The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-11-21

that great long sermon, all about the
Pilgrim Fathers? do hope Tom and
Billy paid attention, for they needed to:
Billy thinking that the Pilgrim Fathers
got up the day, and landed on Plymouth
Rock, and everything, all of their own
accord; when, the truth is, they couldn't
have helped coming and doing every
single thing just as they did, cause God
sent them. God chose out the land for
them. and chose them for the land.
And He kept everybody else from find
ing out this country until He was ready
to bring them over in the Mayfower.
That was just what was trying to tell
Billy, yesterday, only he wouldn't listen
to nothing but 'Nited States history.
Guess he knows now whether r no God
had nothing to do with Thanksgiving
Day. S'pose God hadn't made the
Pilgrim Fathers, and the country, and
all the rest, how in the world would
the Pilgrim Fathers have got up any
Thanksgiving That's what I'd like to
know"
"That's it," interposed Robby, ac-
qulescingly; that's why the bird
didn't find it.
"What'd they had to be thankful
for?" continued Maud. "Tell you
what, Robby, everything begins and
ends in God and it's awful mean in
Billy to fly up and lay Thanksgiving
Day, and Christmas, and New Years,
and everything, to Pilgrim Fathers"
81 didn't, said Billy, who just then
overlook the pair in the churchyard.
81 never said a word about Christmas
and New Years. Everybody kno,Cs
God made Them"
Well" argued Maud, $50 every
body ought to know that He makes
everything and everybody, and plans
just what everybody shall do and how
they shall do it, and all about it"
Maud is sound on the doctrine of
Predestiuation, laughed Mrs. Selwyn
, as the minister handed her into the
buggy.
"She's a keen listener, too" respond
ed Mr. Selwyn. 81 like such as she in
my audience. Her eyes show plainly
when she approves or condemns"
81 imagine poor Billy can testify that
her tongue is not far behind her eyes
, in that regard" said Mrs. Selwyn.
"You ought to have heard her put the
doctrine of the Universal Sovereignty
/ of God to him few moments ago
And she gave Robby merciless dress
| ing-down for his undignifed demeanor
} i'll meeting hours. Rob declares. how
ever, that he knows the sermon, and
persists that the whole gist of the dis
> course lies III the question, Why didn t
the bird find it?' You remember that
l you repeated that query once or twice
with considerable emphasis"
> The minister laughed merrily, and
: said he must question Robby. So,
when they were all safely in the large
| sitting-room, and the children were
+. making merry, in glad anticipation of
$ Aunt Ph@be's feast, Mr.. Selwyn called
a them around him, and said to Robby:
| Now, little son, did you hear the
| sermon ?"
1 "Oh, yes, sir" replied Robby. cit
Y was very good sermon, too. Maud
t can say it all off as nice as anything"
But what can yOu tell of it ?" asked
e his father.
go, lots !" answered Robby, dream.
| lily, looking at the pictures on the wall.
l =" 1t was all about God, and Thanksgiv
i ing Day, and why didn't the bird fine
!, Florida =? That's where DR.. Linn goes
0 In winter. It's nice place. Oranges
and roses, and lilies grow there, anc
figs, too, right out in the winter time
Guess the bird missed it-didn't he ?"
e But can Robby tell Why the birc
d did not fly to Florida that day when he
n lit on Columbus ship, and the grea
navigator prayed to God to guide tn,
3 little bird to land, so that he might fol
J, low with his ship, and save his muir
n muring sailors from mutinying? Tn,
: bird flew to Hispaniola. Florida wal
J, Just as near. Why did not that ittl,
v bird find it?"
go, 1 dunno" said Robby, staring a
a picture of Washington Crossing tn,
Delaware ;" " l guess he wasn't yer,
i gumptious bird"
. |. Ct told you you wasn't listening,
y said Maud "of course you wasn't.
u that bird had landed in Florida Ma
. day you wouldn't have been out here a
- Robin Forest, having nice Thanksgiv
: ing, this day-thats all"
y What's the reason 1 wouldn't P
asked Robby, thoroughly aroused, ant
= with his attention diverted from tn
= picture and centered on Maud :"
guess Mrs. Lombard asked me. :"
:, Yes" replied Maud "but didn'
% you hear your papa say-no, of cours
\ you didn't, cause you wouldn't listen
g but he said it, anyway"
"Said what ?" interrupted Rob, i'm
patiently.
d "Why, that those people who cam
g. out after Columbus, and settled tn
+. countries he found, were Catholics
~ ignorant and cruel, too. If they ha
1. filed up this country, of course it woul
1t have been Catholic country, with
e, Catholic king, and a pope, and no Bible
a and all sorts of horrible times, wit
" bull-fghtings, and Spanish fandangoes
IS and all those goipgs-on that they hav
down in Mexico; and there wouldn
10 have been the least single thing to b
~ thankful for-that's why. If you eve
id even read the papers, Robby Selwyn,
,e continued Maud, warming with he
theme, you'd know that these SPANS
s. West Indies-the countries where this
b. bird flew to-are no EXTRA fine places
g, live in. They do well enough to Wis
st for your health, when you've got tn
in bronchitis or something r other.
o. guess know. Wasn't papa's cousi