The star. (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1874-1875, 1875-04-02
GORDON DOANE'S THANKSGIVING.

Onlce without me To-Day, Marry" Salu
Gordon Doane, buttoning up his over
getting about again tor weeks, perhaps
months, and must see about tenement
property. 1 wish was we'll rid Of it,"
"Money-sinking, sir9' asked his
nephew.
| yves, and troublesome. would have
sold it off long ago, but" and the gen.
tleman hesitated.
Mrs. Everett, his sister and Harry's
mother, spoke for him.
"But you thought harsher landlord.
while he made more money, would bring
still more misery into those crowded
houses. Have not guessed right, Cor
don!'
"You are always right" was the fond
reply. sit is now two months since my
agent has been ill, and there has been no
demand made for rent, so it is fully time
for me to see about the matter. 1t will
be hard winter for the poor, and wish
to judge Of some OF my tenants wants
myself. BY the way, Harry, In making
up the bank money to-day, leave out
| five hundred dollars. Tomorrow is
Thanksgiving, and the clerks and sales
men are to have good dinner, as well
as every employe OF Doane Co., and l
want to send donation to the soup
house,"
"All right, sir. By the way, Uncle
| Gordon, don't spend all the rent you col
lect upon turkeys for your tenants. And
take care of your heart, for have no
doubt there are plenty of pretty seam
stresses and milliners in Flyaway
| Court"
"My heart is such an old fossil, it Is
we'll protected. l should not care to
trust you, now, but you need not fear for
me-"
Then he was gone, and Harry, look
ing rather wisttully after him, SAID.
'lt is odd, mother, so soft and warm a
heart as Uncle Gordon's has found no
partner. He is over fifty is he notw
"Just fifty. will tell you his love
story, but you must never refer 10 it, for
he does not guess l know it. He was
about nineteen when Rev. James Apple
ton came to Millhayen, our country
home, and brought one child, his daugh-
| ter, May. She was fair, sweet girl OF
sixteen, educated in city seminary, and
more refined and gentle than the country
girls around lis. L was engaged myself
| to your father, and it may be my own
| love made me quick to read Gordon's.
| But from the first it seemed hopeless
affection. We were orphans, with a
very small farm, and as poor as we could
| be and escape starvation. When mar
| ried, Gordon came to the city after SELL
ing the farm, and giving half the pro-
ceeds to me. knew he came to work
for May. knew he would never ask
her to share poverty and toll, and sor-
rowed deeply when she married young
theological student, a friend of her faith
ers. She went from Millhaven, after
her marriage with Thaddeus Moore, and
| | never heard of her again. Ii was many
years later when your fathers death
| threw me again upon the world, poor
and grief-stricken, that Gordon sent for
me TO keep house for him. l came gladly,
though / did not know till long after
wards that this house was bought and
furnished expressly to be home for me
and for you. What kindness we have
met with here, you know as we'll as do.
But your uncle told me only once that
need never fear being left homeless. He
said he would never marry, but it such
a remote possibility did happen, this
house was secured to me for life. /
knew then that the love of his boyhood
had been the love of his life. Absorbed
in business he has gained great wealth,
but his heart las never hardened in
prosperity"
"Do YOU think May Appleton guessed
his loveW
81 know she did not. We were close
1 IIlCuuS dlUGE 0OluOu lClt uOhiC, anu
though she liked him well, she never
knew he loved her. She was engaged to
Thad deus Moore before she came
amongst u.s."
"It is pretty story, mother. But l
must he oil, if / am to be alone in the
Office"
In the hours that followed, Gordon
Doane, with his agents lists in his
hands, was busily employed visiting his
tenants in Flyaway Court. 1t consisted
of double row of small houses facing
each other, in a court leading from one
of the main streets of the city. Some of
these houses, in goodrepair, were inhab-
tied by only one or two families, others
were crowded with poorer class OF me-
chanics.
But though there was poverty and la.
Dor represented there, Flyaway Court
had not yet sunk to the level of crime.
Suffering met the landlord in many an
honest home where want OF employment
tied the bread-winner's hands, but there
was no insult for him, no complaint
against his just demands; And If the
prayers of gratitude may help TO watt a
soul heavenward, Gordon Doane's name
went up from many lightened heart
that day toward that bourne.
With his generous impulses he was
|judicious and thoughtful, and while he
lextended present help to many de.
lspairing heart, he also took list Of
names for future work he hoped to pro-
cure or provide.
The long forenoon was nearly over
when the landlord knocked at the door
OF ''73," second floor. Upon his list this
floor was noted, 'Mr. Moore, mother and
sister," and opposite the name ''punct.
lual." 1t was neat house, and when
the door OF the sitting.room was opened
the landlord saw at once that the ten.
ants here were people of refinement
even if poverty compelled them to sci
up their Lares and Penates in Flyaway
Court.
il An open piano, few choice plants; q
canary in gilded cage, bookcase o1
} lwell-selected volumes, and some mex
pensive but tasteful ornaments, relieved
the simple furniture. The ingram car
!; pet was of soft, pretty colors, and the
!, curtains white as milk.
A young girl, about nineteen, in 9
simple dress of blue woolen, had opened
, the door, and waited to hear the stran
! gers business.
: 81 am Gordon Doane," he said to her
"the owner of these houses. My agent
Mr.. Smith, is seriously i'll from fall
: and can not attend to business for me
so l have to come myself"
But while be spoke the color came and
| Ia tc han IN nj