Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-12-01
Che family Circle.
t.randpa'S story.

Tie LONG, urrtrV DAYS hlVe CONE, and
the naked trees and the whi-tlnr wind
bat moan forth the drcarv answer th,t
winter. Christmas, and al the JOYS of Win
try days are come: bat with them hand in
hand come the pleasing thoughts of
Thanks giving day. The Thanksgiving
day, instituted by our Puritrn fathers.
when they landed safely on this cold and
barren ntincnt, is always associated with
the thoughts of roasted turkeys, plum-mil-
dinr~, and. above all. that GOOD oll-f.t>l-
ion .'punhin pie. and Il hearty and wei
come cheer for AL. What visions are
floating before the eyes OF the children:
the lough-nut>, swcet-meItS and candles
that loom up before their cncllln'el Wis
ions are drcamS thtt all have realized, and
they know mother does not dare to refuse
them. because there, companv Bat 70
my tale.
Far away in New En4lanl. stands an
old wra;her-btltrn ami Old fashioned
farmhouse. Is stately pines tower mt
ie>ticaily before lis brown. paihtle~s front.
and the lcatic>S r"se-busil. the creeping
vines around the door, borelt Of their >um-
Nor blossoms and their leaves. and the
mournfu! whi~tlin- Of the cold winds
through the dark pines, b"trly that the
wintry winds ave soon to bring the colder
SHOWS. The lon@, low porch in front, the
>lopin- an projecting caves beneath
which coo the pigeons, and the large and
spacious chimney sending forth its vol
,lmcs of smoke. are Indicative of comfort
and warmth. Within is good cheer, peace,
and plenty. Tile long shadows of even
in. casting Il ,omhtr culoriny on the
scene, and the slowly setting sun, expand
/ IN, .nt
proachc~. soon night cuvrlop> the earth.
ana ihro 1gh tn. win lows of the oil home
stead are seen lights :littins here and
there. The oil chimney roar~ with il
wOntcd "lrc, AMI the cUriing smoke goes
dancing up and out of th, chimney. soon
! the table Is cleared after the evening meal.
and all gather round the Fireplace whose
heat is 20 welcome these cool NIGHTS.
/ GranIp, sits in his old armchair. with a
smile playing on his wrinklcd face, while
the chair of Grandma is vacant-lun@
years AGO she passed away.
The father. and the mother. and little
daughter Lilly, who>e kind AMI gentle
WAYS make all t. love her. cOmrlttc the
family circle.
The old nran tells Lily. who * lazilv
resting her heal between her hands and
her elbows upon his knees and gazing
>milingly up in the good mln's face. thtt
/ tomorrow VIII be- Thanksgiving. Why
grandpa.' he exclaimed. " I'm 50 glad
Won told mo. I'll almost forgotten it. DO
tell me that story You promised me-. Iou
said YOU would tell ne one this EVENING"
Well child. slowly and rchectinglv re-
piled the old man, Il wi!l.' Then the
old man, having cirrr>Scl her dark ring
lets, related the following tale:
Years ago, when al! the land was full
of the wars Of the Revolution - Full of
WhH grandpa?" The wars of the Rcvo-
luton, and all We're thinking about their
homes, and how they might save them
;he good old Thlnk> giving came around
jnSt rs it does now; only people, | think.
thought more of it then than they do now
Well, grandma and |. with some of the
rest OF the nrighbors, went over to the Old
log mcetin@-hnuse to attend church, Ar
irving at the church with goodly num-
Der we all sat down in our seats The
seats then WAS not as easy and comfortable
as they are now, but We're rough imp 'int"'l
boards. placed upon wooden PEGS. II hen
we came we AL brought our gun>-thif i.
the men and big bny>-anI these we held
by the nozzle during meeting. like an old
man, when sitting down, holds his cane
for support. 1t was cold winlry day,
and many Il sharp blast ratified the loot
window pancs.
" But the minister began. His text was,
e" Come before the Lord with tll,nksgiv-
ing" We all set quietly listening. and
many a heart went up in thankfIlneSs be
fore its Creator. .Ju>t about the middle Of
the sermon, when all WAS still. except the
rtttling of thu. windows and the voice of
.
anl bullet, came whizzing through the
window. The women and children
>hricked, and the minister cut short hi
sermon. The men and boys rushed out to
see what WAS the matter. and before We
could oct on. other shots ratified against
the side of the house. When we got out
we saw about twenty British soldiers all in
huddle
I'VE expected to b I'LL >ho; down because
there We're 20 few OF US: bat we all re-
treated into the church and fired through
the windows. The first two or three shots
soon scattered them. and then we all
rasheI out and pursued them. We wound
ed two or three of them, but they all man
aged to ape except on"
Did vou kill him." Interrupted Lilly.
No, we did not. bat kindly cared for
him. We chased them until they were AL
out Of sight, and then took our wives and
children home. But whit do YOU think.
Lilly?'
IVY. don't know what" ,bStrtctel-
ly answered Lilly.
When | Cal e to my house, resumed
grandpa. - it was all burned to the ground.
We saved nothing ut all. and gran.!ma
had to 90 TO some of the neig!lboro' houses.
and wait until We could build another
honsc. The wounic British solder va,
vel tended to until we could send him TO
his friends. | have never forgotten
that eventful Thanksgiving day. AM !
don't think l ever SHALL
wy, what did You do with the hou,e
! grandpa, when ii was burned down. ia