The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-11-29
PATTY BRIGHT.
A Tina nkSyivinT Story.

A Thanksgiving story.
PATTY BRIGHT sat by the Kitchen
table. her elbows resting upon it and
her chin in her hands. 4 huge white
bowl of stoned rai>ins standing by her
showed what she had been doing. But
i, could be very plainly seen that Patty $
thoughts were resting on something
Very different.
The truth is :. Hard Times" was star
ing Patty in the face. and. although he
looked very ugly. Patty was staring
back at him steadily and untlinchingly.
1t was not at all necessary: for, as
far rs she was concerned. she had never
known the meaning of poverty. Fortune
had been very kind to Miss Patience
Bright. Sr.. Pxtty's only friend and
protector. Her barns were overflow
ing with plenty: her cellars stored with
fruits and vegetables: and. better still,
her money was SO carefully put away
that if all of the banks in the country
We're broken and if all of the railroads
failed it would make no possible differ
ence to Miss Patience.
So. with mind calm and serene,
Patty. ST.. moved around her kitchen.
grinding her spices and mixing her
mincemeat. But. with a mind any
thing but calm and serene, Patty, Jr.,
sat 10y the table, thinking.
Miss Patience ratified the Stoye-doors,
poked down the ashes. and banged the
shovel and tongs. Still Patty never
moved.
Bring me the eggs. child she
said. Still Patty didn't hear. SO Miss
Patience went to the cellar, brought out
Il basket of the pure white, chocolate
colorcd and speckled eggs: broke the
whites in Il big blue platter and dropped
the yelks in IL bowl: then. sitting down
10y the table. began to pile them up in
white masses by her steady strokes.
Every little while she looked up at
Patty's dreamy face and misty eyes.
Come. child" she said, at last.
you've sat there long enough. Beat
up those yelks till they foam. There 5
enough to do
Patty took up the bowl and wooden
spoon: but she moved languidly and as
if her heart We're somewhere else.
why don't you hurry?' Miss Pa
thence said, sharply. There's your
Uncle Eben coming on the five o clock
train. and Aunt Maria in the morning.
and all this cooking - be got out of
the way"
Whats the good of it all, auntie,"
Patty asked. .'bon't they get enough
to eat at homc?'
Miss Patience Redeemed with indig-
nation and dropped her fork in the
midst of the white foam.
The lands sakes.' she exclaimed.
IL guess there never was Il Bright yet
but had all he could eat, and more too!'
What do they do with the more
too?' Give it away?' Patty asked
Miss Patience looked at her suspi-
ciou>ly. ''What are you thinking
about. child?' she said. "Speak it
out
Early in the morning Patty had gone
out on an errand. and while she was
gone she had seen something which had
stirred her childish soul as nothing had
ever done before: and ever since she
came home she had been trying to
think of the best way to present Il petit
ton to Aunt Patty, and. now that the
opportunity had come of its own will,
her heart tremblcd and her spirit
failed.
But Aunt Patty was waiting, with
her fork in thessair and her eyes on Patty.
SO, with her cheeks burning and her
voice tremulous from hope and fear,
she said:
AUNT Patty, do you remember the
Brewers?''
.'Shiftless set!' she said, setting hel
lips very firmly and beating her eggs
more tiercely than ever.
They may be shiftless, aunt; but
know They're hungry" said Patty, wax
ing bolder.
'.Hungry, in this land of plentyr
said Aunt Patty, CONTEMPORARY. "ft
like to know what put such nonsense
in your head. How did you happen t.
see them, anyway"
I'm tell you all about it, said Pat
tv, feeling Drawer every minute. 81
was going by this morning to tell Mar,
Jane to come up in the morning an(
pick the turkeys, when Mamie Brewer
Knocked on the window and beckonet
to me to come in. And, auntle,
You'll believe it, she sat in the rocking
chair, with an old bed-quilt around he
and hardly a speck of fire in the stove
wanted to put some wood in; but sh'
looked so nervous and said no. Thel
she asked me to 60 to the closet AM
bring her glass of water. l cOuldn'
help looking around, auntie; and Their
was only half Of loaf of bread on
plate, and the least little scrap of but
ter in broken tea-cup. Itook her tn
water; but l felt every minute as if
should cry, she looked SO white an,
hungry. Then she asked me to o,
down the cellar and see if her kite,
was there. 1t took me good while t,
find the kitten; and, Aunt Patty, Their
wasn't thing in that cellar to eat, bu
few potatoes and beans and littl
piece of pork-not one can of fruit o
an apple. / couldn't say word t
Mamie when 1 came up, l had such
big lump in my throat. So just pu
her kitten in her lap and ran. And
couldn't help thinking, Aunt Patty
that we might just as well send ther
enough to last 'em a week. And what
Thanksgiving good for, if you can
make other people have it, too"'
Patty stopped, trembling and e,
cited with her long speech, and locke
eagerly at Aunt Patty.
But, if she expected her to thrO,