Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-11-27
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS FaneEos.
BY J. I. BOSWELL.

rrhamks&iving-da FaneEos.
...-.s 81. BY J. /. BOSWELL. -. d.
pretty cold weather this There,
put that hickory chunk in the fire. No
thing like good wood stove for heating
room quickly" .t..E+'l5 =.
Glow did you sleep last night r +
First rate. 1t does one good to leave
the rush and roar of the great city and
spend few days in this quiet village.
The dear old homestead how we ought
to like 1t !"
Breakfast ready, did you say :? SO
are we. Ring the bell long and loud so
it can be heard There, there, that will
do-stop! or they will think the house
is on fire. Here they come.
GOOD morning, one and all, good
morning"
Tell me where in all the land of Yam
KEGS can you find happier family group
than this. Father, hale and hearty yet,
though somewhat gray and wrinkled
and full of youthful glee, though sixty
years have rolled away since he lay
smiling in his cradle. Mother, forgetful
for the moment of her household cares
as she gaZes on her children and her
heart, judging by her face, is full of
sacred music. And then the children,
ten of US all told. Elisha, who can
plough as straight furrow as the an
cient prophet and Joshua, who is a
quiet tinsmith and Samuel, who
breaches on the Oakdale circuit and
jeremiah, who keeps a day-school in the
Spindle City," and Gideon and Moses,
who are both smart and likely boys in
Wilbraham Academy, of whom the
world will some day hear-so their par
tial friends declare. Then there is
Martha, the oldest daughter-mother'
ght-hand-man-and Betsey Jane, that
the widower is coming to see and Hui
dab, who is, to be sure. q thrifty body :;
and Ruth, the youngest, fairest, best of
all the household. She viii be poetey
and music better than these things she
will be loyal, loving wife lin. some
mans house some Of these days, no doubt
of that g. .-s.--r fse ..s.-.. r. ',-its-F.
Breakfast over Bring the old family
Bible from the stand and read the most
joyful of the Psalms of David; sing that
sweet hymn which has in it the lines
-. IN each event. OF life how eioar
Thy TuLiHS hand ! see ..ss -. y
and then, father do you lead us in prayer
to that Kind Being who has crowned the
year with goodness and: has permitted
as all to meet in safety ia tie dear old
home we love Sc. we'll, letssl.l r..-- II.
: Hank the church bell is ringing. 1t
is time to 90. Up the wide road we
walk+-past deacon Turner's nlansipn
over the old stone bridge under the
ancient elms and so to the quaint old
church which stands on the hillside NOT
far beyond the village green. What
memories does the walk awaken How
familiar is every tree and honsel There
is the old nlill-dam where we used to
fish, and where we, learned to swim and
skate, There is the hillside down which
we scoasted, making the snow fly as the
OCEAN foam, flies from the prov of
swift sailing steamer. There is the
biaeksmith's shop where we used to linz
ger or, our way to school, and watch the
flying sparks. There is the apple. or
charci, where that wicked dog seized us,
and made us feel for a few awful sec.
ondS that the end of the world was
come, Fhef6 is the school-hoqse, and
the play ground where we hurled the
flying bali and whore we whipped Sam.
Jones, whom all the other boys were
afraid of--or he whipped us-no matter
which it was, We care. net to remember !
And here is. the church, and how small
1t seems TO have. grown since we saw. it 4
last. Let us push by the silently star /
ing stone-step committee. and enter.
Parson Faithful is in the pulpit, and
is giving out the hymn,
so for a Thousand tongues to sing"
God bless father faithful! Little known
at present, but ia his day he was one of /
the greatest men in the Methodist
church. for he Was--a presiding elder
1t does one. good to see; that aged face
With the smile. of heaven resting like |
sunlight on it to. hear that trembling 1
voice, so often Heard at the marriage 1
feast. ia the abode of poverty, and at |
the bedside of tie dying. How full OF 4
rom aftce is. the life. of the hum
blest preacher, if it were well ana faith I
fully told. t.sgs s.ssi.....-'
The sermon. is ended, the last hymn is
sung, the bepeaietion pronounced, and /
we move out Of the church. What /
warm hearts. the people have How. !
they crowd around us with a cordial |
hand shaking, and a welcome back |
Home again. Dinner not ready yet, /
and II is half:past twelve o o'clock. One /
this. will never do; half-past one-this |
is: really getting to be serious work-this |
waiting; two O'Clock as hungry as, a
furnished bear there. there goes the /
dinner bell at last. Hurrah!: =: .s.s,'
= "a glorious. New England dinner this,
dear mother'i' = S: -. ',5>,.a;: I
i 1t were vain to. attempt to describe |.
that dinner. :. 7 he pen falters as. it tries
to write about that mammoth turkey.
prince. of birds, more, priced. than. the
gray forest eagle about which poets: +
rave. And then the social glee; the
light from happy faces cleaning the
laugh and jest; the stories of old times,
which father told so weH;. and the |:
of early days which come
thronging back: 81. Z, - :.eS:!!I
Night has come, so close the shutters;
drop the curtains and light the lamp. a
knock at the door--who can it be? - - +
# 'a'Do tell! Here is John Thompson.
Walk IN, John, and take a seat: -
!. In walks. John 4 hompson, and a finer +
young man you will never meet. A /.
wSll- to-do farmers; and already a pillar /:
In the church. There he is; but what Is
: - = & :