Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-06-27

atuu OuuUUlIy uICooCus L ulO uO
pay much attention to the women
but there was boy Dan, the ole
mans grandson little chap o
four, that l took an odd fancy too
from the first. He had an ugly face
but l think one of the most homes
and lovcable l ever saw.
Tanner-that was the old mans
name, told me he had brought his
wife and daughter down to kccI
Thanksgiving in this village, where
they had lived ten years before
"We were all younger and cheerful.
Ter then, than now," he said, 'sand
thought, maybe, with the old place
would como back some of the old
feeling. There are other ways OF
keeping the feast than Of stuffing
the stomach, you know"
/ thought to myself it would be
we'll if the stomach had its share
of the rejoicing. Tanner, cheerful
and chirruppy as he was, looked
hunger bitten. -Four people could
not grow fat on eight dollars a week,
which I found was his salary. He
hired a vacant house for month,
There it is-the one beyond the hill.
The family went to house keeping
in some sort of a way in it, and he
used to run down Friday evenings
to stay over Saturdays, which is the
newspaper mans Sunday, as you
know. We grew very friendly.
grew into the habit of watching
with him for Dan, who always came
out on the porch to wait for him,
his mother holding him by the hand.
l used to wonder if the poor widow
ever let 60 her hold on the child,
by day or night, and ! once rcmcm-
Der thinking what she would do il
the child should die. One has queer
idle fancies, you know. But Dams
mother was one of those women who
seem to have no life outside Of the
one or two people they love.
Well! Thanksgiving eve came
and Tanner was aboard going home
but had no time to talk with him,
as the train was crowded with peo-
pie who had been up to Whining
ton laying in supplies for the
holiday. Even the passenger cars
were hcapcd with baskets and
bundles. Tanner had his little
package, too-somethmg for Dan.
I saw him pccping into it with his
eyes twinkling once or twice. Ire
member how pleased he was when
I brought him monster turkey for
Mrs. Tanner. The old lady although
she had only seen me on the train
as it whisked by, had taken an
anxious interest in a sore throat
that l had, and sent bottle ol
myrrh tea by the old gentleman.
l don't know whether it was be.
cause l had come from a part Of
country where they don't keep
Thanksgiving, or because of the
horror that followed, but 1 remcm-
Der that afternoon as one of the
brightest, and chcerfullcst Of my
life. The air was cold and crisp.
There was red mist over the hills;
in the cars and stations there was
nothing but good humor and friend
ly good wishes. l Idon't think much
of serious things, yet it seemed to
me that day that the people came
with one accord nearer to God be-
cause Of Thanksgiving.-Onc old
gentleman on board had the same
idea, l suppose; for as l sat down
behind him to count my change
saw him watching the passengers
and houses as We passed with an
amused smile, and turning to his
companion, he sad:-
"Therc's something very whole
some in the effect of these holidays.
Colonel. They awaken men to a
sense of dependence and gratitude.
as years sermons cannot do"
The other was so long in replying
that l looked up at him.
"Whcn a man has home and
home ties to give thanks for, tho
holiday is useful, no doubt"
1t is so queer and cold an answer
that l felt a curiosity about the man
He went back to his newspaper
(Which was an English one,
noticcd,) and began to talk immc
diatcly about the duties on silks
and linens. / soon found that he
was largely interested in both; had
travelled over a good part of tho
world, traded in China and Japan
aud, as I guessed successfully. Ht
had the air of a man accustomed tt
command, and to life Of case. liz
was a middle-agcd, stoutly bull
man with a clean-shaved, powerful
face and shrewd pleasant eyes.
noticed that through all his con
versation he tried to avoid seeing
the happy groups of people wh'
were necessarily getting on and OF
of the train; and once, when
child in passing, pulled his cane
he turned his back roughly upon it
Yet had fancy-I don't know
why-that the people and Thanks
giving mattcrcd more to him thai
any OF us.
His friend said to me presently
"You arc not well, Colonel?" 'Ncvc
was better. But the truth is Venn
this country is all familiar to me
and anything that recalls old time
makes me nervous and irritable. IT.
a weakness which l will outgrov
probably. fyou'll excuse me III
90 forward. 'IIc saw me just then
and touched his hat, asked leave t.
ride on the engine in order to Sc
the scenery.
Now the rules Of the road wcr
slipshod enough, but that was
thing l never allowed. However,
had taken n curious interest in tn
man, and liked his courteous man
ncr, so nodded, and went on be
fore him through the baggage ca
and over the tender to see him safe
ly across.-To my surprise, 10
Fenton, our engineer met him as al
old acquaintance. Joe had been
private in his regiment during til
war. They shook hands again an
again, and Fcnton was in such
hurry to tell that he was Marie
and father Of twins, that she STAN