The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-11-16

wouldn't have done it myself. i believe
I'll send them good Thanksgiving din
ner. From all i can hear, they amt
able to do much in that line for them
selves - and with sudden twinge OF
conscience, the more acute from being
unusual, Miss Finch hurried on her
bonnet and shawl, and started off to
market.
Oh, the marvellous purchases she
made Pumpkins, and cranberries, and
turkeys, and chickens, and barrels OF po-
tatoes, onions, apples flour, and every
thing else in the eating line that could
be desired. ,1.o'.J
sTn give 'em a, Thanksgiving that
will last the winter, she said, grimly;
and then, all of sudden, she felt a
great desire to partake of the good
things she had generously provided.
"Pve a good mind to go down and eat
dinner with 'em. / don't know as I'll
be welcome, but they can't do more than
shut the door in my face. j believe I'll
try it, any way. James and are the
only ones left, and don't think it right
we should live any longer this way.
According to all account, Sarah's been
a good wife to him. 3 lLIr ...
And so that night Miss Finch started
off for visit to 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 to re-
main until such time as his ship should
be ready to start out again.
"And you hear nothing at all from
Jenny ?"
To him Jane Finch, spinster, aged
forty one, was not the grim, formidable
woman she seemed to everyone else.
He had not seen her since her girl
hood, and his memories of her were all
of that happy time.
"No," said James Finch, sadly.
"We hear Of her, but nothing from her.
She still lives alone, and still refuses to
hold communication with any of u.s."
Captain Jones looked around the poor
ly furnished little room, and sighed.
"She has changed greatly, he said,
"if she can enjoy her wealth, while you
are struggling on in this style, can not
understand it. But there's no use in
talking it over. Years ago we decided
that it was incomprehensible. Come,
tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and we must
bestir ourselves to give it hearty recep-
tion."
The husband and wife we'll knew what
that meant.
Captain Jones proposed to provide the
Thanksgiving dinner. James Finch,
with all his poverty, was a proud man.
1T - - ,talx
" If was in need, Jones, I'd come to
you; but / can get along very well with
out that; and so, until I'm unable to
provide myself with one, / won't have
any,"
What the Captain would have said.
must forever remain mystery, as, just
at that moment, the disputed dinner,
in the shape of Miss James donation,
drove up to the door.
1t was in vain that Mr.. Finch protest
ed that the load did not belong to him.
His name and address on the card were
correct, and the expressman refused to
be convinced.
Then the Captain was impaled as the
sender; but his establishment was SO
evidently genuine that the veriest skep-
tic in the universe could not but have
believed him innocent.
But that mystery! Mrs. Sarah was a
utilitarian. She did not waste her ener-
gies in trying to imagine where the
things came from-not she! She rolled
up her sleeves, put on big apron, and
went to work
Oh, the marvellous time she made that
day But, after all, it was little won
der, for she impressed everybody-from
the big, good-natured Captain to little
x-year-old-Jimmy-into service. The
Captain cut up pumpkins, her. husband
chopped mincemeat, and the children
beat eggs and butter, and sugar, and
picked over the raisins. Verify the
Finch family proved, that though too
many cooks may "spoil the broth, !"
they didn't spoil Thanksgiving dinner,
for better-looking, better-smelling,
better-tastng meal than that of which
the Finches partook the next day we
defy the greatest epicure i'll the country
to produce.
Miss Jane made her appearance, bright
and early, on Thanksgiving morning.
Mrs. Sarah was alone in the kitchen
when she entered.
GLOW do you do, Sarah," said she,
not very cordially, it must be confessed,
for, although prepared to extend the
right hand of fellowship to James and
the little ones, she could not, even now,
look upon her sister-in-law except as a
traitor, whom she would be obliged to
make the best of.
ooh, Jane ~ and Mrs. Sarah, with
one rush, left her cranberries to take
care of themselves, and gave her hus-
bands sister heartier welcome than she
deserved by a good sight
Miss Jane didn't return her kiss, but
she suffered it; and, though she did NUT
ter "Judas 7" under her breath, think
she was good deal more comfortable
than she would have been if her hostess
had been as cold and stiff as herself.
"Draw right up to the stove, and take
off your things" and the little woman
hustled about, in a whirl of delight.
ooh, won't James be glad Dear, dear
He ought to be here this minute. And
to think it's Thanksgiving day, and we've
got 80 much to be thankful for ~ And
| then her thouohta won't hack to THAR nm