The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-12-03

Snell, Gne apples, req as their own
cheeks, polished until they shone
bright as their eyes. They do not
believe another home can contain
SO many good things, and to sleep
they go, dreaming of the promised
"drumstick," and conserves of the
morrow. The children are made
happy there as they should he every
where.
IT'S Thanksgiving day. We follow
the throng into the sacred place with
solemn reverence. 1t is the church
where our fathers and our fathers
fathers have worshiped, and for gen.
erations have bowed to thank God
for His care and to entreat blessing
on His gifts, and on their children
and children's children. 1t is indeed
holy sanctuary. How familiar the
pews and their occupants appear.
We know them all, many have come
as we have, to renew and strengthen
affections early ties. The feast
is spread in every home. AS we
gather around the old family table,
each in the accustomed place, and gaze
upon the dear occupants OF the arm
chairs, we note, with pains, the
changes time has wrought in them,
We feel it will not be our happy priv
eledge to repeat the thanksgiving
dinner in their blest company. Our
hearts swell with affection and pride
as we behold the intelligence and
physical beauty developed in our
young darlings--the dear brothers and
sisters, that were mere infants when
we exchanged the room nearest the
rafters, tor the strife and turmoil OF
city life. We will leave our New
England friends, who have travelled
with us and Fancy thus far, to enjoy
the rich mince pies, the nuts the chill
dren have cracked, the cider, warmed
just little to take off the chill, while
we take Fact as companion with
Thought. and. turn back TO, a woss;,
long since rolled into eternity, when
we were summoned few days before
thanksgiving day, to the dear old
home. No smiling, joyous faces meet
us at the door. The sweet singing
laugh of childhood was hushed.
There were no preparations to cele-
brate our mothers favorite testal dav.
That precious being who had con-
ferred SO much happiness upon others
now lay, white as lily, upon her
couch, with an expression OF calm
resignation resting over her lovely
face. A feast was prepared in that
sacred chamber, a morsel of bread, a
sip OF wine, as the solemn words
"Take and eat this in remembrance
that Christ died for thee, and
feed on him in thy heart by faith
with thanksgiving" fioated upon the
air, we know that hencetorth our
sainted mother would walk with
those who know neither hunger or
thirst, anG united with the redeemed
would partake OF the wedding. feast
prepared for the chosen OF God.
'ris the eve OF Thanksgiving day.
The favorite hymn has lulled TO
sleep the precious object OF
our love. At midnight she wakens
and softly whispering tomorrow will
be Thanksgiving day"-she sleeps.
We felt that the angels had not IN
charge more purely fair and spot
less soul. On the annual feast day
We fasted-we wept and prayed-the
snow fell and drilted as we bore her
to the church where her sainted
father had dispensed the bread and
wine in the bye gone years, and from
thence to the sepulchre yonder, where
we left the hallowed form safely sealed
in the lap OF earth. From that mo-
ment we knew there was no home
stead now, no Thanksgiving day for
us in dear New England home. Z
ID ~ JEANETTE q. ANDERSON.
Girard, Hali1an Rices, Eta. ~