The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-11-23

Every moments q mint that Is coming your life;
Then be sure before action, your conscience obey
And You'll rise as you conquer amid the worlds
strife.
And this rule youwill bless as the best in your
Never make false motion if you would sue
-Atrman d. Richardson, in Danoury Wees.
DOLLY'S LAST NIGHT.
The clock in the warm, bright kitchen
was striking nine not nine in the morn.
ing, but nine in the evening, which is a
very different thing, as the old clock
seemed to know. for it counted off the
chime with a soft, sleepy roll, as if bent
upoa making the least possible disturb
ance.
Dolly put the cookies into the deep tin
box that mad held thousands of such dain-
ties in its day, set tho lid a-tilt upon the
edge, gave glance of satisfaction at the
great loaves pseping out from the white
cloth that covered them, the row of pies
on the shelf below, and the plump chick
ems trussed up socially on the platter, and
then came out from the pantry and shut
the door upon the savory smells. Dolly
was not beauty, but she had clear,
fresh face, and was full of health and
vigor and content. She was a model
housekeeper, too, as the old clock could
have testified, and this was the first time
it had been called upon to countenance
such irregular doings as the turning of
night into day. But this was the night
before Thanksgiving, and when one is
cook, chambermaid, housekeeper and mis-
tress of the manse, she certainly has a
right to regulate her own days in spite of
the almanac
Yes, and nurse beside; for on
the lounge lay Dolly's mother, not
exactly sick, but weak from long fever
that had left her ankles 80 swollen and
painful that she could not walk step
without assistance. Bess and Johnny had
been away through it all, but now their
father had gone for them, and early in
the morning they would reach home-the
pleasant prairie home, with its broad.
boundless fields, from which they OK
pectcd some day to reap fortune.
The lounge was in the kitchen, for the
Marshalls cared good deal more for COM
fort than ceremony, and Dolly's kitchen,
with its clean, yellow floor, bright rugs,
white table, and window full of growing
plants, was famous place for comfort
hope you are through at last" said
Mrs. Marshall, looking up sleepily at
Dolly.
~ all but the candy, and that'll not
take long, said Dolly, cheerily.
For PHYS sake, do let the candy go !;
the children are just as we'll off without il. >"
Oh, but l promised Johnny I'd have
some for him, and it wouldn't seem like
Thanksgiving without it. The nuts are
all cracked, and I'll sit here and pick out
the goodies while the molasses boils," and
Dolly whisked out the clean iron skillet.
and poured the molasses in so quickly her
mother could only say: you'll kill
yourself working 80 hard, and what good
do you think that will do the children ?'
"Choog! choog!' said the molsSses in
its hurry to get out of the jug, and Dolly
smiled as she coaxed it to make less haste
and more speed.
Pm tough as pine knot" she said,
merrily; g but if l were really going to
die l should like to have the children say,
She always tried to help us have good
times, and the very last night she was
here she made US some candy"
There was foolish little moisture in
Dolly's eyes, as she dropped into the low
cushioned chair, the same old creaky
chair in which her mother had rocked
her when she was baby, and in which
she herself had rocked Bess and Johnny
scores of times. She was very tired, now
that she came to sitdown and think about
it, and her little speech Weakened sort of
gan to fancy what they would all do with
out her, but just at that point the mo-
lasses made sudden rush for the top of
the skillet, and put an end to her musing
Mrs. Marshall reused up little also.
1t seems 50 strange to have Thanks
giving come without flake of snow!
Joel says it is as dry as midsummer, too
l never feel easy about the stacks until
there's good fall of snow"
Joel is very careful" suggested Dolly,
and father plowed good strip around
the stacks before he went away
Yes, l know. But what good would
few burrows do against a prairie fire
such time as this?''
Then well hope the Lordll not let q
fire start in such time as this" and
Dolly seized her boiling strip at the pre-
else moment of crisPiness, poured it over
the plump white, kernels spread thickly
in the shallow pans, and set the whole to
cool in the back kitchen.
When everything was tidy, and Dolly
was ready tohelp her mother TO bed the
old clock ventured to remark, in the same
soft purr. as before, that, it only lacked two
hours to midnight; to which Dolly smil-
ingly answered that Thanksgiving only
came once asyea. gE&E - ! :.
How the colss stamp, :" said Dolly. :"
wonder if Joel could have forgotten to "
ter them before he went hone."&
"Joel ought not to have gone home"
said her mother. ut isn't right for two
lone women to be left with no neighbors
within mile. Are you sure the fire is
all right, DollyAs seems to me there's q
smoky smell inihere." =,
"It's the molssses, I dropped a little
on the stove but Ill 60 out and see that
all is right after you are in bed, and then
we shah both feel better"
Dolly went without her lamp, and as
she passed the hall window she caught
sight of dull red glow down against the
dark horison. In another instant she
stood outside, her rosy colo. all .blanched
at sight of th4s6res SWEEPING down the
prairie on those swift, Terrible wings Acf
the west wind. For an instant she was
dizzy and confused with terror at the
thought of her Utter helplessness, then, Is
If voice had repeated it to her, she re
called the verse she had read that morn
ing. Wat ti1H " am afraid I soiH trust
IN 1hee," and, with silent prayer for
help, she went back to her mother. -
The prairie is ene fifc," she said, try
ing to speak quietly.
Her mother sprang from the bed, and
sank down almost fainting from pain.
20 Dolly!'' sic gasped, 1--WE shall die
here all alone.''
IN make a good fight first said
Dolly, bravely. 81 must 90 and do what
l can, and you must wait here and prau-
Only perhaps yon-. he'd better get your
ololhsS on again, in case Of the worst
Dolly th1ow SOME heavy ahawis upon