The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1877-12-08
ON WITH The OLD LOVE.
A Thanksgiving Story

Miss Jane Finch was lonely; the sen
sation was an odd one, and she was at :
loss what to do with it. She had liyec
for fifteen years solitary life, had prid
ed herself for decade and half on be
ing Independent of and Indifferent to the
rest of the great human family, and now
she grew suddenly weary of her self-im
posed solitude. 1t might be because il
was Thanksgiving week, and everybody
about her was 50 busy and bustling and
happy, or it might be from many other
reasons; but whatever the cause, the fact
remains that, on a certain sunny morn
in November, Miss Finch awoke to the
knowledge that her condition was not tc
be envied
In vain she tried to argue herself bacl
into her old dissatisfaction. 1t was lust
as true now as it was yesterday that hel
brother James had married Sarah Jone.
"a girl she thought she had good reason
to hate; but, someway, there was nc
pleasure to be gained from comparing
their poverty wlthher riches.
\ monster turkey was just being
brought into her next door neighbours 5;
it reminded her that the next day was
Thanksgiving and also reminded her
that she had yet to provide herself with
the culinary wherewithal without which
no Thanksgiving dinner might be prop
erly celebrated
1t railways made Miss Finch's face burn
To think of Captain Abel Jones-frst
cousin to her obnoxious sister-in-law
Long ago, when she was in her teens
they had been lovers, and everybody
knew that, as soon as he got his shin
Abel Jones and Jenny Finch were to be
man and wife; but one evening she ran
over to Sarah's (they had once been
bosom friends and hearing voices in the
parlor, had stopped Il moment to discover
who was there In that moment she haC
seen Miss Sarah crying as if her heart
would break, with her head on Mr.. Abel:
shoulder.
Quite ignoring the fact that these two
had been brought up together, and thai
Sarah was Just the same to him as dear
sister, Miss Finch grew righteously in
dignant; yet she was just-very lust in
deed. she would not judge then on thi,
evidence, although to most any one il
would have been proof enough of a verv
disagreeable fact; but she would wait
and see how their conversation accorded
with their position So she waited.
Don't cry said Mr.. Abel Jones,
pleadingly Il am sure / can fix it ali
right. She isn't nearly so fond of me as
you think; and you know, Sarah, how
dear 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 a Jealous ma
ture, not at ALL but the most unsuspi-
clous idiot in the universe could not have
misunderstood that speech. 1t was very
evident he wanted to be free from her.
30 she stole gently out, without letting
them know of her presence, walked home
At railroad speed, and, with very pro
per 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' propose to be Tilted bv him
and she wasn't
Then She went OF on visit, stad two
months, and came home to find hel
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 a perfect woman
She begged, pleaded and urged. But
pride prevented her giving him the one
fact of which she had become possessed
and 50 the two were married. and she
took her fortune Cleft her by her father,
only sister, and herself to another town
gradually withdrew herself more and
more from the world, until, at twenty
six, she was a confirmed misanthrope
seeing no one.
This sort of existence she had kept III
until the time our story opens.
Why Sarah Jones married James
Finch. and why Abel Jones was still a
bachelor sea 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
nasty; not 80 far as the stalwart sailor
was concerned, but about her brother
i don't suppose ! ought to have ex.
pected him to give up his sweetheart
without any reason she thought. q
wouldn't have done it myself. | believe
I'll send them good Thanksgiving din
ner. From all | can hear. they amt
able to do much in that line for them
selves; and with sudden twinge of
onSclenee, the more acute from beinr
unnSnat Mis- L|.naI
bonnet and shawl, and started off to
market.
On, the marvellous purchases she made!
umpSihS, ana Gran berries, and turkeys,
ana chickens, and barrels of potatoes.
onions, apples, -four and everything else
in the eating line that could 5e desired
I'D give 'em Thanksgiving that
will last the winter, she said, rrimly
and then, all of a sudden, she felt a great
desire t. partake of the good things She
had generously provided.
: I've good mind to 60 down and eat
dinner with 'em. don't know a. I'll be
welcome, but they can't do more than
shut the door in my face. | believe I'll
try II, any way. james and | are the
only ones left, and | don't think it is
right we should live any longer in this
way. According to all accounts, Sarah's
been a good wife.
And SO that night Miss Finch started
off for visitto her brothers.
James Finch looked forward to Thanks
giving day with no great pleasure
Captain Abel Jones had just returned
from a voyage to the Indies, and as was
his custom, repaired Immediately to the
home of his cousin Sarah there 10 re-