Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-11-23
ROLTER'S THANKSGIVING.

"lll be blamed If l have anything to
he thankful for" said Mr.. Bolter. "You
can all go home and chaw away at your
sobblers, and sing hymns if you want to;
therell be nothing to do in the store, any
way. EveryboGy'll have to stuff them
selves to-day, and Of course business must
stop. l wish the man that invented
Thanksgiving day had turkey obbler
tied around his neck, and had to sleep
and eat with itn
And then MIR. Benjamin Bolter, mer-
chant, kicked over stool and yelled at
Peter, the office man, to look to the fires
and close up for the day.
The six men employed about the estab-
lishment silently left, except Peter, and
while the latter carried out his employ
ers Instructions, Bolter sat down and
thought it over.
Such an idiotic CUSTOM" he SAID to
himself. lit don't matter cents worth
what the times have been, we've got to
have Thanksgiving regular, and 90 on pre-
tending we've been blessed, no matter
how we've been prosecuted. The whole
country might be on the verge of starva-
ton, and they'd appoint one day in whi>n
the provisions should be all cate .dp'
''Ihis year has been the l~"roese one
I've known. Everythine' siirun e I've
worked day and nifthl cnd dnu III i get
through and make 'o1n ends meet at the
end OF the yeffhya nks "ri ~ lucky Yet
HnS .aen Mr.. Bolter got up and paced
al. It tor a moment, and saw Peter stand
ing by The stove.
What are you standing there for?"
said Boiler.
1--WE closed up responded Teter.
"Well" exclaimed Bolter.
IF you hain't got my more for me to
do said Peter, I'D like to get off,
"Oh, you wouldn' replied Bolter, 81
'spose you've got q turkey to eat, too, ana
thanks to givc9'
Not turkey, zackly," said Peter,
scratching his head, "hut we has pig
con or two SIT.
''L4umph" growlcd Bolter. sWeu,
go on: but mind you, you be back bright
and early IN the morning, and ready tor
hard work.
"1es, SIR SAID Peter, and he slipped
lightly out the back door and went on
his way cheerily.
Then Boltcr sat down awhile and re-
tlected, and grew more bitter at the hard
times, and grumbled at the slow pace
which he was compelled to keep in his
march toward riches. By-and-bv he
grew sleepy, and he thought he would
90 home, and went for his overcoat and
shoes. Some way he didn't recollect
OF hnt Io
the street cars up town and walked to-
ward his residence.
AS he drew near his home Bolter was
surprised to see a carriage at the door
and a crowd collected about 1t. Two
men were carrying a burden of some kind
up the steps, and glancing at the door
way he saw his wife and his daughter
Florence wringing their hands and gazing
at the moving figures.
Better darted forward, and in a mo-
ment was met by some of his neighbors,
who broke the painful news to him.
His ouly son,sPaul, his pride, his hope,
on whose life conferred his ambition. had
been thrown from q moving train and
fcarfully mangled. Life was not extinct
but the breath came slow and PAINFUL.
ana the end was nigh.
They had laid the bruised form on the
snowy bed, and Bolter threw himself on
his knees beside it in helpless agony.
The physicians came and looked and
turned away. There were whispers IN
the parlor, in the corridor; sadness every
where for there was no hope.
"Save him?" cried Bolter, ''Save nv
son, and take all I have-everything,