The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-12-28

large shining pan OF f0at ~ VA ]. 49,
Jerry had LUST brought IN anu stfain ca.
made them forget for time anytning pus
the appeassment Of ebeis own rassno Us al'-
3petaies b .,,,,, ,.5
-. You used to- be a niaster Hanuy aaa
about The house. said Aunt aaanaii, NV, a.,u
n guess, by the short tirneff has take you
10 gcs this meal ready. You lsayen = = LOT sos'
ten AL your old ways. 49,, 49,,
Meanwhile a nos OF green tea had been
masse, and Mrs. Truman, vito had MOT YET
removed her bonnet, wns seated attire tapie
beside Aunt Hannah.
AZ think It Is lovely here satd TRACE,
dancing around the table. Any place
would be charming these frosty autumn
Evenings with SUCH glorious fres- NOW,
M M. while mamma sips her tea, tell us truly
whenyou and she visited here before.
:. visited here beforef Child, Nv hat 90
Won mean by asking such questions? YOUR
father was born here, and his father ana
grandfather and REORGANIZATION before
him. ! am nm old woman. as you see. ahd
INV grandfather built this house. Your
father was born here. because here was MS
ancestral home and here his parents ilvcu,,
and your mother was born here, bscause--t
"Hushi hush Auut Han nai,." gasped
Mrs. Truman, speaking for The first time
since she came under the roof, "spare my
children that I"
y" Laud o. massy, Gretchen Truman. your
children have common sense. have neard
every one OF them laugh soquicE, ana foois
never hugh. never have seen your
children, but know them new better shan
vol, do. 1t will do to tell them the truth
AS was saying, Gretchen was born here
because her mother-a poor. weary emil
grant, homeless and friendiess-strolled
away off up here and. dropped down sick
and starving at our gate. My father took
her in, and she lay i'll for weeks talking IN
an unknown tongue and appealing to our
hearts with her great, beseeehing ewes, until
God gave her little daughter, whom she
called Gretchen | Gretchen Gretchen!
and then she died. 1t all happened at
Thanksgiving time, and my father SAID
that baby Gretchen was IhanEs-
giving Offering and should be Kept
and cared for. Hezekiah, here, was baby
then, and my brothers wife took the stran-
gers baby also into her arms. The two
slept. in the same cradle and were brought
I'D together like twins. They loved each
other and cared nothing for any one else:
Gretchen had always proud ways and grand
ideas unlike the Trumans. She was jealous
lest some one should look down upon her
on account OF her unknown parentage.
She dwelt upon this and talked OF 1t 10
:Hezekiah until he, too, became possessed
with the same feeling. When they were
twenty-ope the two were married. and 1t
ssas understood that they were to live here
at nome and have the farm. They went to
the CITY on O wedding trip, and the farm
never saw them again until this day."
~Oh, how delightful" cried Blanche.
~ Why have you never told US this before,
papaY 70 think that this is where you
and mamma were born and lived when
YOU Were children! You have robbed us
of our birthrisht in keeping it to your
selyes!"
uAnd to think that dear, little baby
Gretchen was our own mammal" cried Ma
bel.
II didn't know she ever was baby
did you Blunche?" exclaimed Paul. the
fiyc-vear-old-ns she never told us that !"
~ would rather you had told US tales OF
this old home than to have had all the story
books and pictures that money could buy"
said Grace. eagerly.
"Oh. how mistaken have been!" sighed
Mrs. Truman. 1t WAS pursuaded Ieze-
kiah to stay in the city; and rs we proposed
we agreed never TO mention our former
lives, even to each other. We have robbed
ourselves and our children, HezekiaB !"
I'VE have made hiunder on all bands;
I see it plainly now" said Colonel Tru-
man, g l have been a pretender in more
ways than one, for nay business has been for
a long time kept up. on credit. Although
we have lived in Il stylish way, have had
to strain the last nerve constantly to keep
up appearances. My name will be banded
about the street next Monday as an ab-
sconding debtor. l was more than thank
inI for this Invitation which has taken US
oAt OF the way until the crash shall be
over"
"yerily, the high tree shall be brought
low" quoted Aunt Hannah.
In spite OF herself, Mrs. Truman's sleep
in the sweet, soft bed in the large airy room
was rcstful and unbroken. She awoke in
the morning with nerves more quiet than
they had been for years, and she went about
the old house upon domestic duties intent
as blithe and CHEEKY as bird.
"The enforced mental strain which have
so long been under is most happily re-
.laxed," she said, as she kissed Aunt Han
nah good morning; "and l feel like new
creature" ..
1t was prosperous old farm, and plenty
reiencd ia the barn, granary, and cellar.
Quaint, rare china and old silver; such
stores Of goodies, honey, maple-suSar, and
preserves-ev everything that one would ex-
pect to find in thrifty farmers house.
There were no tears of regrets wasted
over the expected tumbling of the card
palace in the city, but all entered with will
into their Thanksgiving preparations, and
the novel enjoyments OF their novel life.
Everything is so real here" said
Blanche as she carefully measured ingrcdi-
ents for pound-cake under her blind aunts
explicit directions.
+ "And yet, sister, I can't think OF nothing
but private theatricaIs OF delightful story
book" replied Grace. "Just see; Pm
going now to help papa and the boys pick
turkeys and chickens" and she tripped off
with her curls twisted up 10 silk handker-
chief, turban fashion, and her tie. back lost
in one of Mrs. Eldridge's big aprons.
sI call this dinner a success, il we did
cook and serve it ourselves" said Colonel
Truman on Thanksgiving day, as he showed
back from the table. 81 don't remember
OF having so good an appetite, or Of feeling
so happy, since / was boy. I believe
shall try and make bargain with Aunt
Hannah and take Eldridee's place as farmer,
il she will give US all our board"
"Oh. that would be splendid" said Har
nv. 81 don't believe we were ever, any OF
us, so happy before. When we have been
home from school we never have had real
jolly vacations, because to be jolly wasn't
stylish and knickerbockerish."
II never felt real well acquainted with
mamma until we made that governmental