Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-11-23
NUMBER SEVENTY-NINE.
A Thanksgiving Romance.

Rhoda Bruce sat alone by the parlor
window in the dim November twilight,
watching the flicker and flare of the gas
in the street lamps, as the cold sweeps of
the winter wind came surging round the
corner.
1t was Thanksgiving eve; and, after a
day of busy preparation for the morrow's
festivities, everything had settled down
into quiet again.
Rhoda had heartily enjoyed the excite
ment eff helping her aunt, with whom she
lived, arranged rooms for the expected
guests, and prepare flowers for the tables
and mantles, putting graceful, glrlish
touches upon all the adornments. To-
ward night, aunts and uncles and cousins
had poured in from the different trains.
and Rhoda's brother Ralph, her especial
admiration and alteration, had surprised
her by coming from his college to spend
the day with her. Altogether it had
been happy day, and was a joyous pre-
Jude to the hymn Of praise and thanks,
which Rhoda felt sure she would sing
out gaily on the morrow.
But it was just trife dull alone in the
parlor tonight. Aunt Garry had taken
the girls, her two daughters, off up stairs
tor contab, and others OF the aunts and
cousins were singing lullabys IN their
rooms to protesting babyhood; Uncle
Boyed was smoking up in the library
with the husbands and brothers, and
Ralph, after little confidential converse
with Rhoda, had rushed down to the
Continental to meet some of his chums.
1t looked very pleasant over the way
at the Weldon girls house; the gas was
lighted in the parlor, the blinds up, and
they seemed to be having a jolly time,
Some one had told Rhoda that Lettv
Welden's beau was coming on from the
West to spend Thanksgiving with her
and Rhoda deserted him in the group.
"Heigh-ho!" sighed Rhoda; che don't
rush off to meet a comrade as soon as he
has arrived. wish had lover! They
must be very nice. I wonder if I will
have one next Thanksgivlng2"
Just then a voice in the darkness made
her start with the words:
eff you love me, you'll do something
l want you to very much"
But it was only Cousin Gilbert who
had spoken, and as he was but fourteen
aud only up to her shoulder, even cou-
sinly filtration was out of the question.
"Well, what is it Gill;" laughed Rho
da; faint heart never won fair lady,
you know; ask, and see If I will not grant
you favor"
Rhode, dear, it's awtully stupid up in
the library, they're talking stocks, and If
1 go where mama is, she'll want me to
go to bed; and Rhodie," coming closer,
and coaxing in rough boy fashion, II new
er saw great city lighted up; I wish
you'd take me down the street little
ways, please?"
"Certalnly I will,' replied Rhoda,
jumping up; "get into your overcoat
quickly, and wait in the hall until come
down. Then, running up stairs for her
own seal-skin jacket and cap, Rhoda
burst into the nursery with an incoherent
sort of explanation that she was going
out little way, and would take Gilbert
as escort.
"Poor fellow!" she said to herself, as
she tied her cardinal cloud tight down
over her ears, and wound it round her
throat; she lives such a humdrum sort
of life up in that little village; how grand
the city by night will look to him! I'll
walk little way down Broad street, and
then return he will be protection enough.
II ne is only boy, and I shan't feel at
all timid."
A brisk walk, with Gilbert's constant
boyish chatter and pleasure at seeing the
long continuous line Of lamps, that it
seemed band of light along the straight
stretch of streets, soon brought them
down into the more central portion of
the city, and, almost before she realized
it, Rhoda found herself IN a crowd of
men and boys, who appeared to think
that keeping Thanksgiving eve consisted
In shouting and jostling and pushing every
one with whom they came In contact.
Presently loud clang and boom rang
out upon the air, and, then, a rush on the
part of the crowd, followed by rattle
and CHATTER of noisy eagines along the
street, and whirl of hurrying people
with cries Of ''fre! fire' upon their lips,
flew past.
20 Rhoda! I never saw fire; come
let US go!" and Gilbert caught her by the
hand, and she obeying wild sort Of I'M
pulse which she, could scarcely under.
stand, and felt DOWerless to control. fol.