Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-12-03
AN UNEXPECTED THANKSGIVING.

al DoN'T believe Hiram's folks are
going to invite us over there to Thanks
giving this year." said the Widow Rol-
Inns as she solemnly moved her knitting
needles one gusty autumn twilight.
"Lor', well, what if they don'tP l
guess we kin be jest az thankful ter
home; am a-goin' ter kill m cook the
yaller rooster-there's cramberries in
the house left over from last year, m
plenty of vegetables in the sullar,n re-
piled her sister, Miss Debby, an ener-
getic spinster, who was always happy
as long as there was a plenty of sick
ness in the town to talk about. Just
now the fall run of fever was progress
ing vigorously in the Inarshy district
which bordered the village, and her
spirits were consequently high.
~ don't care so much on my. own ac-
count, and L know you don't mind it,
Debby, but am sorry for Emily. It's
dRdful dull for young folks to be forev-
er at home, m never go out into any
kind of company. But folks that don't
even own the farm they live on can't
expect to be noticed. 1 don't suppose
there's anything talked of in the village
nowadays but that Squire Jones is go
ing to toreclose the mortgage, and turn
us out of DOORS" <
"You need not be sorry on my ac-
count, mother, would much rather not
go to Cousin Hiram's, would much
rather stay at home" said Emily, tall,
slender girl, with a pale, pretty face,
who was gazing dreamily into the fire.
Seats foot Idon't believe Squire
Jones will foreclose the mortgage, any
how" Aunt Debby blurted out. "Joe
Whites boy is comm out beautiful
with a sort or rash, m they say he amt
nigh so dangerous, Mis- 'Lijah Perkins
told me.n
"Hiram's Kate got home from the city
yesterday, / suppose" pursued Mrs.
Rollins, utterly regardless of her sisters
speech. "She didn't answer the letter
that you wrote her so long ago, did she,
EmilyP' ..o'
Emily shook her head, while a little
scornful smile curled her lip.
"And you used to be such great
friends. Well, since old Mis- Potter
left all the property to that family, they
have put on airs in the most extraordi-
nary manner; but it wasn't SO very
much, after all"
"NO, m Squire Jones says they're
spendin' it awful reckless. There won't
be none of it left in a year or two. What
with Kate a-goin' to the city to take
music lessons, m hevin' two silk dress
es. She didn't hev that last one trim
med with fringe after all. II was all
hVered with knife plaitin'; Mis- Jones
went m asked the Port dressmaker,
herself. They say neither Kate nor
her mother scarcely speak to the neigh
bors now."
"But Hiram's good-hearted, m
think he's kind Of ashamed of their ac-
tiOns,' said Mrs. Rollins presently.
HEmily, wish you'd light the lamp;
it's goin' to be an awful dark night.''
Emily arose and did as she was re-
quested, then she drew the curtains,
bolted the outside door, resumed her
seat by the fire, and taking book from
the table, was soon absorbed In its con-
tents Miss Debby commenced TO con-
verse on the subject of feVers and sick
people, half 10 herself and half TO her
sister, who did not seem TO be in talk
alive mood, but knitted away, in pensive
silence, every now and then raising her
head to wistfully regard her daughter.
EMILY" she said, after long, long
6phuse, 'iI don't think Nate Sawyer's
friendship is any great loss, after all.
Do you know have always cherished a
suspicion that she was the cause of joe
Ashton's strange behaviorp l think
that she spread the report Of your fiirta-
ton with John Foster on purpose to put
an end TO everything between you and
Joe. She wanted him herself; eYery4
body saw that. " .,~.
Emily colored violently, but made no
reply. Joe Ashton's name had hardly