The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1871-07-06

Carey.
ooh, wife, walled Zenas. when
John SiddOns had fallen asleep in
the little corner room that had been
the lost boys lit is almost like hav-
ing Davie back again. Wife | fight
my great sorrow down every night,
but every morning it rises up again
more than ever! God help every
parent whose home is made desolate
by the field Of battle =
Thanksgiving dawned through a
white whirlwind of driving snow, that
eddied among the gnarled boughs of
the apple trees in made frolics, and
edged the old stone wall with daz-
zling ermine. And the fiery sparks,
careering swiftly up Zenas Carey's
wide chimney, met the steadily fall
ing snow halfway, and gave battle,
while the hearth glowed with ruddy
brightness, as if it knew all about the
Governors Proclamation, and ap-
proved of it.
You have coy little farm here,
Mr.. Carey said John as they walk
ed through the snow storm to the
church, whose spire nestled among
the everlasting hills beyond.
IF | was only sure IF it, SIR said
Zenas, with sigh. But I've been
hard put to it to get along these
times. Taxes ahd such like come
heavy on poor men, and I've had a
run Of i'll luck, SO that the place is
mortgaged to its full value, and to a
hard man-One that will sell the
home you've been born aud brought
up In, so that he can make money by
it. 1t will be black day for Melin-
dy and me when we have to leave
the Rock Farm but it must come
soon, and don't care much what
becomes of me atterward. | tell
you, sir, when man lives to my age
under one rOottree he don't take very
kindly to being moved. Men are
like forest trees, sir ; you can take a
young one and do what YOU please
with it but if you transplant an old
one it dies. Let us talk of something
else Mr.. Siddons. l oughtn't to com,
plain on Thanksgiving day
John looked with a feeling of actu-
al reverence at the hard featured old
man, whose simple soul, borne down
by debt, and grief, and age, could
still find something to be thankful
for.
The turkey and pumpkin pies were
still smoking on the round table
when John and Zenas returned from
church; and Mrs. Carey had brought
out her flowing blue plates and her
choice old time silver spoons, in hon,
or of her guest. There was no bev-
erage but coffee, that never knew the
shores of Java, and pitcher of cold
sparkling cider; but champagne
could not have been more cordially
dealt out by Zenas, and Mrs. Carey's
smiling kindness gave a sparkling
flavor to the chickorized rye that is
sometimes lacked in EGG shell Chi,
ma
The table was cleared away aud
they sitting around the fire, when the
door was opened, and Deacon Evarts
entered bringing a snow orift on the
shoulders of his shaggy overcoat.
well I'm beat!' quoth Zenas,
Take chair, Deacon. Let me hang
your coat afore the FIRE to dry
Cant stay said the Deacon Civ.
ing himself shake like black water
dog on his hind legs. Il thought
you'd like to hear the news, SO / just
dropped in on my way to my darter's
Thanksgiving dinner
News! what news p exclaimed
Zenas, while his wife dropped hel
knitting.
DO tell ! then you amt heard p
Amt heerd nothin' but the wind
howlin' down the chimney, and Elder
Smiths sermon this mornin',' said
Zenas little impatiently.
'The squirrels dead up in the great
house.
Dead you don't tell me so. That
is the man | was speaking of as holds
my mortgage &! exclaimed Zenas
turning to John Siddons. And when
did it happen, Deacon p
Died last night, sir, just about
nightfall, as quiet as lamb. There
wasn't nobody with him but the old
neutrality-suspicious. didn't s'pose he
was dangerous, Aud lawyer Ovid
says there's a regular will, and he's
left his property to the only relative
he had livin', soidierin' fellow thai
he never so much as seen-one Sedg
wick Sibley or-what was his name
now And how he tell heir to al
Squire Ailesford's property, and that
is pretty considerable windfall.'
Was the name Siddons p asked
the soldier who had hitherto listened
to the conversation in silence.
THAT'S it, said the Deacon, giving
his knee a sound slap.
peter Ailestord was my fathers
COUSIN said the young man quietly
Land of Goshen ! calculated Dea
con Evarts, with a growing venera
zion for the heir to the old squire's
money.
Now reallyn that's kind of prov,
idential amt it? TO think you should
be right here on the spot =
Il was in search of Mr.. Ailesford's
house when | met you,' said Siddons,
turning to Carey, but as / was un,
aware of what sort of reception
might get, your kind invitation de,
cided me to wait day or two'
In vain the Deacon tried to pump
the young soldier. John Siddons was
civily uncommunicative, and the
Deacon took leave, burning to unfold
the budget ofnews elsewhere.
i hope sir, said Carey, uneasily,
when they were once more alone,
you will not be hard about that
mortgage. Pm poor man, and
MIR. Carey said John, quietly,
you shall burn that mortgage on this
hearth the very day / come into pos.
session of my relatives papers. No
thanks, sir /; / have not forgotten
that | was stranger and you took
me In. Do you suppose that | shall
ever cease to remember the welcome
OF the Thanksgiving hearth? I never
knew father or mother, but to-day |
have fancied what their kindness
might have been.'
1t was for Davy's sake = sobbed
Mrs. Carey fairly overcome.
then for your dead sons sake,
will you let me fill his place toward