The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-12-11
MisfFllauruns.
WITH A SONG.
A Thanksgiving Story.

fFBut / can't even turna tune. Betty!'
and the voice of the speaker, a young
man, apparently about twenty-five year
of age, was very sad as he uttered the
above simple sentence.
sEWell, what if YOU can't turn tune
as you call II, replied. his companion
'eThat don't make no difference. It''
my opinion, and its always been my
opinion, that everybody In this world
ought to sing. l amt much on music
myself. Come to think Of it, l don't be
Heve that I ever hum anything except
Coronation and Yankee Doodle, and
one or two more such old fashioned
HYMNS, but one of these is Just as good
as another for an emergency, and Imake
a pint of having one or t'other Of 'em
close by to call upon whenever l take q
notion that the Old Adversary is sneak
ing round, looking for chance to take
me unawares. Most of the trouble
that we have in this world, Mister vii
liam, comes upon US in this sort of style;
and / never found anything that would
give old Satan his walking ticket half SO
quick as q good strong dose Of singing.
/ haven't the least idea what it does, but
IT seems to me Just asif it put some kind
of a something into the air that the old
fellow couldn't see through. ] tell you,
William, I've sent him about his busi-
ness In this way a great many times,
very much disappointed.
iBlessed be a cheerful disposition!
responded the young man, fervently.
Jus So" said Betty, looking him
squarely in the eye. blessed IS the
man or woman who is given cheerful
disposition to start with, but thric5
blessed the one who, not having it natur-
ally, keeps watch over his temper and
his spirits, and comes off oonqueror 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 this face, "Amen,
Betty!" and, without another word,
walked out Of the pleasant dining-room,
where this knd-hearted friend and capa-
BILE servant was arranging the table for
tea. and moment after she saw him
turning the curve OF the road leading to
Squire Seymour's palatial residence,
where a gay party was already gathered
to spend Thanksgiving.
'|That's the last we shallsee Of him til
bedtime she continued, softly, to her
self. Something out of the common
run is the matter with the boy. That's
as plain as the nose on your face, Bet
Halstead, and 'tain't new thing neither.
He's been sort o. running down for q
good while. It's the old trouble, 1 sup
pose."
And Betty put the finishing touches to
the tastefully set table, lingering mo-
ment, as was her custom, to see that
every detail had been attended to before
she rang the bell for the family to as
semble.
Let us look at the members Of this
household, as they file in to the pleasant
ting-a-ling of Betty's bell.
First entered Mrs. HarcoUrt, hand
some, dignifed, middle-aged woman,
with very dark eyes and very white hair,
but 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 highlander,
had never served the usual apprentice
ship to the science Of domestic economy,
and had known very little of physical
suffering.
There was look Of power about this
woman's face that affected almost every
one II the same manner. Thatshe could
be a good friend, all instinctively felt;
that she could become a bitter enemy,
did the object prove unworthy, was
quite as apparent.
She could thaw thosewhon she wished
to cultivate, and freeze those unlucky
enough to come under the ban of her
displeasure, In the very 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 otender and
willing as Mrs. Harcourt's; IN misfor-
time, in poverty, her house was always
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 vel to
endeaYor to interest her in any case