The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1877-12-08

jenny!
To him, Jane Finch, spinster, aged Il,
was not the grim, formidable woman she
seemed to everybody else.
lie had not seen her since her girlhood,
and his memories of her were all of that
happy time.
No." said James Finch, sadly. eve
hear of her. but nothing from her. She
still lives alone, and still refuses to hold
communication with any of us"
Capt Jones looked around the poorly
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, | cannot
understand it. Bat there,re 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 a hearty recep-
ton.
The husband and wife we'll knew what
that meant.
Captain Jones proposed to provide the
Thanksgiving dinner James Finch,
with all his property was proud man.
Q can't take it, said he, resolutelv.
" If was in need, Jones, I'd come to
you; but can get along very we'll 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 a 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 was not fer him. His
name and address on the card were cor
rect, and the eXpressman refused to be
convinced.
Then the captain was impaled as the
sender; but his establishment was so evil
IDENTIFY genuine, that the veriest skeptic
In the universe could not but have be-
lieved 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 big apron, and
went to work.
Oh, the marvellous time she made that
day! But, after all, it was little wonder,
for she impressed rybody-from the
big, good-natured captain to little six
year old Jimmy-into service.
Miss Jane made her appearance,
bright and early, on Thanksgiving morn
ing. Mrs. Sarah was alone in the kitcb-
en- when she entered.
" How 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 Il
traitor, whom she would be obliged TO
make the best of.
ooh, Jane" and Mrs Jarah, with one
rush, left her cranberries to take care of
themselves, and gave her husbands sis
ter heartier welcome than she deserved
by good sight.
Miss Jane didn't return her kiss, but
she suffered it; and though she did NUT
ter Judas" under her breath, | think
Sue was a 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
Oft your things" and the little woman
hustled about, in whirl of delight.
ooh, won't James be glad. Dear!
dearl He ought to be here this minute
And to think it is Thanksgiving day, and
we've got so much to be thankful for"
And then her thoughts went back to their
unknown friend of the day before, and
like flash the truth came oher "Oh,
Jane, she went on, with gasp, " see,
now, it was you sent Us the things. Oh,
dear. how can we ever thank your
Then she rushed back to the cram
berries, which showed signs of stewing
over, and for the first time since her en-
trance, Miss Jane had a chance to put in
4 word.
She had just opened her mouth to say
something in explanation of her sudden
appearance, when the door opened, and
in walked Captain Abel
" Got anything for me to do, Sally?"
he asked with a laugh; and then the
great-whiskered man stopped short, per-
ceiving the stranger, who sat Just in
front of the fire.
Miss Jane had been beauty in her
youth, and even now was not at all ugly.
Her eyes were bright, her teeth were as
white as ever, and her dimples were not
things of the past by any manner of
means. But for few wrinkles, and
hard look, which was the natural result
of her hard life, she would have been
very handsome woman. She had not
changed so much as had the captain;
but both were recognizable, and each,
after one glance, knew the other Mrs
Sarah looked up from her cranberries
eagerly.
" Oh, Abel, here's Jane-Jane Finchr'
Captain Abel came forward, and ex-
tended his hand; but it was an awkward
meeting. They had not seen each other
since the breaking off of their engage
ment-oyer a score of years beforehand
both of them were uncomfortably con-
sclous of the fact. But Captain Abel
drew chair up to the stove, and tried
to talk as If he had forgotten all about
1t; they discussed the weather, the crops,
and everything else they cared nothing
about, until Mrs. Sarah, who was all in
a whlrl with the surprise of Miss James
visit, and who could not keep still-try
as she would-broke into the converse
ton with:
I" oh, Abel, do You remember the last
day we saw Jane dear? What mess |
was In. | was engaged to Jim, and no.
body knew 1t; and mother was bound
you and | should make a match of it.
never shall forget the afternoon we de-
cided to tell her all about it. Goodness.
how | cried on your shoulder, too. Abe
and how you tried TO convince me that
poor ma didn't care much about you, and
had just as soon I'd take somebody else,
if you only explained it to her properly
and YOU were right, too
And the little woman, quite overcome
by these "reminiscences, opened the oven