Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-11-28
THAT QUEERLI MAN.
A THANKSGIVING STORY
BY S. ANNIE FROST.

|
"This must be the house. No. 2S7
B. Court. Let me be sure! Where's
the letter? Here it is in my coat pock-
ct, of course; now for gas light. Yes,
2S7."
The queer little man folded the letter
as he spoke replaced it in his pocket,
knocked at the door of 2S7. 1t was af-
ter dark, on dull evening in Novem-
Der, but the gas light, under whose
friendly glare the letter had been con-
suited, shone upon the figure now
standing at the door, and showed him
to be a very odd figure indeed. His
head was so many sizes too large for his
body, that it made him look top heavy,
and this effect was certainly not dimin-
ished by the fact that he wore his hair
long, thick, and curling. and a beard
that fell almost to his waist. His clothes
were coarse and ill-made, but warm,
and in good repair. His slight figure,
small hands and feet, and quick move
ments, made the great head and wide
brimmed hat almost grotesque in their
disproportionate size. Getting impa-
tient, he gave second knock at the
door of the small house, and this time
so long and loud that the door flew open
before he had taken his hand from the
knocker. A little girl stood in the en-
try, eyeing him with an expression that
seemed to argue a debate in the mind
whether to remain, and let the visitor
come in, or to shut the door and run
away.
"You take a good while to come to
the door, ma'am," he said, and at once
decided the question in the mind of the
little girl. A voice and a smile like
that could never belong to cruel ogre
who ate up little girls without salt or
pepper, however big his head.
"Do you want to see Aunt Henriet-
ta?''
w HO Is AulI IltilTicIGds
"Miss Mosely. The lady who owns
the house, and lets us board here"
ooh! Yes, l want to see her."
"If you will walk in the parlor, she'll
be in presently; she's gone to market"
and musical little gleeful laugh fol-
lowed this announcement.
"Gone to market?''
"Yes, and Cora's gone too;" here the
delight could not be suppressed. 'They
have gone to buy turkey for to-mor-
row, and Pm taking care of the house
and Eddy till they come back"
"Gone to buy a turkey for to-mor-
row?'
"Yes, it's Thanksgiving, you know?
We are to have treat. Aunt Henri
eta promised it week ago, and she
never forgets, nererl"
| "She must be a famous aunt.
"Well," and here the little girl came
close to her old visitor and took seat
beside him, on the sofa, "she amt our
aunt really, you know; not our very,
very own. But she's just as good to
Cora and Eddy and me-"
"Who is Cora?"
"Cora is my grown-up sister; she's
ever, ever so old, almost nineteen. I'm
ten, and Eddy is two and half. Cora
gives music lessons, and she is out al
most all day, and Aunt Henrietta makes
flowers, and l help her. Eddy plays"
"But where are your papa and mann
map"
"Papa died when Eddy was wee
baby, and we came here then to board
with Miss Mosely. Mamma sewed all
day, and Cora practised. Then mamma
died too, but Aunt Henrietta said we
must stay, and manage the board some
how, for she would not let Cora 60
away to take care of us all alone. You see
this amt very good house for board
ers.'' and the little face looked very
wise, Sand the front room has been
empty a long time.
"Then Miss Mosely takes boarders ?''
eyes, indeed. We have the third
story front, and Mrs. Manners, she goes
out nursing and amt here much, she
has the third story back; Aunt, Hen.
rietta sleeps down here in the back par
lor, so there is nobody at all In the sec.
ond story. That was the reason Aunt
Henrietta sent away the servant, ant
, makes flowers for the milliner's stores
1t takes so much money to feed us all
> and buy our dresses and boots"
"But, my dear child, have you M
It uncles or aunts, nobody to keep Sistel
Cora?"
"No! UncloJames Reed is in Cali
fornia, and of course he can't come
Cora wrote to him, but guess he didn'
= get the letter. Anyhow he didn't ans
wer it."
IBID you ever see him?"
- "No, indeed! He went away whel
Cora was a baby and never came back
y but he often sent money In letter t.