Middletown transcript., 1877-09-01
SeIett gtorp.
CYRUS FORD'S TEMPTATION.
A THANKSGIVING STORY.

you'll be expecting company to
day, sir?9
Simon Clayton looked over the top
of the newspaper he was reading, to
see his housekeeper waiting for an
answer.
@Why today he said; in surly
tone, as if annoyed at the interruption.
"Why to-day, more than any other
day? Do 1 ever have company p
"But it is Thanksgiving Day, sir,
and most folks have their kin around
them, or perhaps you are going out
amongst your own relatives ?"
"No! l have no KIM There is no
relative Of mine with whom | break
bread either on this day or any other"
The newspaper screen came between
the master Of the house and the old
housekeeper once more, but it could
not quite shut from his ears the muir
mur of the good woman, as she left the
room:
@Dear, dear / What a pity And
so rich, too Y
Simon Clayton was reused from
thought by knock at the door, and
in answer to his "Come in, lad en-
tered carrying letter. It was brief
letter, scarcely more than a note, read
ing:
"DEAR SIMON: | am dying, and /
may call you 50 now, viii you give a
helping hand to my son who will bring
this to you after / have left this world.
Five children lay beside my husband
in the churchyard, but my youngest,
Cyrus, my only one, sits beside me
while | write. We have scarcely
enough of worldly wealth to save me
from a pauper's grave, and send my
son to you but by our old love, Simon,
l implOre you to help him to obtain an
honest employment. / have been a
true wife and a good mother, as far as
I could, Simon, yet ON my deathbed |
know that my only love was given to
you when they parted us, and will, be
yours if we meet in another world.
MINNIE"
There was deep silence.in the room
as Simon Clayton read the letter, and
he was forced to wait many minutes
before his voice would obey him to
ask: @Your mother is dead y
"She died in the summer, sir"
"Why have you waited 50 long to
come to me?"
st took all we had to pay our debts
and the funeral expenses, and | had to
work to earn my travelling money to
come from Illinois"
"You want employment now p
7 shall be very grateful, sir, if you
will help me to find work"
To-day is a holiday. You will be
my guest for the present, and will
see what I can do for you"
AS Simon Clayton spoke, he reached
out his hand and touched a bell upon
the table.near him. His housekeeper
answered the summons.
"You see | have company, Mrs.
Grey" he said, and the housekeeper
wondered at the change in his face and
voice, lacking all severity, yet 50 sad.
'fYou will have room made COM
Portable for Mr.. Ford"
The woman courtesied and was gone,
and Simon questioned his young guest.
His eyes we're misty more than once
over the straightforward story of priya-
ton the boy told, his evident devotion
to his mother, who had been widowed
when he was a baby. 1t was not diff
cult to see that the boy, ground down
by poverty, had yet craving for edu-
cation, and had profted by ali his
mother could teach him. His very
touch upon the books on the table, his
eyes, when they rested upon the we'll
filled bookcase, told the brain hunger
better than spoken words. So before
Mrs. Grey called them to dinner, Simon
Clayton was planning the lads future
as his adopted son.
True Thanksgiving fare the kind
hearted housekeeper had prepared for
the unexpected guest, and Simon Clay
toms heart was nearer thankful prayer
than it had been for many long years,
as he looked at the bright, grateful
face opposite to him, and knew Min
nie's child looked up to him for kind
ness and protection.
Before week had passed the lad