The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-11-07

thrope, seeing no one.
This sort of existence she had kept NJ
until the time our story opens.
Why Sarah Jones married james
Finch, and why Abel Jones was still I
bachelor sea-captain, were mysteries
she did not trouble herself to explain
Sure of their treachery, what matteret
it to her how they spent their lives
To-day Miss Finch, in thinking oyel
her past, acknowledged to herself fol
for the first time that she might have
been hasty not SO far as the stalwart
sailor was concerned, but about hel
brother.
" 1 don't suppose ought to have ex.
pected him to give up his sweetheart
without any reason" she thought. 81
wouldn't have done it myself. 1 believe
| I'll send them good Thanksgiving din.
der. From all 1 can hear, they amt
able to do much in that line for them
selves and with q sudden twinge Of
conscience, the more acute from being
unusual, Miss Finch hurried on her bon
net and shawl, and started off to market.
Oh, the marvellous purchases she
made Pumpkins, and cranberries, and
turkeys, and chickens, and barrels of
potatoes, onions, apples, -four and
everything else in the eating line that
could be desired. l- r
"Ill give 'em a Thanksgiving that
will last the winter" she said, grimly;
and then, all of a sudden, she felt a
great desire to partake of the good
things she had generously provided.
I" I've good mind to go down and
eat dinner with 'em. 1 don't know as
I'll be welcome, but they can't do more
than shut the door in my face. I believe
I'll try it, any way. James and 1 are
the only ones left, and I don't think it is
right we should live any longer in this
way. According to all accounts, Sarah's
been a good wife to him.
And SO that night Miss Finch started
off for visit to her brothers.
James Finch looked forward to
Thanksgiving Day with no great
pleasure.
Captain Abel Jones had just returned
from 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 again.
And ycu hear nothing at all rom
Jenny ?"
To him Jane Finch, spinster, aged
forty-one, was not the grim, formidable
woman she seemed to everybody else.
He had not seen her since her girl
hood, and his memories of her were all
of that happy time.
"No,v 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 poorly
furnished little room, and sighed.
"She has changed greatly" he said
elf she can enjoy her wealth, while you
are struggling on in this style, cannot
understand it. But there's do 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 re-
ception. .-
The husband and wife well knew what
that meant.
Captain Jones proposed to provide the
Thanksgiving dinner. James Finch,
with all his poverty was proud man.
" I can't take it," said he, resolutely.
{" If was in need, Jones. I'd come to
you but I can get along very well with
out that and SO, until I'm unable to
provide myself with one, I 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 doration, drove
up to the door.
1t was in vain that Mr.. Finch protest
ed that the load was not for him. His
name and address on the card were cor
ect, and the expressman refused to be
convinced.
Then the captain was impaled as the
sender: but his astonishment was SO
evidently genuine, that the veriest
Jskeptic in the universe could not but
have believed him innocent.
But that mystery Mrs. Sarah was a
tilitarian. 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 o big apron, and
went to work.
/ Oh, the marvellous time she made that
day! But, after all, it was little wonder,
for she impressed everybody-from the
big, good-natured captain to little six
-old-Jimmy-into service.
Miss Jane made her appearance,
bright and early, on Thanksgiving morn
ing. Mrs. Sarah was alone in the
kitchen when she entered.
ttHow do you do, Sarah? p 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 r and Mrs. Sarah, with
one rush, left her cranberries to take
care of themselves, and gave her hus-
band's sister heartier welcome thar