The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-11-22
REGETTA's THANKSGIVING.

i
ing Day; just do
why do you wish that, Regettar ~
''Jusf because do; raisins to pick,
and things TO chop and to cut, and such
time with cookingr'
SIS that ALP
Dotty stopped sIicing citron for a
moment, and stood looking off through
the window toward the gray clouds and
the sliyering trees, but was not think
ing Of either of them.
"Ali? Deary me. that's enough.
Pies and cakes and all sorts of things
to Ielp make, and baking and boiling
to do: and, as to the thanking part, /
do not see much TO thank for.-always
stewing at q cook-stove, or cleaning up
the room. Christmas is different from
Thanksgiving. for people get presents
after the cooking is over; but Thanks
giving people might like it who
had something to be thankful for, but
T'-and she tossed her brown hair on
one side, and threw the raisins she had
been picking, with a jerk, into the
bowl waiting to receive them, and also
over the table and the floor; for what
could be expected but that the raisins
would fly about when they were being
tossed in such fashion?
did you ever see the like of it?''
Regetta commenced again. "Eyen
the raisins try to torment me: would
ike 70 know what have to thank
forg''
g Mamma says we ought to be thank
full that we have the raisins to fix
g Hear it! Listen to it. Does she saw
Peggy Hopkins ought to be thankful
for the rheumatism
Mamma says Peggy Hopkins is CON
tented; but don't believe know what
that has to do with the raisins.-'
Peggy Hopkins rheumatism keeps
her lame in the leg, so she cannot sport
around and enjoy herself: what is the
difference if it is raisins, pumpkin and
citron, or if il is rheumatism, that keeps
you sitting in corner or hanging over
tirep'
"Regetta. we have the nice things to
eat after we have helped to make them,
but Peggy-oh. what pain she has,
and nothing to eat but what people
send her
Wei, she doesn't have to broil her
self to death cooking it; somebody does
1t for her, and. AS TO pain, guess she
is too old and tough to feel much Of
that and Regetta laughed at what she
thought bit OF pleasantly, and tossed
the raisins she had been gathering up
into tie bowl. ;. / shall not do much
thanking, at any rate"
Oh, Regcttar' The little girl turned
half around, that the tears quivering
in her eyes might be unseen.
Oh, Regetta? What has Regetta to
thank for' What does she do, the week
through, but stew over the pansa- and
there is nothing but misery, anyway:
for father has lost his work, Billy's
spasms are getting worse, and the brin-
die COW has gone dry, when she ought
to be milking a plenty
I" But, began Dotty trying to say
some Of the things that were half
shapen in her thoughts), :. but father
is not dead. ike Austin Bonier's father,
and we'y got two cows yet, to give
quarts and quarts; and don't you think
1t Is nicer to make the nice things than
not 10 have any at all to eat? / know
IT is bad about Billy, but mamma says
that God knows best"
She stopped, flushed with the effort
she had made to tell her thoughts.
There was a low rap at the door, and
the call, "Come I'M from Regetta.
brought in small, scantily-clad figure,
shiyering at the kitchen door.
t.Oh, you've got fire, haven't you?''
said the little newcomer, nesting mp to
the red-hot stove, where the pots were
blubbering over, and the odor Of good
things was very strong.
"Firep Well, if ever! Fire, when
the wind is blasting like that outside;
who wouldn't have fireg''
Everybody has it that can, / sup
pose; but you know 1t takes SO much
wood to keep it burning all the time,
some people cannot. Tim--that's my
brother-and got great lot yester-
day, but we do not want to burn It right
up in minute
Doesn't your father get the woodP''
inquired Regetta, looking up, az she
knelt on one knee, giving the last poke
to the log with which she was replen-
ishing the fire.
There is nobody but US; father is
dead
Tim Stryker is good to cut and
haul wood; why don't your mother
get him to do it? Are your woods
nearp'
Judge Swift lets us go to his woods
for fagots and things: You know we
have no woods; and, as to mother get
ting anybody, why, mother has us, you
know"
Barbary Brennan--that is your
name, isn't it?got you2''
Yes, and she says that, Of all the
things she has to be thankful for, she Is
most thankful for u.s.
thankful for itr 1t is you who lives
at the old Swift Lodge, that is all tum-
bled down but one roomr'
Yes"
And your mother broke her ann p,
Why, yes, but 1t is her left arm;
think how much worse 1T might have
been had it been the right. Mother says
that mercies are all the time coming 10
her.
Does your mother wear specta-
cles?''
No; -sometimes," looking up,
wonderingly.
thought so. for it must take big
glasses to see her mercies.
1 don't know, but mother saye she
VIII hays . great deal to be thankful
tot tomorrow; but ! was f0YRsttlhgs
mefheg ~ heard ~ shout your brother