The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-11-28
On With The Old Love.
A THANKSGIVING STORY.

u 1t was thanksgiving week, anC
everybody about her was so busy and
bustling and happy, or it might be from
many other reasons; but whatever the
cause, the fact remains that, on q certain
sunny morning in November, Miss Finch
awoke to the knowledge that her condi.
ton was not to be envied.
In vain she tried to argue herself back
into her old dissatisfaction. It was
Just as true now as it was yesterday that
her brother James had married SaXl
Jones-a girl she thought she had 1000
reason to hate but, someway, there was
no pleasure to be gained from Comparing
their poverty with her riches
A monster turkey vas Just being
brought into her neytdoor neighbours
it reminded her that the following day
was Thanksgiving, and also reminded
her that she had yet to provide herself
with he/culinary wherewithal without
which no Thanksgiving dinner might b.
properly celebrated.
sg1t always made Miss Finch's face burr
to think of Captain Abel Jones-frst
cousin to her obnoxious sister-in-law,
Long ago, when she was in her teens
they had been lovers, and everybody
knew that, as soon as he got his ship
Abel Jones and Jenny Finch were to bt
man and wife but one evening she raj
over to Sarah's Cthey had once beer
bosom friends), and hearing voices in the
parlor, had stopped a moment todiscove,
who was there. In that moment she had
seen Miss Sarah crying, as if her heart
would break, with her head on Mr..
Abei's shoulder.
Quite ignoring the fact that these two
had been brought up together, and that
Abel had time and again told her thai
Sarah was Just the same to him as a dea,
sister, Miss Finch grew righteously in,
dignant; yet she was just-very just, in.
deed ! she would not Judge them on this
evidence, although to most any n il
would have been proof enough of q very
disagreeable fact; but she would wait
and see how their conversation accorded
with their position. So she waited.
"Don't cry" said Mr.. Abel Jones,
pleadingly, "I am sure I can fix it al
right. She isn't nearly 80 fond of me as
you think; and you know, Sarah, how
dear you are to her. I'll break it to bel
gently, and I'm sure she'll give me ur
of her own accord"
Now, Miss Finch hadn't Jealous ma.
ture, not al all !! but the most unsuspi'
cieus idiotin the universe could not have
misunderstood that speech. It wa very
evident he wanted to be free from her.
So she stole gently out, without letting
them know of her presence, walked
home at railroad speed, and, with a very
proper ~self:respect, Immediately tied
ZIP his picture, his few presents and his
lever letters, and sent them back to him
with the pretty falsehood that she found
she didn't like him we'll enough to marry
him, and should be obliged if he would
release her from the engagement.
She didn't propose to be Tilted by him
and she wasn't .,a--Gh.E e. .sss.
Then she went off on q visit, staid two
months, and came home to find he1
brother engaged to her false friend, and
her false lover nowhere.
In vain she endeavored to prevent
this marriage. Her brother would not
be convinced, without absolute proof,
that Sarah Jones was not a perfect
woman. She begged, pleaded and urged.
But pride prevented her giving him the
one fact of which she had become pos
sessed, and 50 the two we're married. and
she took her fortune Cleft her by he,
fathers only sister, and herself to an.
other town, gradually withdrew herself
more. and more from the world, until, at
iwenty-six, she was a confirmed misan.
shrope, seeing no one.
This'sort of existence she had kept up
until the time our story opens.
Why Sarah Jones married James
Finch, and why Abel Jones was still q
bachelor ~sea-captain, were mysteries
she did not trouble herself to explain.
Sure Of their treachery, what mattered
it to her how they spent their lives?
To-day Miss Finch, in thinking ovel
her past, acknowledged to herself fol
for the first time that she might have
leen hasty not so far as the stalwar
Tailor was concerned, but about hel
brother.
ct don't suppose T ought to have ex
pected him to give up his sweetheart
without any reason" she thought. 81
wouldn't have done it myself. I believe
i'll send them a good Thanksgiving din
der. From all I can hear, they ain
able to do much in that line for them
selves !; and with a sudden twinge o
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 sh'
made! Pumpkins, and cranberries, ant
turkeys, and chickens, and barrels o
potatoes, onions, apples, -four ant
everything else in the eating line tina
could be desired.
"Ilr give 'em a Thanksgiving tina
will last the winter" she said, grimly
End then, all of a sudden, she felt .
great desire to partake OF the goot
things she had generously provided.
"T've a good mind to go down ant
cat dinner with 'em. I don't know a!
I'll be welcome. but they can't do mor'
than shut the door in my face. 1 believe
I'll try it, any way. James and l ar
Inc OQly ones LEU, auu L uoH VILLA -.
right We should live any longer IN thu
way. According to all accounts, Sarah'
been a good wife to him."
And'so that night Miss Finch started
Of for. a visit to her brothers. >
James Finch looked forward tt
Thanksgiving Day with no great
Captain Abel Jones had just returned
from a voyage to the Indies, and, as wa
lis custom, repaired immediately to the
home Of his cousin Sarah, there to re-
main until such time as his ship should
Re ready to start 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 everybody else.
He had not seen her since her girl:
lood, and his memories of her were al
Of that happy time.
HNo soi5 James Finch. sadly