Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-02-01
Gales ann Sketfbes.
THE PRAISE MEETING AT Poyc.ssEr.
a Thanks iving story.
BY ELIOT MCCORMICK.
Continued from yesterday. }

make DOtn ends meet But L III Il happy
man, bless the Lord -
Bless the Lord" echoed the brethren.
"And I'm a thankful man. I'll tell you
why. brethren'--
Amen Praise God - shouted brother
Barnes.
IL am thankful that durin' the year my
two darters has come to sit down at the
Lords Table,
''Bless God!' in low murmur all over
the room; and Jennie felt all at once rs
though wall had sprung up between her
and her friend.
1.-The others amt come vet, but they're
comin'-the blessed Lords DRAWN 'em. J"
''Amen," shouted the brethren. DRAW
'em. O Lord Fetch EN- quick"
And I've been prospered, brethren, in
my basket and store. The crops has
turned out good and we've had strength
10 gather them. Bless the Lord for that
Amen, brother! Amen,''
"And I'm thankful, brethren, I've got
Jesus Christ. When mans got him
what more can he wante tell you. friends,
when think how much I've got in this
life | wonder what there's left for me in
the world to come. Why, I'm so brimful
and runnin' over with thankfulness that
Thanksgiving Day amt half long enough to
'xpress it,
Praise His name," they all cried.
"Amen! brother!n And then, as Mr.. Wog-
lom sat down, Uncle Zad started, and they
all sang with will
when all thy mercies. o my God!
But even this did not help Jennie '1f
it's all going on this way she said
discontentedly, II might as we'll not have
come.
Perhaps the thought showed itself on
her face. At all events, the minister, who
had been looking along the pews from
face to face, suddenly rested his ewes on
Carrie Woglom. Lets hear some of the
young folks" he said. Carrie Woglom,
haven't You got something TO be thankful
for9n
Jennie's heart leaped up in her throat.
This was coming pretty close. She thought
of that verse in the Bible: Two women
shall be grinding at a mill-one shall be
taken and the other left" and wondering
what she would have done if the minister
had asked her instead of Carrie. Indeed,
she had never heard of girl speaking in
meeting, at all. Then the thought flashed
upon her, Now III hear what Carrie has
got to be thankful for
Over Carries cheek crept little flush.
But she did not refuse the minister With
out rising she leaned forward in the seat.
resting her arm on the pew in front. and
looked up earnestly in Mr.. Hamilton's
face. Yes she said softly. vet so clear
ly that everybody could hear it. 1--we got
ever so much to be thankful for. There's
home and school, and the chance TO learn,
and church and Sunday school-I'm thank
ful for all of them. And when | think of
the poor people down in Poverty Hollow
who haven't got any Of these things can't
begin to be thankful enough. And then
there's mother and father, and the girls
and boys. We haven't any of us been
sick a day this year. And then, Mr.. Ham
ilton." her voice sinking to whisper.
while any one but he and Jennie heard.
81 can sing that HYMN, Jesus loves even
me-
Bless God - said Mr.. Hamilton. warm
ly, rs Carries voice died away. praise
his name = added Uncle Zad and the
whole roomful of people took up the echo,
and murmured Amen
Now, while Carrie was going over her
list OF mercies-home, friends, school.
church and health-Jennie for the first
time was getting light upon her trouble
some problem. 1t dawned on her indeed.
Just as the answer to a difficult sum often
had in school. ''Oh, see ~ she exclaimed
almost aloud in her cagerness, and then
looked guilty around TO find if any one
had heard her speak. Il see :" she re-
peated softly to herself, delighted with
her discovery. .only never once thought
OF being thankful for such things. But
il Carrie is, surely l ought to be IL great
deal more thankful, too, because I've got
so much more
And then side by side in her mind float
ed the pictures of New York and Poncas-
set; of her fathers house, which was
warm and solid and big, and Mr.. Woglom's
which was little and wcather-beaten and
cold; Of the Poncasset school house. hard
~ larger than u corn crib and Nine De
launeys brown stone front on Fifth Ave
nue.; OF the Poncasset church so little and
bare, and st. Synteche's, so imposing and
rich; of all the things which She had to
make her happy and comfortable which
Carrie had never even seen or heard of.
If Carrie was thankful because she was so
much better off than the people in Poverty
Hollow, how grateful Jennie ought to be
for the still greater difference between her
home and Poncasset,
My gracious - she said to herself.
drawing a long. bewildered breath III
once get going shan't know where to
stop. Only / never thought of such
things as blessings. always took them
a a matter of course"
Into her thoughts came again the sound
of Mr.. Hamiton's voice Mr.. Grim
shaw" the voice was saying, "cant YOU
give word Of testimony PSI
Everybody turned around. for Mr..
Grimshaw sat in the back seat. Jennie
wondered what the wickedest man in Pom
casset would say. She wondered. too.
that MIR. Hamilton dared to ask him.
If Mr.. Grimshaw was bad he was not
bold--at least in meeting. He cleared his
throat, made an effort to speak. and broke
down. Then, clearing his throat again.
and making another effort, while every
body listened eagerly for his ..testimonv.''
he succeeded in stammerng out oval.
| guess hain't got nothin' to be thankful
for
Jennie gave little gasp. How hard
and wicked it sounded, And yet-and the
blood rushed up in "a torrent to her face as
she thought of tit was precisely what
sha hsrsalf ha1 .a,l d,