The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-11-27
A ROUGH DIAMOND.
Or, Farmer Jones' Thanksgiving

The cold rthern blasts had settled
themselves down into legitimate winter
business, bridging streams and locking
up nature in letters of ice. Everywhere
through the broad and fertile land huge
granaries were stored with the golden
harvest, cellars actually groaned with
their ricl; stores of fruit and vegetables,
aud the thrifty and industrious inhabi.
tanls were about toscelcbratc their annual
Thanksgiving to their great and bounti-
tul Givcr of such plenty, prosperity and
pence.
But nowhere did greater bounty pre-
vail than in the homestead ef farmer Joel
Jones. His broad acres lay but mile
from tho thrifty village Of Centerville,
where he found IA easy market for all
his produce, and where every Sabbath
his round and rudy face might DO seen
alongside fthe thin and sallow one Of his
spinstcr sister Betsy, in the old
family carry-all on their way t. the viii
lug church, which ever found a willing
heart and ready hand in the unsentimen-
tai Joel Jones, as its thrifty aspect fully
attested.
A few days previous to the one appoint
cd as Thanksg living he came into his am
pie kitchen with huge golden pump
kin in his strong arms.
"IIcrc, Betsy he said, "is one of the
real Yankee pumpkins, and want &c to
spread yerself a maxim batch Of pies.
And jest say when We want that air tur-
key killed"
"What fur, I'd like to know Joel9 You
talk rs cf yer war goin' ter feed o rcgi-
Mcnt, when thar is only you and me and
the hired man to cat the best Thanksgiv-
ing dinner ever invented"
II know as we'll as ye, Betsy, VIC hain't
got no folks to speak Of, but :hat hain't
no sign we hain't ter eat like other Chris
tians on Thanksgiving day, 'spercerly
when I've worked tho hull year like ev-
erything, and been prospcred beyond my
desarts."
An hour later he looked upon Betsy
and her sullen preparation for tho coming
feast.
I'm goin' ter town with or load of
oats, and III bring you some cranberrics
to 60 erIong with yer turkey, Betsy
said he, San ify yer want anvthin' else
speak quick, fer I'm off,
The answer of tho spinster was grunt
Of dissatisfaction as she continued kncad-
ing hol snowy bread, while the pumpkin
stewed and sputtered on the stove in the
most savage manner.
"Bctsy grows groutier every day Of
her life, poor thing. She's gittin' old,
and the work is tew heavy for her. But
It hain't no use ofspeakin' of gettin' help.
Shed fight me down on that forever"
soliloquized the old man as he drove
along. "Hey, bulb, want ter rlde?' he
called out to small specimen of hum an
ity, who was trudging afong under o
heavy load, and who most gladly accept
ed the kind offer.
eyer Widow Burton's boy, haint yc1''
he asked in continuation, after the 10Y
had scrambled up behind, and perched
himself upon bug Of grain.
Eyes, sir"
"What ye got in yer sack, bub?"
"Coal, sir, that l havc+been picking up
along the track.''
"Dangerous piece O. business, and it's
strange yer ma should send yer out On
SIGH er errand. Their cars will come er-
long some day and chop yer into mince.
meat"
1.-THE poor. little, pale. faced lad made
no reply. He was too happy in the en-.
joyment ofthc unexpected ride to care 1or
any anticipated danger. At the door Of
his humble home tho farmer stopped
and, to tho surprise OF the lad, got down
from the wa on and hi:ched his horses.
II want ter see yer ma. So I'll jest
run in fer mint, If yell mind the team. y
One of the children answered the sum.
mons, and conducted him into the little
kitchen, where the widow sat sowing with
her brood of little ones about tho scanty
fire.
Don't get up, Miss Burton. I cant
stop but mint. give yer boy lift 81
come along, and he told me he goes
over On the railroad to pick up ceal, and
I thought, maybe, ye didn't know it VA,
dangerous. Their lad is tn small for SIGH
work, and some day he'll git killed. So
hope ye won't take it amiss that ]
named it ter you.''
Tears were in the good woman's cyes
long before he had ceased speaking, and
she answered:
I. "You are very kind, sir, but what eau
: I dot It is hard for me to keep my little
family together simply with my needle
and the coal the children gather from the
track keeps one comfortable, and leavel
my scanty earnings for other needs"
81 Yer girls haint any on 'em old 'enuh
ter work out be they, Miss Burtoni II 70
I'D take one OF 'cm TO help sister Betsy