Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-11-27
NUMBER SEVENTY.NINE,
A Thanksgiving Romance.

NUMBER SEVENTY-NINE.
A Thanksgiving Romance.
Rhoda Bruce sat alone by the parlor
window in the dim November twilight,
watching the flicker and flare of the gas
in the street lamps, as the cold sweeps of
the winter wind came surging round the
corner.
1t was Thanksgiving eve; and, after a
day of busy preparation for the morrow
festivities, everything had settled down
INTO quiet again.
Rhoda had heartily enjoyed the excite
ment eff helping her aunt, with whom she
lived, arran ged rooms for the expected
guests, and prepare flowers for the tables
and nantes, putting graceful, glrlish
touches upon all the adornments. To.
ward night, aunts and uncles and cousins
had poured in from the different trains,
and Rhoda's brother Ralph, her especial
admiration and alteration, had surprised
her by coming from his college to spend
the day with her. Altogether it had
been happy day, and was q joyous pre-
Jude to the hymn of praise and thanks,
which Rhoda fel, sure sho would sing
out gaily on tho morrow.
But it was just trihe dull alone in the
parlor tonight. Aunt Garry had taken
the girls, her two daughters, off up stairs
for contab, and others 1T the aunts and
cousins were singing lullabys In their
rooms to protesting babyhood; Uncle
Boyed was smoking up IN the library
with the husbands and brothers, and
Ralph, aftor little confidential converse
with Rhoda, had rushed down to the
Continental to meet some of his chums.
1t looked very pleasant over the way
at the Weldon girls house; the gas was
lighted In the parlor, the blinds up, and
they seemed to be having a jolly time,
Some one had told Rhoda that Lefty
Weldens beau was coming on from the
West to spend Thanksgiving with her
and Rhoda deserted him in the group.
"Heigh ho!' sighed Rhoda; ''he don't
rush Oft to meet comrade as soon as he
has arrived. wish had loverl They
must be very nice. wonder if l will
have one next Thanksgiving"
Just then voice in the darkness made
her start with tho words:
IF you love me, you'll do something
want you to very much"
But 1t was only Cousin Gilbert who
had spoken, and as ho was but fourteen
aud only up to her shoulder, even a cou.
sinly Irritation was out Of the question
"Well, what is it Gil?" laughed Rho.
da; = faint heart never won fair lady,
you know; ask, and see If I will not grant
you q favor"
Rhodie. dear, it's aw1ully stupid up in
the library, they're talking stocks, and II
go where mama is, she'll want me te
go to bed; and Rhodie," coming closer
and coaxing in rough boy fashion, II nev.
er saw great city lighted up; l wish
you'd take me down tho street a little
ways, pleaseS'
Certainly 1 WILL" replied Rhoda
jumping up; "get into your 'overcoat
quickly, and wait In the hall until como
down. Then. running up stairs for he,
own seal-skin jacket and cap, Rhola
burst into the nursery with an incoherent
sort of explanation that she was going
out little way, and would take Gilbert
as escort.
''Poor fellowr' she said TO herself, al
she tied her cardinal cloud tight down
over her ears, aud wound it round bel
threat; "he lives such q humdrum sort
of life up in that little village; how grand
the city by night will look to himl III
walk little wsy down Broad street, anG
then return he will be protection enough
It he is only boy, and I shan't feel a
all timid."
A brisk walk, with Gilbert's canstan
boyish chatter and pleasure at seeing tn
long continuous line Of lamps, that i
seemed band of light along the straight
stretch of streets, soon brought then
down into the more central portion o
the city, and, almost before she realized
it, Rhoda found herself In crowd o
mon and boys. who appeared to thinl
that keeping Thanksgiving eve consisted
In shouting and jostling and pushing ever.
one with whom they came IN contact
Presently loud clang and boom RAM
out upon the air, and, then, rush on tn
part Of the crowd, followed by a rattl
and clatter of noisy eSgines along tn
street, and wIirl of hurryinR peopl
with cries Of "flre! flre!' upon their Ipt
flew past.
20 Rhoda! I never saw fire; com
let US gow and Gilbert caught her by tn
hand, aud she obeying wild sort Of i'm
pulse which she, could scarcely unde,
stand, and felt pow erless to control, fol
lowed him until they stood at laat in tn
midst of a shouting crowd, far down il
the city, Watching the rigging flames thu
now burst forth from the building fror
whence the alarm had sounded.
There was fascination in the sight {
the long curling tongues Of fro that icl
ed the walls of the house caressingly, An
terrible grandeurln the final topple an
crash of the mighty fortress of flame
Rhoda stood as spell. bound 1T the sigh
IS was her companion, until some: on
rudely pushed by her, pee1ed into he
face and laughingly addressed her :
''Little Red Ridinghood, then abe sue
denly became aware that it was nigh
f SSa That att thy s;gd tyo were # away o'
come, Gilbert, como, !" she Whispered
, quickly pulling him away; eve must 6
home" and, hYrrying through the crow
Spen sdest that they vele 81 lesst II
miles from home; and from clock in
store near b she saw that i was coplsit
erally after ten.
Shave you any money, Gilbert, n
must ride home at oncei'' she asked, aft
, feeling in her own pocket and findin
her purse was not there.
..Fen cents; bpt. that's not enough,
it9 Can't we walkl I'm not tired I,
q don't thipk NO can am COLD a
Z. tired. bpth2 o. Gilbert why did 4
camesn and there va { slight snspicio
OF tears In the tremb bling friigh tened yolc
g Rhoda reallzed their pncomfoFtahl