Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-11-27
THANKSGIVING.
BY MARY RUSSELL.

How do you intend spending you
Thanksgiving, Ellinor?"
The lady addressed, turned from
the window out Of which she haC
been listlessly gazing, and looking int
the speakers face replied, little bit
terly
"-uy Thanksgiving. / shall hav,
none. There are no glad notes O
thankfulness in my heart; therefore
shall go through with no outward ex
pressions of JOY j"
mo thankfulneSs in your heart, FL
lnor! How can you say that wher
Gods tender care and fatherly low,
are so plainly visible in the progress
the prosperity, and abundan harvest
which gladden. every part of our land?'
~ on forgot that there are man,
whom those blessings have not reach
ed. Thanksgiving does not come tC
those over whose hearts and home,
the shadows Of death and misfortune
have fallen"
There were tears in Elhnor Bank.
voice as she said this, and you might
have noticed for the first time that she
was attlred in the somber garb Of
mourning.
a shade of sympathetic sadness
came over the other lady's CHEEKY.
motherly face, as she answered:
"No, Elinor, | have not forgotten
those who walk in the shadows; but
know that there are no lives, however
desolate, over which Gods blessings
do not fall. They may not always
come in the form of prosperity and
success as we understand those terms.
Oitentimes those sorrows and misfor-
tunes under which our hearts ache and
rebel most bitterly, prove to be our
greatest blessings.
"Into the three score years of my
own life sorrows not few have come.
You know how many graves in the
churchyard tell of dear ones taken
from my home; but you cannot guess
of the number in my heart where he
blighted hopes, unfulfilled longings,
and loves and friendships which have
proven false to me; yet, looking back
to-day, ! can see no trial or disap-
pointment which has not been for nv
good--for which | cannot now thank
the kind Father who knoweth best our
needs.
81 remember myself as a proud, vain
girl, thinking only of self and pleasure.
Sorrow had not opened my heart to
the joys and pains of my fellow beings,
nor drawn my eyes from the fleeing
pleasures of this world, to the lasting
ones of the other. But, ere long, the
friends who had so tenderly shielded
me from all rude blasts. were taken
one after another, until stood alone
10 tace the rude realities of life
Wealth, too, deserted me, and / was
obliged to take my place among the
tolling millions upon whom / had once
looked down with contempt. How
dark the days, how cold the storms
seemed then! for | was all unused to
their rigors. Like fierce north wind
upon a garden of hot house plants,
they fell upon the fanciful, gauzy struc-
ture Of my life plans. Hopes persisted,
friends fled, and all that was weak in
my nature died before their biting
breath. But out of the pain and dark
ness were born higher aims, broader
sympathies, and a stronger, truer life.
Forgive me, Ellnor, if | speak
plainly. | know that one very near
and dear to you will walk no more by
your side along the shores of time, and
your heart is very sore and heavy in
your bosom. Misfortune, too, has de.
priyed you of many Injuries to which
you have been accustomed; but you
have still loved and loving husband,
kind friends and comfortable home;
and more, YOU have it in your power
to bring cheer and thanksgiving To
many who have not one 1.-THE of the
blessings which you enjoy But you
are too much wrapped up in self TO
feel the brightness that might come to
you from the orter world. That life
Is a very narrow one that does not en-
circle the whole of humanity with its
sympathy and its love marrow alike
in its enjoyments and suiferings. You
say that you cannot see Gods sun
light because of the clouds that are
over you. Then make your horizon
broader so broad that the shadows
lying directly over your path will not
be large enough TO obscure the whole
of Gods bright sky"
Proud Ellinor Banks might have
resented this advice from other lips !;
but she knew too we'll the nobleness
and worth of this woman to treat her
words lightly, even though she did
not teel their full force at the time.
But that night, as she lay tossing on
her sleepless couch, they came back
with a deeper meaning. She saw
that she had cared little for the great
outside of her own home that while
her own home was warm and bright
she had no thought to those which
were cold and cherries. AS this
thought gradually impressed itself up,
on her mind, he, thoughts began Ia
revert to her poorer neigh5ors, and
she fell to wondering if there were
any who really needed her assistance
Almost like an apparition in answer
to this query, came the pale, care,
worn face of Mrs. Martin, a wo-
man who sometimes washed and
cleaned house for her; and then she
remembered having heard that this
woman had family of small children
dependent on her for support.
"To morrow" she thought, 81 will
visit Mrs. Martin and find out wha
her circumstances really are" An,
with this resolve in her mind she sool
fell into peaceful slumber- such a
she had not known for weeks; 70
thinking of others had kept tn
thoughts, which come TO all in th
early days of bereavement, heav