Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-12-02
MYSiE'S THANKSGIVING.

tIglt years Olti' uuI nave ODSerVtQ tlaL often
this is the same as to be twelve years old in
the country. Mysie hsd piano, CHECKER
ing's Grand, and she was frequently taken to
the opera; and she often was given pleasant
strolls at Goupils ard Snedicors; she had an
opera glass of her own, and she knew how to
touch her little gloved hands softly, in the
most graceful of 'Bravas!' when nilsson sang.
Her dresses were made at French Madames;
she even had two from Paris in her rosewood
wardrobe; she had lace of her very own; she
had flowers from the conservatory, whenever
she went where it was proper to carry flow
ers, and she had golden and gemmed bou-
quet-holder to hold them by.
knew what you are thinking; but it does
not follow that Mysie was any such girl.
There is nothing whatever in choice music,
choice pictures, choice flowers, or even choice
dress, to spoil children who are born well. and
are taught to live nobly and purely.
There was Mysie's sister Margaret; she had
lived twenty years in the midst of all this
music, and shining, and fragrance, and she
was not spoiled; and Mysies and Margarets
father and mother were most admirable peo-
pie.
Mrs. Moffat had brought up Margaret no6ly
and purely; and, in her turn, Margaret brought
up Mysie nobly and purely, for little Mysie
was always with her sister. Margaret wrote
beautiful poems; but let Inc whisper that it
was her little sister that was her most beauti-
full work. She took pleasure in dressing Ny
sic like the flowers. One day the little one
wore blue, and was ferget-me-not. Anoth-
er day in pink, was rose. Sometimes she
was clad in white and green, like snowdrop;
but oftenest, IN winter, she wore veivety
dahlia-like purple. At all times her manners
were good and as she never was allowed to
be fiattered by friends or servants, nor have
what she ought not, nor go where she ought
not, she was not ill-tempered, nor teasing, nor
naughty. Margaret had taught her that the
striking difference between herself and maay
other girls lay in the fact that their papa mad
more money than some other papas, and not
at all in their superiority.
This prevented Mysie from becoming vain
and conceited. But | should not wonder it
the child had some queer ideas concerning
her papa's superiority, because he could get
money while so many other papas could not.
introduce Mysie at eight years old, be-
cause the Thanksgiving Day of that year was
one of the pleasantest days of her life.
She was going in the handsomest covered
sleigh, with its soft rugs and furry robes,
drawn by a pair of black horses with silver
bells, far out into the real country, the true
Winter-land, where the lovely, downy snow
was not swept off by men with brooms and
shovels as soon as ever it come, nor what was
left blackened with street travel-the bright
Winter-land where the icicles staid, where
the wonderful, white, glittering gifts were not
in the way, and where in the dells, and on the
lowland meadows, lay thousands of beautiful
'rinks"
At the end of this snow-world ride there
was family of relatives whose little girls she
had never seen-the family of uncle George
Gratz, from Iowa, who had lately removed
back East They had arrived when Mysie,
and Margaret, and mamma were at Long
Branch. They had had contagious fever
since, and Mysie had not been taken to see
them. But last week Ellen Gratz had enclo-
sed a note within her mothers Thanksgiving
invitation, asking that Mysie might stay for
an evening party at neighboring farmers.
And now, warm as rabbit in her dahla
velvet and her ermine cloak, with a white
cashmere party dress and its rosebud belong
ings lying in the little Russia leather trunk
under the seat, Mysie, at the front with papa,
twinkled and sparkled like the crusted snow
under the sun as they sped.
Il feel just like Thanksgiving ali over;
Madge." she said looking back.
''Do you, pet? Well, it is the day set apart
for happy people like you to bubble over
bubble away"
They were soon there. They drove into
the big gate, and around to the back door.
Nobody within had seen them. Nose in air,
Mysie shifted like little dog.
1.-The whole place smells of turkey, Madg-
ette,"
Madgette smiled. Madgette had visited
in the country before.
"Well, that isn't bad SMELLS it,"
"No-o, but to think of smelling ones dinner
before one has it! They have no basement,
and they must always smell the dinner; and
if they have roses and geraniums too, how
mixed it must be.'
The prsse and poetry of life had never been
mixed for Mysie.