oaid, you have only to receive the
'nrkey, which we hope will prove as
lice as it seems to promise"
"There is some mistake here"
said Mrs. Thurston; 81 have not Or
Tered any thanksgiving turkey"
"Then somebody else has ordered
7 for you and saved you the trouble.
You are Mrs. Thurston, and YOU