Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1872-12-14

Do tell AMI I've been so busy tryin'
TO cut vest out of your fathers old but
ternut coat, that somehow / haven't even
heard the clock strike"
Mr.. Rivers chucsled from his station at
the right-band corner Of the hearth.
'Molher's dreilnl smart at coutrivin',"
he said, ''but ste can't make somothln'
out Of nothin' and an oil buiiernut coat
comes the ncartsttn n1thin' of any created
obj ct know Vfl Mays Wi put mp your
SHEARS, mother - you won't make II 20 ~
I'm h,t a big apple l will th,nr re-
toried the plump lule nation, hriskly;
Look Riy-a cioss-pieae here, with the
fronts right OF the tails, and there II he
enough for iapels and to cover buttons,
without ever touching them worn spo's ~
Rachel looked at the melancholy r,nuns
of the old butternut coat.
ooh, mother" she said, with sudden
impulse Of iosthng at the petty trials and
pilchirgs Of their lives, 81 wish we were
not oori'
"P'rAp we shln't be Away" said Mrs.
Riv'rs, recarting her daughter keenly
Over the tops OF her spectacles. There's
Elan BarstoN, says"
Don't mothcr-dou't interrupted Rlch-
el, throwing oil her shawl and hurryrg 10
the fire as If TO warm her slender little
hands. "Elam Barstow is nothing to
me 20
NJ S. Rivers smothered the sharp pang
Of disdppoip tment at her heart.
'You take me W so quick, Ray" she
said pelulunily. 81 WAS only sayin'
Elam's folks have invited us an to their
home TO Thanksgiving, and Pm glad ont,
fer somehow our turkeys Gou't grow fat,
and Lyme Dartmouth has sold every one
and"
''And we're poor, mother, and can't
afford to set Thanksgivin' tab like we
used-why don't you speak out at oneei"
demanded Seth Rivers, with a tromuous
motion Of his poor old paralytic hands.
Scene, dauer, let's have supper-lhe
kettles billed over long agol'
And Rachel moved about the little room
with Il sinking at her heait-a vague sense
of uncertainty as to whether she was doing
wholly ana altogether her duly.
81 Will work all day in the iactory-I
will bind shoes all the evening"" she
thought, within herself. 81 will sell my
time and my strength, aud my toll, but
will not sell my heat."
She sat up late that might, long after old
Seth and hls wife were in bed and asleep,
working at her needle by the sicaly light
OF the solitary tallOw candle, to ty and
earn little more money.
"For muthcr's bonnet cannot be bleach
Ell again without falling 10 pieces" She
unused, ''and fathers Uvercoat Is lar too
shabby to wear another winter! -
So Rachel stitched on at the heap Of
shoes she was binding, and tried to dis
guise from herself how weary aud sleepy
she was, while the cricket chirped shiily
underneath the hcarthstone, and the fire
slmmeied and crackltd through the ST.
leucc.
The clock struck eleven, when at last
she rose up and glanced out of the Win
dow.
GLOW dark it is, and how the wind
bowls ~ she murmurel to herself, with
an instructive feeling Of Ilty for stray
travellers toiling along the solitary road.
"Thank Heaven we are not so poor us
some ia this world"
And when Thanksgiving morning dawn
ed, the chill gray air was full Of lazily-
falling flakes Of starry snow.
