Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-11-13

t. Jrlng iorth in its season, sending
tho rain to fill, and the sunshine to
ripen, the harvests, turning aside the
lightning and the frost, keeping that
mysterious thing called life in the
animals, and browning the year with
plenty, till thankful lungings arose in
their hearts,--snch thoughts did not
pale any OF the roses in their cheeks,
or take away the least bit from the
Joy OF the days Nor did even their
annoying disappointments, when
young turkeys hung themselves on
wood-piles, black hawks carried off
downy chickens, malicious boys stole
unripe crook necks,a and the like, hurt
them they thus learned to 'endure
hardness, and to gain the mental
and moral vigor which comes from
perseverance und,r difficulty and pa.
thence in defeat.
Il did not think it took so much
time and so many things to get ready
for Thanksgiving said Amanda, as,
the afternoon before the happy feast
day, she stood in the store room with
her mother, taking last look at the
preparation for to morrow's festival
There were turkeys and geese, ready
dressed for roasting; sausages wait
ing to be fried and chickens ready
to be broiIed Great loaves of white
aud brown bread and Jars of cookies
and nutcakes already were made for
the children, and sponge and lily
cake for their elders. A great plum
pudding, tied in bag, was ready to
boil, and was flanked by pork pies,
chicken pies, apple pies, cranberry
tarts, and yellow pumpkin deIicacies
wherein the yipened crook necks,ga
nered eggs, and grass.fed milk told
of summers successful and faithful
labor. On shelf lay piled-up dishes
of rosy and golden apples and crack
hickory nuts, all wrinkled and appe-
tizing, ready for the coming festival.
Outside of the store-room, all was
in state of beautiful, home like dec
Grafton. Fires bazed on every
hearth, aud beside them stood wood.
boxes piled with logs and cracking
brush, gathered by Jake's busy
hands. Bedrooms had been fixed
up everywhere, and snowy beds pre-
pared in rubbish rooms and closets,
while the warm, dry loft above the
woodhouse. with its row of "bunks,"
looked, Jake said, "a good deal like
camp meeting" For 'all the folks"
were coming to night, and the two
grea. farm wagons had been fitted
up with planks and seats and sent
down TO the depot to meet them
Amanda's two elder brothers and
their wives, her three sisters and
their husbands, the unmarried teach
er sister, even Aunt Sophronia and
Uucle Bill, and all the crowd OF
grandchildren who lived ever so far
away; travelled night and day to be
at home for on that one day, at
least, of all the long year, the old
brown farm house should hold it's
own united family.
$50 many things" said Amanda,
as she closed the door, "besldes all
that we have done, there's sugar and
ralsins aud spice and flour, aud the
things to put them land the things
to cook wlth--oh dear, can't think
how many !"
eyes," said her father, who just
then entered, bright with expecta,
ton; "long before you or were
born, and eyer since, God has been
busy getting ready for our thanks.
giving He put the coal down in
the earth ; He sets the trees to
growing /; He prepared the seeds, and
and made -eady the soil, and blessed
the labors of the husbandman, He
buit the homestead and sent the
children Yes wife, lie has watched
and cared for each one as it grew up,
and so arranged its life that, Of the
band who come to us to day, not one
but is an honor and cause for thanks
giving"
eyes, indeed" said his wife heart !
lily, "and | want my little girl here to-
learn that not by fits and starts of
feeling, but by steady perseverance
in appointed tasks through life by
gentle works and loving thoughts,
by kindly and care taking deeds, we
must be storing up the good things,
just as she has done this summer"
cts all 'ge ing ready | suppose
said Amanda thoughtfully, at the
same time breaking the least little
teenty bit from the edge of the fruit
cake and nibbling it with great COM
,nInnn.l,.,