Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-11-29
A WONDERFUL STORY.
Told on Thanksgiving Day.

A WONDERFUL STORY.
Told on Thanksgiving Day.
Thanksgiving day was over, and the
wild, wet night was closing in.
Grandma Fontaine sat IN her great
armchair in the fashioned sitting
room at Hickory Hail. A dainty, hand
some, high bred old lady was grandma
as one will meet in a lifetime. Her
gown of glossiest black satin, the ker-
chief on her bosom the finest of India
muslin, a diamond star in the folds of
her crown-like turban above her silken
white HAIR, diamond buckles on her tiny
slippers, diamonds and opals and emer-
aids on her soft, white old fingers.
Thanksgiving day was over at Hicko-
ry Hall. The sumptuous dinner had
been eaten by dozens of nephews and
nieces and cousins in general, eaten with
thanksgiving and grateful rejoicing; the
remains of the feast had been gathered
up and dispensed to those who lacked
life's COMFORTS and now, as the rainy
twilight fell, grandma sat before the
glowing wood fire in her great chair.
Now for our story, grandma! cried
Florice, her pet granddaughter, drawing
cushion to the stately old lady's feet.
You know you promised us one for
Thanksgiving night.
"And wonderful one let it be, grand
ma" chimed in Rosa, drawing up her
chair.
Grandma took off her gold spectacles
and put them carefully aside.
A story! Well, so | did promise you
a story" she said but, my dear girls,
| cannot think what it will be-
oh, you must, grandma; and let it
be Thanksgiving story, too.
Grandpa Fontaine, sitting opposite,
looked over his paper and laughed.
There's one Thanksgiving story you
might tell themif you like, grandma, he
said.
The old lady nodded, till the diamond
in her turban flashed like star
so l will" she assented ''They've
never had that story-they shall hear it
now.
"Once upon a time, my dear girls, .
she began, there was very handsome
young lady, whom we shall call Bere-
nice. She was very handsome, to be
sure-a perfect blonde, with complex
ion like lilies and roses, wonderful blue
gray eyes, and great profusion of shin
ing red-gold hair"
why, she must have been like you,
grandma" cried Florice and Rosa in a
breath.
Like me! Pooh, pooh, you silly
things! Don't interrupt me, Or | will
stop This Berenice was beautiful, and,
withal, very vain and ambitious. She
was not contented with the blessings be-
slowed upon her. but continually desir-
ed wealth and position, and costly jew
els and fine raiment.
"All these things her mother, who
was widow in moderate circumstances,
could not afford; but Berenice, vain and
conscious of her rare beauty and accom-
plishments, made up her mind that she
would secure them by marriage.
Accordingly, having entered society,
she was very choice in regard to her ac-
quaintances; if a man was poor, he stood
no chance of getting into the charmed
circle of whie'l she reigned queen. She
had great many fine offers, nOtwith-
standing, and was excessively admired;
but she would hear to none of them.
Genius and manly nobility stood no
chance with this vain and silly maiden.
cat last, however, her Midas came, in
the shape of an East India merchant,
the owner of fabulous fortune Her
pretty face charmed him, as it charmed
all others, and he made love to her; he,
full three score, wrinkled and yellow as
his gold, and she in the primrose fresh
ness of her girlhood.
"She accepted him, nevertheless
cepted and promised to become his we'd
ded wife. though she loathed the very
sight of him. He put costly diamond
on her finger, made her all manner of
wonderful presents, and the wedding
day was appointed.
Meanwhile Berenice made summer
visit to an aunt, who lived far out in the
rural regions, and on her way she met
with terrible accident. The horses
took fright, and her carriage was thrown
down a frightful preclpice, and Berenice
was tossed into ravine, and lay there
like one dead.
A young surgeon, living thereabouts.
took her up in his arms and carried her
to his mothers cottage, and dressed her
wounds and set her broken limbs. When
she recovered her senses, he was sitting
by her pillow holding her hand in his,
and then and there, the moment her
eyes fell upon his face, Berenice fell in
love with him"
Wasn't Berenice a foolish lass
girls?" laughed grandpa, looking over
his paper again.
Grandma echoed his laughter, but her
eyes filled with tears.
Nay, she was sensible then," she
continued, for his face was the noblest
face she had ever seen. She fell in love
with him, and, after awhile, through
pity, perhaps, he got to like her; and it
so turned out that, when she recovered
her injuries and returned to her moth
er's house, the young surgeon went with
her, and she had promised to be his
wife,
"And he was not worth shilling, in
dependent of his profession! But SO
truly did Bernice love him that she was
willing to give up all her golden dreams
for his sake.
Accordingly, she took the diamond
from her pretty finger and broke faith
with her East India Midas, and one
bright spring morning she welded the
man she loved
"A blissful honeymoon followed, and
then the young couple began to cast
about for fair start in life. Berenice
had no dowry save her rose-pink face
and starry eyes and red-gold hair, and
her young husband had only his profes-
sion. They determined to try their for
tune in strange land.
Zone dreary November day-it was
the day before Thanksgiving day, and
some twelve or fourteen months after
their marriage-our pretty Berenice sat
in the small parlor of small Western
cottage, with wicker cradle at her side