The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-11-26
ROLTER'S THANKSGIVING.

- NC oloiueu liz nave any tnlnS u
be thankful for" said Mr.. Bolter. "You
can all 60 home and chaw away at your
gobblers, and sing hymns if you want to;
there'll he nothing to do IN the store, any
way. Everybody1l have to stuff them
selves to-day, and of course business must
stop. wish the man that invented
Thanksgiving day had turkey-gobbler
tied around his neck, and had to sleep
and eat with it!' IS s,1a@5 -.
And then Nh. 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. -. 90 I5-M4
The six men employed about the estab-
lishment silently left, except Peter, and
while the latter earned out his employ
er's instructions, Bolt0f sat down and
thought it over. $50 .s.. s. gae1s
'Such an ieliotic CUSTOM" he said to
himself. ut don't matter ctnt's worth
what the times have been, we've got to
have Thanksgiving eg'lar, and go 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 which
the provisions should be all eaten up.
'This year has been the hardest one
I've known. Everything's shrunk. I've
worked day and night, and if I get
throug III and make both ends meet at the
end of the year, will be lucky, Yet
they talk of Thanksgiving!' ar.
2. And then Mr.. Bolter got up and paced
about tor moment, and saw Peter stand
ing by The stove. --aa.sa# Atr& a4E5E =.
"What are you standing there FORT"
said Bolter. An 81 80, ,2T~>r .Eza7ta-s ~
Give closed up responded feter. s
"Well y exclaimed Bolter. lz.o ~. s's
IF you hain't got my more for me to
d. said Peter, nd like to get off," r.
- Oh, you would!' replied Bolter, II
'spose you've got turkey to eat, too, and
thanks to givef'' .ss@' VI.
Mot turkey, zackly,' said Peter,
scratching his head, "but we has pig
con or two sir. -. .+s.*= $685. -. =
"Humph!' growled Bolter. "Well,
20 on: but mind you, you be back bright
and early in the morning, and ready for
hard work. 80 -. ,4%. 49 s7s ~
eyes, sir" said Peter, and he slipped
lightly out the back door and went on
hls way cheerily. .aaseas
Then Bolter sat down awhile and re-
flected, 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-by he
grew sleepy, and he thought he would
go home, and went for his overcoat and
shoes. Some way he didn't recollect
anything after that, until he stepped of
the street cars up town and walked to-
ward his residence. =
As he drew near his home Bolter was
surprised to see q carriage ut the door
and a crowd collected about it. Two
men were carrying 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. s.0> :
Boiler dartcd forward, and in mo-
ment was met by some Of his aneighbors,
who broke the painful news to him. !,
His ouly son, Paul, his pride, his hope,
ON whose life conferred his ambition, had
been thrown from moving train and
fcarfully mangled.t Life was not extinct.
but the breath came slow and painful,
and the end was nigh s4h sr,,s4s
3, They had laid the bruised form on the
snowy bed, and Boiler 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 eyery-
where for there was no hope..8 IF u
!"saye himY cried Better, 9ssayc nv
son, and take all I have--eyerything.
eyerythingp' But the doctors only, tod
him to bear it mantully, and shook their
heads. .sss...s,... s..,e !:
"Deadv' 2 "a
Bolter never realized how much that
werd signitied until he stood there and
gazed into the face of his earthly idol.
All night he sat half daxed; nor could
ne be induced to leave the room.
Morning came, and he walked Devil.
dered about the house, noticing here and
there the preparations for the funeral.
He opened the closet and saw before
him coat worn by the boy, ane then
he broke down again and wept until the
tears would no longer come.
The next day came ana the funeral
service was read.
Old Peter was there, his sober, solemn