The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-11-25

Shorn of all his plumagc fine.
Hungry folks upon him dine!
And the little snow-bird sings:
"All of us cannot be kings.
Though I'm sorry for your lot
And your taunts are all forgot,
Welcome winter, cold and murky,
I'm thankful that I'm not a turkcyn'
-Gcorgc Cooper, IN ". Y Indcp,ndcnt
MAYS THANKSGIVING OFFERING.
lT was such a happy Thanksgiving Day
at Mrs Lees comfortable home. Rcla
tivcs from far and near were gathered
there to help make way with the huge
Thanksgiving turkey and all the other
good things beneath which the lady's hos
ptable table groancd. Auntics, unclcs,
necCs and ncphews drank to each
others health, while the small host of
children enjoyed the day and shared the
mcrrimcnt with their elders after their
own baby fashion. Nobody cared for the
snow which steadily whtencd the drcary
streets outside, nor for the keen, wintry
air which ratified at the window pancs and
tried vainly to find entrance within Mrs.
Lees warm, cheerful apartments. There
were games and jmpr0mPtH dances, songs,
merry laughter and all sorts of fun and
frolic going on, 50 that the storm without
was all unhccdcd.
But one among the children thus gath
cred together could only sit quietly in her
little chair and look on while the others
played. Dear little May-thc youngest
wee pet of them all-Mrs. Lees baby of
four years; mammals little wounded
dove" as the family called her. She
could not run and jump as the rest did,
because one tiny foot had never touched
the child could walk without crutch,
yet it was very weary work, and she liked
to sit in her own little chair, where her
toys and playthings were brought to her
by kind and loving little brothers and
sisters. Everybody loved the child. A
SUMMER, swcctcr face never was kissed !;
bluer and merricr eyes never looked into
u mothers face than hers; and such a
golden little head. 1t seemed as if a
quantity of sunshine had one day fallen
upon it, and, becoming SO cntanglCd amid
the soft, wavy UrcsSCs that it tcould not free
itself, at last settled forctcr there, like 4
bright golden crown, which earned for
the beautiful wearcr the loving title of
Golden Head"
Well, at last came the summons TO din
ncr, and big folks and little folks gath
cred around the wcll-filled board. But
little May at length grew weary of the
noise; her small brain hardly cOmpre-
hcnded the wit and humor appreciated by
older heads, and she wanted to watch the
pretty snow tumbling flake by flake from
some mysterious height above. So, Slip
ping from her high chair the little one
limped across the room and dragged her
self upon the large, broad window seat.
Here curled up comfortably she sat,
quietly indifferent to all things save the
beautiful snow gradually piling itself on
the sill outside her window. What was it
that presently made the blue eyes open
wider and fill them with kind of sorrow
full surprise? Only the sight of a poor,
scantily-clothed woman, who paused in
her wanderings to look up at the sweet
child face pressed against the pane. Little
Nav did not know much of the discOm-
forts of this life, nor of poverty and woe
1,fI al to,
dcrlv guarded that even her infirmity was
of little consequence to her, 50 ready and
anxious were others to help her in her
small desires. SO when this half-frozen
beggar looked up eagerly the child was
filled with wonder that, on this day, when
mamma, papa and others were so glad,
that poor woman was so sad and hungry
out in the cold.
"Sce mammam she exclaimed, "hcre
is poor old woman! Sail May tell hc1
tum in and eat?'
Mrs. Lee only laughed, and shook heI
head in the negative, even as she raised d
refreshing cup of warm drink to her lips
which would have warmed the shivering
soul outside SO gratefully. Then May
crept to her mothers side. Mamma, is
that woman any little dirls mamma, like
you is my mammal"
"What strange question, childn' re
piled Mrs. Lee, tenderly laying her hand
on Mays golden hair. The child looked
puzzled, but asked no more questions, and
her presence for brief space was forgot
ten us the company mcrrily chatted on.
Meanwhile what was little May doing
creeping so silently about the floor close
by the table? Simply filling her little
apron with crumbs which in goodly num-
hers had dropped from the rich mans
table" Dear child! Rapidly her little
fingers worked until she could find nc
more, and then, with the insignificant re.
suit of her efforts, she rose and limped
again to the window seat. Outside tho
woman still waited, and May, her face
shining with joy, pointed to her apron
carefully gathered in one little hand, and
tried to lift the heavy window. Ther
Mrs Lee and her friends noticed the mo
ton with SURPRISE and the lady callet
her child to come 10 her. What in the
world are you doing, May?" she asked
How can l describe the happy little voice
which replied: 'FDiving~ the poor woman
some Thanksgiving Day, mamma! See
Mays dot tr,m1sfor her, 'tause dere was
nosing else tospare, you know, mammaH
What a pang of selfreproach entered
that mothers heart as her darling spoke
because thepe. was nothing else tc
spare!' And her table loaded with foot
beyond their ,fequirements! Dear little
May! blessed Little comforter, who
would have given crumbs of comfort i
nothing mofe to the needy life without
It is hardly necessaryto tell the result o
it all. But we may be sure the beggal
was allowed to taste of part of that gae
Thanksgiving dinner; nor did she know
] poor woman, how securely locked iron