The Republican journal., 1871-12-14

were Two rockers, cushioned IN rainbow
colored patchwork and an old clock all
fastened with red-berried asparagus, a
spindle-legged table, and y fat copper
tea-kettle swinging from the crane, and a
cat purring softly on the fire bricks-and
various elements Of the picture which
constituted home in Rachel Rivers eyes,
Mrs Rivers glanced up from her work
"a fat, rosy little woman, with cheeks
like winter apples, and eyes that sparkled
brightly behind their spectacle glasses.
Seems to me you're arly tonight,
Rachel -
mo mother, I'm little late"
''Do tell and I've been so busy tryin'
to cut vest ont OF your fathers old but
ternut coat that somehow | haven't even
heard the clock strike ~
Mr.. Rivers chuckled from his station at
the right hand corner of the hearth.
"Mother's dretful smart at cOntrivin, >
he said, "but she can't make somethin'
out of nothin'; and an cid butternut coat
comes the nearest to nothin' of any Great
ed object l know of! Mays we'll put up
your shears, mother-you won't make it
go
TN bet big apple viii, then g re-
torted the plump little matron, briskly.
'H4ook Ray-a cross-piece here, with the
fronts right off the tails, and there'll be
enough for lapels and to cover buttons,
without ever touching them worn spots -
Rachel looked down at the melancholy
remains Of the old butternut coat.
ooh mother" she said. with a sudden
impulse Of loathing at the petty trials and
pinchings OF their lives, II wish we We're
not poor?"
''P'raps we shan't he always" said Mrs.
Rivers, regarding her daughter kecnly
over the tops of her spectacles. There's
Elan Barstow, says"
'Dont, mother-don't :" interrupted
Rachel, throwing off her shawl and hurry
ing to the fire, as if to warm her slender
little hands. e'Elam B1rstow is nothing
to me-"
Mrs. Rivers smothered the sharp pang
of disappointment at her heart
"Iou take me up SO quick, Ray" she
said petulently. = was only a sayin'
Elam's folks have invited us all to their
home to Thanksgiving, and I'm glad ont,
for somehow our turkeys don't grow fat,
and Lyme Dartmouth has sold every one
O. them pumpkins upon the mountain,
and-and-'
''And we're poor, mother, and can't
afford to set Thanksgivin' table like We
used-why don't You speak out at once ~
demanded Seth Rivers, with a tremulous
motion of his poor old paralytic hands
"Come darter- let's have suppcr-the
kettles billed over long ago :"
And Rachel moved about the little room
,,,.I-
sense of uncertainty As to whether She
was doing wholly and altogether her
duty.
II will work all day in the factory-I
will bind shoes all the evening" she
thought. within herself. Il will sell my
time and my strength, and my toll, but
will not sell my heart Y
She sat up late that night, long after
old Seth and his wife We're in bed and
asleep, working at her needle by the sickly
light Of the solitary tallow candle, to try
and earn little more money.
''For mother sbOnnet cannot be bleached
again without falling to pieces" she
mused. land fathers over-coat is far t35
shabby to wear another wintert'
So Rachel stitched on at the heap of
shoes she was binding, and tried to dis
guise from herself how weary and sleepy
she was, while the cricket chirped shrilly
underneath the hearthstone, and the fire
sinlmered and cracked through the
silence.
The clock struck eleven when at last
she rose up and glanced out of the Win
dow.
"l1oW dark ii is, and how the wind
howls ~ she murm1red to herself, with
an instructive teelng OF pity for stray
travellers toiling along the solitary road.
"Thank Heaven we are not 50 poor as
some in this world. ."
And when Thanksgiving morning
daWned, the chill gray air was full Of
lazily-tallng flakes OF starry snow.
81 knowed it WAS goin TO snow" said
old Seth Rivers; Il felt it in my bones
last night Well | do like seasonablc
weather.
The same snow, falling faster now, and
with perslStency which threatened q q
prolonged storm, cinked against the win
dow-panes OF the huge kitchen IN Elan
Barnstow's hospitable farm house, and
irlnged the boughs OF the old hemlocks II
the door-yard with ernine whiteness
while Miss Hepsy, spare maiden lady
somewhere about forty, hurried back anc
forth, intent upon festive preparation.
The Thanksgiving table, already set il
the "big keepin' room," was worthy o.
Miss Hepsy's reputation as thorough
going housekccper. The damask table
cloth, white as snow, hung i'll scarcely
disturbed folds; few late chrysan
themums We're disposed among sprays OF
evergreens in boxes and vases at either
end there We're plates of crimson shining
apples, streaked with gold; dainty cram
berry tarts peeping like red eyes from be
hinl bars of ilaky crust; cxquisitely
Drowned pumpkin pies; glass preserve
dishes where amber-clear ounces and
quivering moulds OF currant Jelly shone
and glmmered; and plates Of elaborately
cracked butternuts and hickory nuts
For Miss llepsy did not believe IN the
modern custom of bringing on the des-
sert as q serarate and independent AZ
fair.
''Let folks see what they got before
'em to eat at once she said, land % man
age matters accordingly. lhats my
doctrine
With q last glance at the royal bird
the turkey, now peacefully browning IN
the huge brick oven' ana dispensing
most SaVOrV OdOr around his funeral pyre,