The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-11-27
A THANKSGIVING QUERY.

A THANKSGIVING QUERl.
"Great land o. Goshen" said old Joe
Comstock, "what | want to know is,
what's the use O. Thank'g givin' when
there amt nothin' to be thankful for?
And where's the good O. runnin' arter
an onsartaintyp A rollin' stone gathers
no moss"
"And a gangin' foot is aye gettin',"
said ST Pettingill, the country store
keeper. Not but that he agreed with his
old friend Joe in deploring the wicked
ness and willfulness of his only sons
leaving the homestead and going out
West. 81 Pettingill hated to see an
extra wrinkle in his neighbor's fine and
florid face, who was only known as old Joe
because there was young Joe grown to
manhood. 1t was only week before
Thanksgiving, and a queer time for ex
lose an opportunity for proving his
knowledge of proverbs, and combating
the oracular prophecy of one by that OF
another. The country store was the
high center of argument No subject
was too solemn or too frivolous, too high
or too low, too light or too profound,
for discussion.
"They do say" said Monk, the miller,
"that the htft and richness o. grain out
there is most amazin', and the sile is
that soft you can put yer arm clean
down to yer elbow in it. If l was s
young 5 Joe" And here the miller
paused, for his friend the farmer brought
his hand down heavily on an adjacent
box of soap.
"And amt his own land rich enoughi
A.. Go1I .~C =
look at them punkins! Though, fol
turkeys, or turkeys for Thank givin', i
mans own flesh and blood flies in the
face of Providence like my Joe'"
"He amt goin' before Thank 'givin'
surelyP"
"He calkilates to start tomorrow
night" said the farmer, dolefully.
Then the group about the store ex
perforated with mournful precision, anC
shook their heads, and hoped he wou .dn'
regret such precipitate abandonment
of this worlds blessings. Old Joe Com
stock united his fine pair of mules, ant
went jolting away to the COmstoci
farm, followed by the sympathizing re
marks of his ncighbors. And as the
dust rolled away, another vehicle was
seen approaching, a high-seated jaunty
affair with yellow Wheels, drawn by {
long, clean limbed creature that was ou
of sight before his points could be wei
discussed and criticised. In truth, tht
good folks upon the porch of the coun
try store were more interested in th'
couple that were seated fashionabl,
aloft upon the gay box of the wagon.
fleeting vision of laughing blue eyes, anC
yellow curls wantoning with the No
vember wind, and the pale, dark face o
a stranger in close proximity to thes,
charms, caused the wise heads upon tin
porch to wag again with melanchol.
unison.
"'Tain't the natur' of the sile tina
young Joe complains of, said one.
Nor yet the corn, nor the punkins,
said another; "it's that he aint got tn
stomach for 'em he used to hev befor
that city fellow broke his wagon in from
of the widow Benson's door, and took
notion to Kitty"
And | swan to man eff the widow
amt that set up about it she's hevin
black Sam to do her fall whitewashin'.
Shed better not count her chicken
before they're Matched. That fellow
don't mean to marry Kitty Benson
she'll fall between two stools, that's wha
Kitty'n do. She'll get shet of Joe
and Jose this city chap, after all. 10
was in dead earnest. poor fellow, bu
his ch APPS only foolin'..n
Which was not altogether true. TIL
city chap" had begun perhaps il
rather trifling mood. He considere,
the remarkable interest which he tool
in this little rustic was all due to hi
artistic perceptions. About six week
before, in passing through the village
his horse had stumbled upon n bi
bowlder in front of the widows dool
and one of the big yellow wheels ha,
come to grief. 1t was the most natura
thing in the world for Mr.. Morton t
knock at the nearest door, and equal
natural that the widow should ask hir
in, Kitty lay sound asleep, with he
curly head on the kitchen table, all th
yellow tangle of it tumbled carelessl
about the exquisite line of her brow an
curve of her rounded cheek. Her brow
lashes lust merged into the flush upo
her face, and her red lips We're parteC
showing the white even teeth within.
Laws mercy!" said the widow
with kindly curiosity, There amt NJ
body hurt, hope?"
"Only the wagon Wheel" said Nj
Morton.
"And you want to git to town
We'll, now, L reckon Joe COm5toc
must be up and about yet. l saw
liglt at the farm bit ago. If Joe's III
he'll take you down to the RAILROAD
He can't he done his chores yet"
- hope he'll bungle long enoug
about his chores to be up when / 9
there" said Mr.. Morton.
He had not taken his eyes from I'll
Sleeping beauty, and was suddenly SUI
Sffsed to see her lift her head from h,
arm and open wide her eyes upon hin
while the flush deepened in her fac
and even stole down upon her thro.
and the white bit of her neck that WI
Visible.