The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1877-12-13
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Miss Jane fluch was lonely TIC sen'
ss,ioa was 80 odd one, and she was Al 3
loss What 10 do with L. She hsd lived
/ Cor htieen years . solitary life, bad prld.
ed berself for decade and half on be-
I Ing Independent OF aud Indifferent 10 The
rest Of the great hamAu family, and now
she grew suddenly weary Of her self.im-
posed soliinde. II might be because Il
was Thanksgiving week, aud everybody
about her was 80 busy and bustliDg and
happy, or il might be from many other
reasons; but whatever the cause, the
| fact remains that, on s certain sunny
morning in November, Mics Finch Awoke
to the knowledge that her condition was
not TO be cuvied.
Ia vain she tried TO argue herself back
inio her old rehabilitation. !, was jus.
as true now as Il was yesterday that ber
brother James had married SArsh Jones
IA girl she thought she bad good reason
to hate; but, someway, there was no
/ pleasure 10 be gained from comparing
their poverty with her riches
A monster turkey was just being
brought into ber next door neighbor's
II reminded her that the following day
was Thanksgiving, and also reminded
her that she had yet to provide herself
with the culinary wherewilhal without
which no Thanksgiving dinner might be
properly celebrated.
lilalways made Miss Finch's face burn
TO think Of Captain Abel Jones-first
cousin TO her obnoxious sister.in.law
Long ago when she was in her teens,
they had been lovers, and every body
knew that, as soon as he got his ship,
Abel Jones and Jenny Finch were TO be
man and wife; bat one evening she ran
over to sarah's (hey had once been DO.
som friends), and hearing voices in the
parlor, had stopped moment to diseoy-
er who was there. In that moment she
bad seen Miss Sarah crying as ii her
heart would break, with her head on Mr.
Abefs 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 just the same to him as dear
sister, Miss Finch grew righteously in.
dignant; yet she was just--yery just in
deed she would not Judge them on this
evidence, although to most any one il
would have been proof enough Of a very
disagreeabe fact; but she would wait,
aud see how their conversation accorded
with their position. So she waited.
Don't cry, said Mr.. Abel Jones plead
ingly, am sure | can fix il all right.
She isn't nearly so fond of me as you
think; and you know, Sarah, how dear
you are TO her. III break it to her gent.
ly, and Pm sure she'll give me up of her
own accord.
Now, Miss Finch hadn't jealous ma
ture, not at all but the most unsuspi-
cious idiot in the universe could not have
misunderstood that speech II was very
evident he wanted to be free from her.
So she stole gently out, without letting
them know of her presence, walked home
at railroad speed, and, with a very prop
er self-respect, Immediately tied up his
picture, his few presents and his fewer
letters, and sent them back to him with
the pretty falsehood that she found she
didn't like him well enough TO marry
him, and should be obliged If he would
release her from the engagement.
She didn't propose to be Tilted by him
and she wasn't.
Then she went off on visit, staid two
months, and came home 10 find her
brother 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 aud urged. But
! pride prevented her giving him the one
fact of which she had become possessed
and SO the two were married, and she
took her fortune Cleft her by her fathers
only sister) and herself 10 another town
gradually withdrew herself more apC
more from The world, until, at twenty
six, she was confirmed misanthrope
seeing no one.
This sort OF existence she had kept W
until the time our story opens.
Why Sarah Jones married James Fincl
aud why Abel Jones was still bachelor
sea captain, were mysteries she did no
trouble herself 10 explain. Snre Of theil
treschery, what mattered it to her how
they spent their liyess
To-day Miss Finch, 10 thinking ovel
her past, acknowledged TO herself for the
fret time that she might have been hasty
not so far IS the stslwart sailor was con
cerned, but about her brother.
don't suppose ! ought 10 have expect
ed him to give mp his sweetheart wiLbon
any reason, she thought. wouldn'
have done II myself. believe I'll sent
them good Thanksgiving dinner. From
all | can hear, they ain't able 10 do muci
In that line for themselves; aud with /
sudden twinge Of conscience, The mor'
acute from being unusual, Miss Finei
hurried on her bonnet aud shawl, AnC
started OF to market.
Oh, The marvellous purchases she made
Pumpkins, snd cF2aberfies, and turkeys
aud chickens, and barrels Of potatoes
onions, sppies, -four and everything els'
In that eating liue that could be desired
l'll give 'em Thanksgiving that vii
LAST the winter, she sald, grimly; snG
then, al OF a sudden, she felt great de