The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-11-25
FARMER NEwTON'S THANKSGIVING.

"No Thanksgiving keeping this year,
leastways not a bit of it in my family"
said Farmer Newton, as, with a frOwn
on his usually good-humored face, he
snapped his whip ruthlessly among the
late asters and tall grasses that, spite
the first frOsts of autumn, still fingered
by the roadside. 1t was a Sabbath. early
in November. The minister had read
the Thanksgiving Proclamation at both
morning and afternoon service.
"Quite unnecessary to repeat it; once
was enough for a year like this the
farmer muttered. "Who is to observe
the day, would like to know-none of
my folks, for certain"
mot keep Thanksgiving day?"
A chorus of youthful voices echoed
the words in shrill accents that broke
discordant nature sweet Sunday quiet,
and woke up into sudden trills of song
the few birds that had not flown south
ward, away from New England's bleak
winds.
. No." Farmer Newton repeated, and
then. with darker frown and a harder
note in his voice. he added, 81 would
like to know what we have got to give
thanks for?" and the farmer, wont to
be SO circumspect on the Sabbath day,
laughed loudly, a laugh empty of the
music of a glad heart, for it was bitter
and derisive and ended in murmured
words that only his wife, who sat beside
him, heard.
She made no reply, unless there was
an answer hidden in the gentle touch of
her hand on mis- knee-a caresSing soOth-
ing little touch, that only woman who
loved could have given; and somehow,
tenderness so wins tenderness, Farmer
Newton straightway stretched out his
own hand and laid it on his wifes and
then, with quick glance exchanged
between them-a glance of sympathy
from the wife, of love from the husband,
Mrs. Newton turned to reassure the
children in the back seat, saying,
"Wait, little ones, till the day comes
and then perhaps father will find, after
all, we can keep Thanksgiving, even
though the times are so hard" and
something like a sigh crept into Mrs,
Newton voice as she added, "Wait."
"Waiti 1t was such a common word
with her. "If you only watt she was
wont to say; things are often not half
so bad as they look in anticipation.
Wait, and often you will find cloudy
morning ends in a sunshiny noon"
True enough" the farmer had often
replied to her and only a few hours
later he met her gentle remonstrance
to wait and perhaps things would
brighten. with the same words, but he
added, % | wish you would tell me how,
Molly?"
They were sitting together in the
cheerful sitting room that opened of
from the great kitchen. The children
had gone to bed The "chores" had
been done for the night The shining
pans in the cool dairy were full to the
brim with snowy milk on which the
cream vas already beginning to rise.
An air of comfort and plenty lowered
over everything, and seemed to contra
dict the farmers words. The wood
pile stretched straight and high down
by the stone wall eastward of the
house. The great barn to its highest
loft was full of the sweet and new
mown hay of the summer harvest. In
the cellar, barrel after barrel stood
loaded with rosy-cheeked apples, rusty
coats and winter pippins, huge piles of
yellow pumpkins, out in the fields, lay
in the moonlight. shining like golden
heaps; full-grained ears of corn were
peepng through the chinks and crew.
ices of the corn-crib. What could
Farmer Newton mean by calling the
times - hard" by saying, when all
seemed so prosperous, that there would
be no Thanksgiving keeping for him or
his that year? In the quaint side
board that stood in the corner of the
room there was drawer where was
kept little book that held the answer,
"a much-worn book, that contained
line after line of figures-a book he re-
ferred to as he said, Il will look it over
and add up the figures once again, Molly,
though | am sure as sure can be there is
no mistake; sure, | say, that the line
which tells how much [ an to receive
from the summer crops falls far short
of the interest due to Squire Forbes"
:. Do not look at it tonight" Mrs.
Newton pleaded, " do not let Mondays
cares creep into Sundays peace, An
drew
Why. Molly" the farmer replied,
looking at the little woman tenderly,
the care has been in my heart all day;
somehow could not pat it away when
ended SATURDAYS work.
No. for he only tried in his own
strength.
- tell you, Molly" he continued,
and the hard look came INTO his face |
again, = have thought and thought,
and no way can find to make up the /
needed sum and then, suddenly, as a /
flash OF Lightning darts across the sum-
mer sky, the CLEAN of new thought /
shone in Farmer Newton's eyes. But /
he said no word of what it was to his /
wife. as he left his seat and began to 1
walk reStiessly up and down the room.
Mrs. Weston. though farmer wife, /
a country reared girl. had an instructive /
delicacy and tact, which told her. how /
ever much a man mjght love his wife, 4
there were times when her silence was |
dearer TO him than her words. So she /
sat till the clock struck nine, then she /
moved gu ely about, preparing for the /
night. saving. think | will 90 up .
now; ,ou win come soon. Andrew?'
But he made no answer.
Alter she had gone he continued his
restless walk for MANY minutes; then
he rattsal a. trim the famn and then he