Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-11-19
NO. 2es.
Gales aud Sketfhes.
IN A TRUMPET.
A STORY OF THANKSGIVING.

81 know it, " said Miss Pamphylia, an
swering a rueful glance from Miss Mehit-
able's brother; ''still it's great comfort
to reflect that she could have the trumpet.
Miss Pamphylia certainly had a very pc
culiar way OF looking at human griefs.
She would stand still for one moment of
dire dismay, and then suddenly illuminate
with some comforting reflection" about
something that had been, or hadn't been,
or could be, after all. 1t always reminded
Miss Mehitable's brother of cluster of
ripe grapes he had noticed one October
day when the skies were fitful. For one
instant, while cloud crept over the sun,
they hung heavy and dark as the leaden
shadow behind them; then, as quick,
strong ray of sunlight pierced the cloud,
the red wine that was in them took fire,
and CLEANED and blazed, until his very
pulses warmed as he looked.
He felt them suddenly warming again
in just the same way, as Miss Pamphylia
uttered the words "she could have the
trumpet" What thing 1t would make
of life if that "could" only began with a
"w' instead of "c"! But as it did not,
and there wasn't the least prospect that it
would, Miss Mehitable's brother patiently
took it with the &C." much as he would
have hugged warm soap-stone, if wall
dering in the dark among the glaciers Of
the Alps.
Miss Mehilable, meanwhile. peacefully
unconscious that either of them had said
anything, sat gazing into the glowing
hearth OF Goals, with satisfied little smile
on her face, and fresh folded handkerchief
handkerchief in her lap-it was SO tidy
i,,ct ubara tho bou dr Low. and for hot.
smile, her very features were as likely to
disappear. That was because she found
life always SO pleasant; indeed it con-
tanned but two regrets for Miss Mehitable,
and it would have been foolishness to let
such a minority disturb all the rest. One
of these regrets was that Pamphylia did
not feel quite inclined to marry Phenix.
He had asked her every Thanksgiving
Day for ten years in successsion,-thOugh
never until after dinner. for he liked every
thing hot, and the faintest hope is a warm
er sauce than disappointment,--but is was
of no use. Miss Pamphylia inclinations
did not Qnite agree, and the trial was put
over till another term, leaving the first
part of the evening little downish. until
Miss Pamphylia regularly frightened with
a consoling thought.
"After ALL" she said. sit is great COM
fort to reflect that he needn't ask me if he
didn't choose"
Don't be a goose, Pnenix," Miss Me-
hitable always said gently, the next morn
ing. to comfort him; and though perhaps
he had seemed a little like one, pluming
himself and picking up his crumbs SO
many months, only to be slain ON this ia
tai day, still when Hetty said this, he re-
membered what he really was, and rose
from his ashes to begin another year.
Blu. it seemed such pity about spelling
the evening" particularly as Miss Pam
phyia only came once a year, that she
had at last insisted upon different ar
rangement.
Don't ask me again until / am ready
to say yes," she said, with the firmest air
And when will that be" asked Phenix.
Miss Pamphylia hesitated moment, and
then looked up with a sudden CLEAN of
mischief in her eyes.
whenever Hetty asks for the trumpet"
she said
That was coming very near the second
of Miss Mehitable's regrets in life, which
was simply the miserably indistinct way
in which people were allowing themselves
to speak the last few years. 1t was grow
ing upon them, too, instead of improving,
until she had really given up expecting to
hear anybody unless they came and spoke
directly to her. Then, of course, they
took care to enunciate properly, knowing
how much sne disapproved the modern
carelessness, but the moment they turaed
away it was all forgotten, and even Phenix
and Pamphylia, who were as well brought
up as herself, did no better than the rest.
One said. "M.m-m," and the other an
swered, "M-m-m-m," and it was only
miracle that they ever made head or tail
of each others remarks. But Miss Mehit.
able always preferred her friends should
please themselves rather than her; so she
sat peacefully by, heard what she could,
and let the rest go.
1t was not till the circle of those who at
tempted proper enunciation had thinned
down to the very strong-winded ones, and
Miss Mehitable's replies to even their re-
marks sometimes fitted about as we'll as if
she had put her own bonnet on Phenix's
head by mistake, that one Of the bravest
of them ventured a suggestion.
Would it not be little strange If all
her friends had lost their voices at once
Might it not be possible that her hearing
had lost trihe of its acuteness?
The suggestion was repudiated with
only the least perceptible sharpening OF
Miss Mehitable's usual gentleness, but
when Phenix brought home from the city
one day, as delicate offering, an ear
trumpet, new in design. graceful and
light, she rose to her feet and famed into
such a blaze of indignation as all the rest
of her gentle life could hardly sum up.
IAN ear-trumpet! Was she to be the
scape-goat for everybody's carelessness.
and wear this crooked horn as the badge
of itP Deaf? How should she be deal
any more than he was, when their birth
days were the same? Would he have the
great kindness to carry that instrument
into his own room and keep it there, since
waste was sinful. until she should ask for
it ?"
1t did not seem to Phenix that Pamphy-
liza could say anything this time, but as he
passed between her and Miss Mehitable.
her face frightened. "Still," she whis-
pered. ''it's a comfort to think you've in.
creased the regular sale"
The grapes had purpled and been gath.