The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-11-16
ON WITH THE OLD LOVE.
a Thanksgiving story.

~ thhuhsSiNfhS ceofy'
Miss Jane Finch was lonely; the n
sation was an odd one, and she was at
Eoss what to do with it. She had lived
far fifteen years solitary life, had
rrided herself for decade and half
on being independent of and Indifferent
To the rest of the great human family,
ssnd now she grew suddenly weary of
her seif-imposed solitude. 1t might be
because it was Thanksgiving week, and
everybody about her was so busy and
busting and happy, or it might be from
many other reasons but, whatever the
ScScse, the fact remains that, on certain
sunny morning in November, Miss Finch
awoke to the knowledge that her condi-
ton was not to be envied.
In vain she tried to argue herself
back into her old dissatisfaction. 1t
wss just as true now as it was yesterday
that der brother James had married Sa-
nah Jones-a girl she thought she had
good reason to hate but, someway,
tnere was no pleasure to be gained from
comparing their poverty with her riches.
She tried to WOO back her old content,
Wy thinking of the seven little Finches
who could be so well-dressed, so we'll
educated, and so altogether comfortable
with her money, and soho shouLd neUer
get a cent of It. But this, contrary to
sh past experience, only had the effect
Of making her feel more uncomfortable
than before. She tried to picture the
cod Womans Home" she was going to
>endow but the great, massive piece of
architecture brought with it no consola-
Gon whatever
A monster turkey was just being
brought into her neXt-door neighbours.
1t reminded her that the following day
was Thanksgiving, and also reminded
her Chat she had yet to provide herself
with the culinary wherewithal without
which no Thanksgiving day might be
properly celebrated for Miss Finch was
Massachusetts, woman, and not once,
IN all her fifteen years of social exile,
had she failed in the outward observance
nj CHS holiday.
IL always made Miss Finchs face
ourn to think of Capt. Abel Jones'
first cousin to her obnoxious sister-in-
aaw. Long ago, when she was in her
nEeene, they had been lovers, and every
body knew that, as soon as he got his
ship, Abel Jones ard Jenny Finch were
to be man and wife, but one evening
she ran over to Sarah's (they had once
1been bosom friends), and hearing voices
an the parlor had stopped moment to
discover who was there. In that mo-
eneut she had seen Miss Sarah crying, as
&c her heart would break, with her head
on Mr. Abel's shoulder.
Quite ignoring the fact that these two
had been brought up together, and that
Abel had time and again told her that
Sarah was ust the same to him as
dear sister Miss Finch grew righteously
indignant; yet she was just-very Just,
indeed she would not Judge them on
&his evidence, although to most any one
It would hive been proof enough of
very disagreeable fact but she would
ywait ana see how their conversation ac-
con3od with their position. So she
Sgaited.
Don't cry" said Mr.. Abel Jones,
p4eadingly. II am sure / can fix it all
right. She isn't nearly so fond of me
TX you think; and you know, Sarah, how
aear you are to her. I'll break it to her
gently, and I'm sure she'll give me up
of her own accord"
Now, Miss Finch hadn't Jealous ma
&ure, not at all but the most unsus-
picious idiot in the universe couldn't
have misunderstood that speech. 1t was
very evident he wanted to be free from
her So she stole gently out without
sctfing them know of her presence,
walked home at railroad speed, and,
with very proper self-respect. imme-
diately tied up his picture, his few pres
Nnts, and his fewer letters, and sent
them back to him, with the pretty false
gheos that she found she didn't like him
weH enough to marry him, and should
be ,ablged If he would release her from
= stIe engagement.
She didnt propose to be tilted by
finland she wasn't.
Then she went off on a visit, STAYED
two months, and came home TO find her
brother james engaged to her false
friend and her false lover nowhere.
In vain she endeavored to prevent this
marriage. Her brother would not be
convinced, without absolute proof, that
Sarah Jones was not perfect woman.
She begged, pleaded and urged. But
pride prevented her giving him the one
TACT Of which she had become possessed,
and so the two were married, and she
took her fortune Cleft her by her fathers
ouIy sister, and herself to another town,
gradually withdrawing herself more and
more from the world, until, ut twenty
SIX. she was q confirmed misanthrope,
seeing no one.
'Klsis sort of existence she had kept up
until the time our story opens.
Why Sarah Jones married James
Finch. and why Abel Jones was still a
bachelor ea.,Captain, were.mysteries she
did not trouble herself to explain. Sure
OF their treachery, what mattered it to
her how they spent their lives |?
To-day Miss Finch, in thinking over
her past, acknowledged to herself for the
first time that she might have been hasty;
not so far as the stalwart sailor was con-
.rerrei, hut abont her brother. 10 vsso O.
sci dop's suppose L ought to have ex'
see .tuss