81 kuowed il was in TO snow said
old Seth Rivers 81 felt II in my bones last
night. We'll bike seasonable weather"
The same snow, falling faster row. aud
with a persis,ency which threatened a
prolonged storm, clinked against the win
Barstow's hospitable farm house, and
fringed the boughs of the old hemloCks in
the dnOryard with ermine whiieness; while
Miss Hepsy spare maiden lady some
/ where about forty, hurried back and forth
intent unon festive preparation
The Thanksgiving table, already SET
IN the chg keepm' room, was Woithy o
Miss llepsy's reputation as % thorough
, going huusekeeper. The damnsk tahl'
cloth, white as snow, hung IN scarcely
; disturbed folds few late chrlsauthe
NUNS were DISPOSED among sprays o
cvcrgrceus IN boxes and vases at clthc
end there were plates o. crimson sh nnl
apples. streaked with god dainty Gran
berry taits pctping kc red eyes ftom De-
{ hind bars Of haky crust, eNVisi;cl
] rosred pumpkin pcsi glass prescrv
E dishes where nmhrrclolr ounces am
e quiveiiug mou,ds Of cunant jelly -hou'
aud immcfed aud plates Of tlahoraty ]!
cracked but,,muts ana hickory nuts. Fo
, Miss, ,Hcpsy did hot believe in the Iuoder
custom Of bringing on the desert as a SCI
, araie and independant affair
S Let folks sec what they've got bctOr
'em to eat at once she said, ''and mau
t age matters accordingly. That's mY dot
tfiue.
With last glance at the royal bird
the turkey, now peacefully brONuin
5 IN thu huge brill oven and ui
i pensing a most fuyory oiop around Ii
funeral pyre. Miss Hcpsy hurried to IN
window 10 look up the road, now half Il
scured by the veil of lu tering SNOW.
They'd ought to be here pre- ~ soon,
y she said rehecuvely. ID d you tell 'ei
dinner was at twelve exactly, Elan ~
t am, who WIS sitting by the fire, ev
- deutly III at ease in his new blue suit, no.
" ded. aud puked the back log " I'll his foo
"Miss Hepsy chuckled g,eefulY'
G 'lIow Rach will ST ere to be cure An
"a if 'twant the lAckiest thing You lappent
to be out there v w.th the lantern just at IL
~ preclse minute the stage passed tell !
what, Elan, guess we two'll hey To lin
it out together, old bachelor aud old maid.
=. "Yes," growlcd Elam, 'cAuse we can
I neither Of us help it,
ie Miss Hep,y netlled Little.
"a "Now, Elan BArsto@, you know ihi
Id amt so never telled sc the hull siol
e. about Square Lounsberry-'
e. | know it we'll enough" interrupt
MIR. Bnrstow. rather ungraclOuslyi Tho
y you and Selma Farwtather pulled ca
ne 'hout Inn. aud how finally he gave yt
ne both the slip aud went OF and marie
=, Ruth Ann Paik,r, out to laubury."
Miss lIcpsy bit her lip.
,o "Elam Barstow," she began--but luc
~ ily fer honett Elan the storm about
T., break on his devoted head was avert
m his sisters happening to spy through Il
va window her app oachng guests, and slo
ia ping ehoit in her Wrdtnful oraiufy, 81
-, ran to opcn the big front door and mwl
a. welcome long eie tne comers should he
il.
- $40 come in =" sac shouted hospital
pul ing pump Mrs. Rivers across O
or ihr, shold. PPM proper glad TO see yo
" Walk in squire and you too Rachel. "
oL look jest's pretty as p0sy 10 day, wi
the snow all over your hood"
Miss HeIsy was undeniably r'gl
Rachel did look hower-lihe in her fires
his ight lovcliness. Her "best dress" "
nothing eXtraOrdinary-a simple ciims
.u- drlainc, with snow white linen bands
nd the throat and wrist, aud a little e
ow brooch formh her ouly ornament; d
,er not all the MORE antique or velvet tt
nd ever glisttned behiud the plate-gass "
nd dows of Broadway "maisOns de mod
10 co1ld have improved her appearance.
il "St down-sit down before tue fire
said Miss H,psy. ELAN, Ike \
yer Rivers hat. Do let me iii you Of yC
,nt shawl Mrs Rivers. Rachel, yuu last
into the front room-you're Young, an
want to fix upa lit e likely and there
w fire there. GJ-quick
sed u can take of my things Just as "
ner here, Miss lIepsy.'
to "Oh. shaw no you can't Here