The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-11-27
THE THANKSGIVING GUEST.


We're going to have turkey and plum
pudding and nuts and raisins and every.
thing nice for dessert; if we were going
to have lots of company, and lived in q
big house, like we used to, we should
be a good deal thankfuller, shouldn'
we, mammal" said Say. with rather q
rueful face at the cold joint of meat that
was TO serve as their Thanksgiving din.
ner. --
I'VE ought to be just as thankful for
what we have, my dear" said Mrs.
Harris. Wen make believe that we
have just as good as anybody, and for
get all about the turkey and plum-pud-
ding. Poor folks should be just as
thankful as rich ones" She tried to
speak cheerfully. but sharp-eyed little
Say saw that her eyes We're moist
But | do want plum-pudding.
sarnt be thankful" shouted Will. in
most unorthodoN rebellion. And he
began to cry Justify.
. Be quiet. Will" said Say, land
III tell you the story mamma told me
last night while you were sleeping"
No. no." persisted Will. Il will
have"
"Once there were two little brooks
born side by side up in great noun
tain" began Say, and his tears were
STAYED with surprising suddenness.
Nov these were merry little brooks,
and they played together for LONG
time in little green hollow on the top
of the mountain; but when they grew
larger and older, and their voices, so
clear and ringing, were heard far down
in the valley. their Queen thought it
was time they should be doing some
thing in the Eorld, and babe them set
out for the river as soon as they could
And they were glad enough to obey
her. for they were tired of running in
one little green place.
Il say I want plum pudding" piped
Will again, the absence of giants max
ing the story rather tame to his critical
ears.
But Say went on, never needing the
Interruptions: s. So they started together
one sunshiny morning. They took
great leaps over the rocks; they strug-
gled through little fairy forests of fern.
When it was dark they sang to them
selves to keep from being frightened;
and when it was bright they laughed
and shouted so that all the birds began
to mimic them. And at last, after they
had travelled very far, they found them
selves in merry green meadow.
"'What a world it is!' said one little
brook. blinking its eyes with surprise
"'And what bonnie oner' said the
other, tripping blue-bell that stood in
its way.
They found so many friends in the
meadow that they could hardly get
along for greeting this one and that one
There were the daisies. keeping house
in little grassy tents, who sent them an
invitation to dine. The roses nodded
at them, and begged them not to hurry
so fast. The birds pressed them to at
tend a grand concert in the woods near
by The buttercups rustled their satin
dresses, and begged them to come and
sit at their feet, if only for one moment;
and the bees, though they we're always
SO busy, half promised to keep holiday
with them, if they would wait. Is
Let us stay said one little brook
to the other. See how dark our path
is growing before us; and it is so pleas
ant and sunny here, and there are such
merry folks to keep us company. Sure
ly, we need not hurry to receive the
river; and we have travelled such long
distance. Why shouldn't we have a
holiday now?'
:" But the other little brook said:
"' No. have holidays enough, and
shall hasten on. The Queen said it
was time l was doing good in the world,
and l long to be in the river, and help
carry the beautiful ships
Well said the other little brook.
you can 60, but shall stay here until
nightfall. And, when YOU are in that
dreadfully dark wood, you will look
back at me playing in the sunshine, and
wish you had stayed with me, L m sure.
$50 they kissed each other good-by
over the nose of blue-bell, and went
their separate ways. It was dark and
fearful in the wood; the trees frowned
down on the little brook like tall, grim
giants, and it could not see the sky.
But it kept heart by singing a merry
song; and before it had time to grow
discouraged it reached the river. The
great wide sky, without cloud, was
bending over it, and all the waves were
filled with strange, beautiful voices. 1t
felt great sails rustic over it; it seemed
to be carried along in the arms of cool
winds, without any effort of its own:
and its heart was filled with delight it
had never dreamed of before.
but the little brook found it so
pleasant in the meadows that he FORGOT
after while that there was any other
life than that; that there was ANYTHING
to do in the world but to kiss a daisy,
bud and f1atter a rose. When he did
get tired of it at last, and remembered
that ne was on the way to the river, he
found he had lost his path; and, after a
long and vain search for it, finally died
OF WEAKNESS in the noontide heat. And