Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-12-18
Aunt BetseY's Thanksgiving.
CHAPTER I.

III WAS gOIt'n NpNtllbtl way INV
iay before Thanks giving. Aunt Betscy
was busy rs n bee in her neat though
Somewhat primitive kitchen, where
most of the modern improvements
were unknown; and the sun shone
broadly in nj the shuttcrlcss window, on
whose open easement sat box of JCru-
salem cherry, full of red berries and
glossy leaves. making "A photograph of
the same on the spotlcss kitchen floor.
Out of large pot that she mad just
lifted to the hearth from the blackcncd
crane in the yawning kitchen fireplace,
she had dished out generous supply of
golden pumpkin sauce.
Here. Margaret she called TO a
little apple-chceked girl in the doorway,
"iust step over with this dish of stcwcd
punkin TO poor Mrs. Linn, for it will
be a sorry enough Thanksgiving to her
Mt the hest. with her husband all out OF
his head with whiskcy. We'll. hc is Il
good husband when hc j. sober; and
that is more than some women can say
whose husbands never touch a drop.
Tell her to send over this evening after
milking time for the milk and eggs to
make it up with too"
MAY take Billy and Barbara each
one of your cookies, ma" asked the lit
tie girl. her bright eyes dancing at the
thought of the kindly crrand she was 10
do. for already she had caught some
what of her mothers benevolent spirit.
and her young heart often felt how
much better it is to give than toreceive.
- guess not, daughter" answered
Aunt Betsey, reflcctively. You know
poor old Lawson always smells them
baking when he is saving the wood. and
expects some takes, rs lac calls them,
10 carry home: and | did not feel able
to afford many this week, rs we are to
have so many other things
Ies. we will have quite feast. even
if the famine does follow. But oh, ma,
you would think our dinner was just
nothing Mt all, if you only saw the nice
things Mrs. Carpenter is getting. Marcia
says they are TO have two turkeys and
the greatest quantity Of mincc pies !;
Just think Of that And the bright eyes
danced more than ever.
"Ah, child! we must not let our
ncighbor's happiness dazzle our eyes
till we are blind to our own blessings.
If we cannot have turkey, roast beef is
very good indeed; and we can have all
the punkin pNs we want, for we have
n whole load of 'punkins under the
fodder. and bucket Of bran-slop every
morning for old Rose keeps Us in oceans
of milk; and you know, my dear.
Thanksgiving would be no Thanksgiv-
ing at all without them"
THAT would he the play of Hamlet ,
with poor Mister Hamlet left out,
wouldn't it. map"
Never do YOU mind about such
hcathcnish things, Margaret; but when
you feel ike grumb.ing at our lot. think
of Mrs Linn"
"Yes'm didn't mean we were not
TO be thankful at all. only Just n little
mite less. you know, than the rich pco-
ple;N and the bright eyes ceased dancing
ust long enough 10 twist out a little
iccr at mothers hobby" as she and
her bro her Bob styled Aunt Betscy's
crntentment.
Aunt Bctsey was widow who lived
n thriving Western town, and main
tanned herself and her children chiefly
by her own labor. She was not above
any honest work either that came to her
hand She was notable shirt-makor.
however, and in those days q shirt front
was q wonder Of tucks and stitching,
and All done by hand. too. She had
hut Just completed halfa dozen for John
Inyct. tho builder, to whom she still
owed a small sum on the cottage which
she y d earned by her own industry.
She had carried them home only the
day before. and somehow a sad face she
saw there then had haunted her ever
since II was the face Of young widow
just from England. and this Thanksgiv-
ing eve. rs Aunt Betscy made her pump
kin pies, its sweet pensivcness came be-
fore her ike a prayer.
% | do yvnuIpt ~ IA q I punupt got rid az
that lady's looks. | never exchanged
more than n dozen words with her ~
any time that | have met her there, and
yet ii seems to me like ! ought TO go
right straight and sec after hcr-kind of
as though she was a-calling me. iwOn-
der what made her ask me so particular
where ! lived? And | believe she was
Just about saying something that she
didn't say when Mrs. Unyet came in"
soliloquized she. beating her eggs with
unusual vigoT rs the suspicion entered
her mind that perhaps that lady was not
rs great n consolation rs she might be-
to the stranger within her gates
'sJ.aw sakes! How you frightened
mel" she exclaimed. as the veri.able
Object Of her thoughts stepped upon the
threshold. with her two babes, cir
and q boy. cliuging To- her skirts. but
come right in; why how stupid cf me
ID leave you n standing there for me to
stare Mt. There. let me take off your
bonnet" she went on, as she discovered
blythe swollen tyel.ds OF her visitor that
she had been weeping. Then, never
seeming 10 notice anything unusual. she
hustled about, making her visitors COM
Portable, getting her own clfildrens
small chairs for the little one To sit in.
and waiting till the lazy chose to un-
burden herself, N she knew she would !;
and while she Is doing so. we will tel
the same story, in somewhat fewer and
more coherent words.
Mrs. Welford's husband had known
the Unyet family In England. In fact,
he had several times assisted the head
OF that family in business, he being we'll