Northern Ohio journal. [volume] (Painesville, Ohio) 1872-1896, 1873-11-22

sank toa whisper perhaps God may
send us one yet. I've asked Him ever so
many times: knew you. wanted it so
much, .Willie,' she added deprecatingly,
as Il afraid of her er'stiispieasnre.
T DO you suppose Katie. He really
Ywould?' l., sf-...-.; ..,9s. ,,,...,.
think He might said the little
girl solomnly, and after looking up in
his faces moment with her large dark
eyes, she added, the ravens brought
Elijah something to eat when God told
them. to-mother read that to us last
week; don't you remember, Willie?'
The boy did, not answer Immediately.
He was thinking it all over. u don't
KNOW he said doubtfully.. anyway it
would be of more use for, you to ask
Him than for me. You are a great deal
better than am. You never make
mother any trouble = $50 tsttt
'Oh, Willie, am so littlel Ican't do
half what you do to help her.,
:. u don't see how. you brought this
basket out of the ship yard,' said the
boy, as he raised II. and walked on.
The carpenter brought it for me, al
most to where you were waiting
The children went down the darken-
ing street, stopping occasionally to peer
into the stores, where people were smil-
ing and chatting over the market bas-
kets they were filling. --.
Looking down a long street that end
ell In a wharf, Willie spoke out with
sudden earnestness: tf-frr
know what 1, III do, Katie. 'ss3
What, Wiilie?' z,..-...
Perhaps could cafch some fish, and
If mother would roast them in the oven,
maybe they would almost as good as
! t,,r fnr Frha n,, d.
men fishing from that wharf sometimes.
| don't know that they caught anything,
but, maybe they didn't try so hard as /
mean to- s+.iii t-;H ~ 'i's N-it
'Where will you get a hook and line?'
/ II There is some old hooks i'm the box up
stairs, and line, but don't tell, Katie:
don t tell anybody
arWhat win you do for bait?' said the
little girl. who seemed to have gtown
practical all at once ii .i trfi-r-b .
'Iil dig some CLANS, answered Will
lie, that's what the men have
But the handles pulled out of the
hoe; you can't dig with it,
Then I'll dig with my hands, said
downright Willie, whose blood was uD
| at the thought of overcoming some OF
the, minor difficulties in the way of
Thanksgiving dinner. Don't you be
afraid, Katie; if l can only make the
fish bite, Pm not bit troubled about
the rest of IT. - ssa -.-
Can go with you, Willie?'
oh, no. 1t isn't nice place for Il
girl-besides you would have to ask
mother, and want to surprise her.
Next morning, early. Willie put his
plan into execution. won't stay to
tell how he grubbed for the clans, which
seemed to have wonderful power of
stretching their necks. Judging from the
depths at which he found them below
the surface holes which showed him
where to dig, or what trials he had with
the one rusty hook. At last,something
tugged furiously at the end of his line.
Pulling, with all his boyish strength,
the line came up with sudden Jerk,
and Willie came II ear going over back
wards.
The line had parted.
Willie drew it up, and stood looking
| at it ruefully. His last hope was gone
-lle had no other hook.
| An elderly gentleman, sitting OH a
bench in the sun, partially sheltered
| from the wind by an old wooden build
ing, had been intently watching Will
lies doings for the last half-hour.
! sWhat is it, my boy?' he said, ap-
preaching him suddenly.
| Willie looked up. The old face that
was smiling on him was very kindly
one, in spite of its gray beard, and Gu
rious wrinkles. The boy trusted him
Instantly. f,..rs f..f o s5t
| Il was trying to catch a fish. We
hadn't anything nice for Thanksgiving,
sir. Now I've lost my hook, 'spose
I've got to give up Willie turned away
quickly-his voice was failing him. He
would not wipe away his tears, lest the
y sro "a, q III thof
l ing, but stood looking vigorously at the
root. of the building aforesaid, though
| there wasn't thing to be seen in that
direction which could interest boy in
the least. ~ - 7'-'
The old gentleman was shrewd.
4 wait q minute, ane said. sI've afriend
up the wharf here, who may be able to
help you out of your difficulty
1 So saying, he walked up to he door of
. rickety shop at the head of the wharf,
twhere he disappeared from view After
/ a conference with the owner. who knew
| Willie, although the boy had never spo-
ken to him, he returned with a couple
4 Of fish-hookS. Then he showed Willie
how to fas5en.onc properly TO the line,
and baitetl It for him with great care.
| Nov. my little fellow, try your luck
again. gov '''''.si ''''
Wiliie's ehanks came from, a full heart.
oou may be sure. Before his new friend
left the wharf Willie had caught fish.
1t was growing cold, and the old man
dared not stop longer in the piercing
wind. Thanksgiving mornings are apt
to beicliily anywhere i'm New England,
and this was no exception to the general
rule. Willie, after long and patient ef-
fort, caught second fish, but though he
had thought three would be necessary,
"a they were not large, he concluded, as
the hands Of the church clock were
pointing twelve, that it would not do to
stop longer. It was more than two
hours since he had had his first bite.
aud even his young blood was chilled.
with sitting still so long on the windy
| wharf, and bis hands We're aching bit
| terly, as he rolled up the wet line.
Fish were such slow creatures,' he
said thoughtfully, I don't see why they
cau't bite at one time as well as anothers :
but I'm thanhfll for W anyway, here
goes 1G
He ran whistling up the street, and
| was in 4 fine glow when he burst into
the house.
Mother. .'-he stopped short, and with
a prolonged whistle looked about him.
sWhy mother, you've got turkey. l
smell it--and it's just spIendid!'
The table was set out in tempting ar
| ray-quite like old times, and the turkey
was just taking that final bastiug from
his mothers hand, which was to result
presently in delicious brown. The
room was full of the savory smell, which
was very welcome to the boy, who had
brought a keen appetite, as well as a
pair of fish, from the wharf.
His mother looked mp smiling.
sHurrah. exclaimed Willie, praneing
about in the sudden joy of his heart, ami
qnite forgetful of the fish, which were
still dangling from his finger.
Where did you get those?'
Caught them, mother. for our Thanks
giving, but we shan't need them now.,
1 Ris mother laughed at his antics, but
she asked him presently to take his fish
out and dress them. sThey will be nice
for breakfast tomorrow she added.
Little Katie followed him out.
Il didn't tell, willie,' she said excited
iy, though mother wondered and Won
dered where you were all the morning.
thought you would be back soon when
the mau brought the turkey. You see,
| Willie, God did do it,
/ swhat. said Willie. didn't mother