Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-12-18
When John Comes Home.
4 STORY or THANKSGIVING.

1t was one of those dead November days
when all the color aud sparkle of nature
seem to have faded out forever. The sky
had a cold steely glitter betokening storm,
while over the landscape was a hush-that
sort Of ready-for-auything air peculiar to
the uncertain period which we feel does not
rank with the golden autumn time, and
which we yet hesitate to call winter
II was day when one longs to lose sight
Of the world outside and for this there
could be, perhaps, no place better than the
pleasant harbor Of Elinor Red's home. To
define precisely in what the charm Of this
room consisted would be difficult II lay,
not merely in the red sunshine of the CRATE,
the towering plants in the bay-windows,
the fine old engravings on the walls, the
brackets and statuettes, or the numerous
dainty specimens Of feminine handiwork
and skill but with all these was that in
defnable rare atmosphere that gives one
sense as if receiving an invisible benedic-
tion. Other homes may possess more lux
urious appointments even than this may
be filled with all the treasures that taste
can demand and money supply, and yet re-
main social arctic regions to the end Of the
chapter. But here was perpetual summer
June days Of spirit, though the Almanac
said-November
Elinor sat by the front window gazing
idly out into the street " Not a stitch Of
work in her hands, as | live !" was the ex-
clamation Of Miss Lodeniy Brown who, ac-
cording to her custom, was peering out
through the blinds over the way " Wonder
what EIinor Reid finds to look at There's
nothing going on as | see p
Apparently, Miss Lodeny was justified
in her decision. Nothing was "going on,
at least nothing to warrant Elinor's absorb
ing interest. Groups Of children with
books and ch-baskets hurried, laughing
and chattering, along the sidewalk. 1t
needs not quick ears to catch the secret of
their unusual exultation--" No school to-
morrow It's Thanksgiving All the
afternoon, sharp, distant rife cracks had be-.
trayed the fact that one Of those inhumap
practices known as turkey shoot " was
in full operation on hill just back of the
town; and now and then returning loafer
struggled by with his gun and game Clus.
tered round the store at the corner oppo-
site were several farmers teams, waiting
for their owners, who were exchanging farm
produce for fne groceries, and lingering
in idle gossip by the counter. The men
file out nova rough-coated, heavy-booted
procession and prepare for their homeward
ride. The grocer comes to the door to take
down his long advertising column of half
frozen poultry suspended outside, and to
exchange few last good-ualured common
places with his customers Looks kinder
wnterisb, hey, Jonas !" "Going to touch
us up again on prohibition, pretty soon,
deacon ~ The CHEEKY voice is not silent
until the last wagon clatters down over the
frozen ruts in the road and winds slowly
up the hill toward home.
Elinors eyes took 10 all these things
mechanically, but her mind was busy else.
where. Who can tell of what his neighbor
be thinking while seeming to observe only
the weather? She looked desperately
tired of herself. Aud no wonder There
is no torment like that Of heaviness Of
spirit.
How shall we describe her to satisfy
those who think beauty a special property
of the teens2 She was no longer young
as girls call young "thirty, if she's u
day. had been Miss Lodemys verdict a
year before the date of our story. An old
maid How uninteresting disdainfully
exclaims sweet sixteen, to whom the term
is suggestive only of plain sewing, or
besneetaeled. prim-yisaped school. ANS