The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-11
WITH A SONG.
a Thanksgiving story.

"A AhAAASSANAhS story
g Bat can't even turn a tune, Bet
ty !" and the voice of the speaker,
young man, apparently about 25
years OF age, was very sad as he ut
tered the above simple sentence.
. Well, what if you can't tIr7a O. tune,
as you call 1T, replied his companion.
THAT don't make no differences. It's
my opinion, and its always been my
opinion, that everybody in this world
ought to sing. I amt much on music
myself. Come to think of it, l don't
believe that I ever hum anything ex-
cept Coronation and Yankee Doc
die, and one or two more such old fash
ioned hymns, but one of these is Just as
good as another for an emergency, and
l make pint of having one or t'otIler
of EN- close by to call upon whenever
I take notion that the Old Adversary
is sneaking round, looking for chance
to take me unaWares. Most of the
trouble that we have in this world,
Mister William, comes upon US in tits
sort Of style and I never found any
thing that would give old Satan his
walking ticket half SO quick as a good
strong dose of singing. [ haven't the
least idea what it does, but it seems to
me just as if it put some kind of
something into the air that the old fell
Ter couldn't see through. 1 tell you,
William, I've sent him about his bust
ness in this way great many times,
very much disappointed.
Blessed be cheerful disposition I"
responded the young man, ferventIy.
jus so,'' said Betty, looking him
squarely IN the eye. f.Blessed Is the
man or woman who Is given a cheerful
disposition to start with, but thrice
blessed, the one who, not having it
naturally, keeps watch over his temper
and his spirits, and comes off conqueror
at last. -
This closing shot of Betty's went
home, just as she intended it should :;
for William Harcourt responded with
his whole soul aglow in his face,
9 Amen, Betty and, without another
word, walked out of the pleasant din
ing--oom, where this kind hearted
friend and capable servant was arrang-
ing the table for tea, and a moment
after she saw him turning the curve of
the road leading to Squire Seymour's
palatial residence, where a gay party
was already gathering to spend Thanks
giving.
- That's the last We shall see of him
till bedtime" she continued, softly, to
herself. Something out of the com
mon run is the matter with that boy
That's as plain as the nose on your face,
Bet Halstead, and faint no new thing
neither. He's been sort o. running
down for good while. It's the old
trouble. I suppose"
And Betty put the finishing touches
TO the tastefully set table, lingering a
moment, as was her custom, to see that
every detail had been attended to before
she rang the bell for the family to
assemble.
Let us look at the members of this
household, as they file in to the pleas
ant ting ling of Betty's bell.
First entered Mrs. Harcourt, a hand
some, dignifed, middle-aged woman,
with very dark eyes and very white
hair, bat with complexion as fair and
face as free from wrinkles as either of
her daughters.
It was plain to be seen that Mrs Har-
court, although born New Englander,
had never served the usual apprentice
ship to the science of domestic econ
omy, and had known very little of phys
ica1 suffering.
There was look of power about this
w0rnan's face that affected almost every
one In the same manner That she
could be a good friend, all instinctiveIy
felt that she could become a bitter
W
was quite as apparent.
She could thaw those whom she
wished to cultivate, and freeze those
unlucEv enough to come under the ban
of hs dlspleasure, in the very same
breath. A fash of those wondrously
large and beautiful eyes, and a simple
curl of the still full and rosy lips, were
quite sufficient to tell the whole story.
In sickness, no hand was so tender
and willing as Mrs. Harcourt's in mis-
fortune, IN poverty, her house was al
ways open, her'purse ever ready but
for the troubles that spring from wrong
doing, she had neither sympathy nor
patience and her neighbors knew her
too well to endeavor to interest her in
any case where had been the slightest
deviation from the straight and narrow
path of rectitude.
The lady seated herself at the head
OF the table, giving Betty an apprecia-
tive smile as she took in, with one
sweeping glance, the exquisite neatness
and order which prevailed on every
side.
Why, Betty" said she, with a
smile. s'what in the world is this ?
Punpkin-pie for tea ! That is an IN
novation."
s'Wen, now, Mrs. Harcourt, that pie
4gO,kIL come on the table anyhow. l
tried two or three times TO make it un-
derstand that 'tain't the proper thing
to do /: bUt, you see, hain't baked but
tgo-facE was, tomorrow being Thanks
giving, / felt unusual particular, and
thought I'd just like TO have you all ex-
press an opinion about 'em, and then,
Won see. I can bake the rest of the stuff
a. rnorrnyv morning in iiffY