The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-11-22
Gordon Doane's Thanksgiving.

" You will have to get along at the
office without me to-day, Harry" said
Gordon Doane, buttoning ND his over
coat; " there Is no prospects of Smiths
getting about again for weeks, perhaps
months, and must see about that tene-
ment property. | wish | was well rid
of it."
Money-sinking, sir?" asked his
nephew.
=" Yes, and troublesome; would have
sold 1T off long ago, but" And the
gentleman hesitated.
Mrs. Everett, his sister, and Harry's
mother spoke for him.
But you thought harsher landlord
while he made more money, would bring
still more misery into those crowded
houses. Have | not guessed right Cor
DOM"
You are always right" was the fond
reply. 1t Is now two months since my
agent has been i'll, and there has been
no demand made for rent, so it is fully
time for me to see about the matter. 1t
Will be hard winter for the poor, and |
wish to Judge some of NV tenants wants
myself. BY the way, HAIRY, in making
up the bank money to-day, leave out five
hundred dollars. Tomorrow is Thanks
giving, and the clerks and statesmen are
TO have good dinner, as well as every
employe of Doane x Co, and | want to
send donation to the soup house.
All right, sir. BY the way, Uncle
Gordon, don't spend all the rent YOU col
lect upon turkeys for your tenants.
And tak e care of your heart, for l have
no doubt there are plenty of pretty seam
stresses and milliners in Flyaway court.
My heart is such an old fossil, it is
well protected. | should not care to
trust you, now, but you need not fear
for me-"
Then he was gone, and Harry, looking
rather wistfully after him, said:
1t IS odd, mother, SO soft and warm
heart as Uncle Gordon's has found no
partner. He is over fifty, is he not?"
Just fifty. l will tell you his love
story, but you must never refer to it.
tie was about twenty when the Rev.
James Appleton came 10 Millhaven, our
country home, and brought one child
his daughter, May. She was a fair
sweet girl OF sixteen, educated in city
seminary, and more refined and gentle
than the country girls around us. / was
engaged myself to your father and il NAV
nave been my own love that made me
quick to read Gordon's But from the
hrst 1t seemed hopeless affection. We
were orphans, with very small farm,
ana as poor rs we could be and escape
starvation. When | married, Gordon !
came to the city, after selling the farm
and giving half the proceeds t. me. | .
knew he came to work for MAY. knew
that he would never ask her to share
poverty and toll, and | sorrowed deeply .
when she married a Young theolooicaI
student, friend of her fathers. She A.
went from Mlllhaven after her marriage
with Ihaddeus Moore, and never heard .
OF her again. 1t was many years later
when your fathers death threw me again
upon the world, poor and grief-stricken, .
that Gordon sent for me to keep house
Tor him. | came, gladly, though | did
not know till long afterward that this
house was bought and furnished ex-
preSsly TO De home for me and for YOU.
What kindness we have met here. Won
know rs well As | do. But your uncle
told me only once that | need never fear
being lett homeless. He said he would
never marry, but if such remote pos
slblllty did happen, this house was Sc
cured to me for life. ] knew then that
the love of his boyhood had been the
love OF his life. Absorbed in business. /
he has gained great wealth, but his heart
has never hardened in prosperity"
Do you think May Appletree guessed
his loves"
d" know she did not. We were close
friends after Gordon left home, and
though she liked him well, she never
knew nc loved her. She was engaged To
Thaddeus Moore before she came amongst
us"
at is 4 pretty story mother. But /
must be off, if / am to be alone in the
Office"
In the hours that followed, Gordon
Doane, with his agents lists in his hands. .
was busily employed visiting his tenants
IN tlyaway court. 1t consisted of small .
houses, facing each other, in court lead .
ing from one of the main streets of the
city. Some of these houses in good re-
palr. were inhabited by only one or two
idmllles, Others were crowded with a
poorer class of mechanics.
But though there were poverty and
labor represented there, Flvawav court
had not yet sunk TO the level of crime.
Suffering met the landlord in MANY an
honest home where want of employment
tied the bread-winners hands, but there
was no insult for him, no complaint
against his just demands. And if the .
prayers of gratitude may help TO watt