The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-01-21

| CONVERSATION naQ Win the minister cOul-
bined drove away slumber, and before
| the day she was astir.
! But Martha had arisen even earlier.
! AS her mistress entered the kitchen she
| found her bending over the fire, shiver-
ing, bonneted, shawled, and her
dabbled dress telling she had been
abroad.
Land sakesp she exclaimed !;
where have you been, Martha, and
you sick?'
The woman looked at her sharply,
even fercely, but made no direct reply,
though her mistress caught a muttered
threat about doing something even if
killed for it, and, looking upon her as
one bordering upon insanity, refrained
from further questioning, and was care
full not to cross her.
But as the morning progressed
Martha appeared her former self,
though more reticent. She took her
usual interest in what was going on, at
tending to the household duties, and
never gave sign of the cause of her
recent trouble, save it might have been
in casual word dropped about her not
being " wanted very long"
That was the ray of light that solved
the mystery of her actions for Job Grey
and his wife. She must have learned
their purpose, and presumed she would
be discharged.
+" Poor old thing" said the husband;
go and comfort her, Susan; tell her
she shaD never want home as long as [
have roof over my head. She has
been tco good and faithful servant"
Mrs. Grey did as her husband re-
quested. The woman stared at her de-
family for an instant, and then broke
down entirely and sobbed bitterly.
" The good news was too much for
her." said Mrs. Grey to her husband
when she returned. eff | had only
known the cause of her trouble at first
how much suffering / might have saved
her, poor thing"
Certainly Martha seemed cheered,
and as soon as the breakfast things
were out of the way and her master
gone to his Out-of-doOr employment, she
Sought her mistress and said:
So you are going to adopt child in
your old agef"
" Yes, Martha, We are talking of it,"
"WhoW
Domino Armstrong says he knows a
girl that will suit us."
And he is right, Listen to him."
Martha turned away again, and even
more earnestly than before did up the
work.
"I have everything in order," she
said, when called to go to church, but
have got to stay and attend to the
dinner"
" What, not going, Martha, and this
Thanksgiving
"NO, not today. I am not well,
and there is too much to be DONE"
She retreated within, carefully closed
up the house, and went upstairs, re-
manning there for a long time; in fact
going and returning until dinner absO-
lUtely required all her attention. And
Job Grey and his Susan, and the
Domino and his wife found everything
ready when the long service at church
was over. The table was set and gar
nished, the great chicken pie steamed
apetizipg Odors, the pumpkin pies as
faxed gold, and the turkey dripping
unctiousness from it's welEbrowned
sides. Had the mistress of the mansion
there could have been no Improvement.
But one thing trife surprised her.
There were TWO more plates and two
more chairs than the number warranted,
and she questioned Martha as to the
reTsOn.
"I didn't know who you might bring
home. Somebody is always being asked,
and this being Thanksgiving | thought
very likely the table might be crowded.
especially as there was so much
cooked
"And you were right, Martha, F." said
the 'Don1ihe approVingly. There IS
indeed plenty, and room for more. OIL
that all the gorrQWiRg, stricken children
of the earth could partake OF such
bounty that every wandering son and
daughter of the earth could gather
around their parents board. and for
giveness, love and happiness reign in
every heart"
Job Grey looked up at his wife un-
easily, and his wife was forced to wipe
away tears. His words had touched the
! hidden fount of feeling within their
hearts far more than his labored sermon
upon charity had done, and for mo-
ment the silence was painful. To Job
Grey his oft repeated prayer arose ac=
cusingly. It was known to all present,
and for the first time he felt not only its
absurdity but its sin. Yet he was the
first to rally, and commanded Martha to
remove the extra plates and chairs.
The old servant looked questiOningly
at the minister. He came to her relief
saying:
Now, that they are placed you might
as we'll permit them to remain, my OLD
friend. Blessed are they that give,
and"
'' You promised me the girl would be
here" interrupted Mrs. Grey.
so I did, and if present she would
fill one place." .. 10
"And her mother the other" said
Martha.
She flung the door wide open and re-
vealed a woman in the prime of life,
holding a beautiful girl by the hand and
both looking through tears, shrinking
and afraid"
'FMaryl Obi God be praised, my
daughterp' exclaimed Mrs. Grey,
springing forward and clasping the
elder one in her arms, and covering her
face with kisses. My daughter and
your daughterl Father in heaven, I
thank thee" .t.
lob Grey stood as lion at bay and
glared fercely around. He saw that a
trap had been sprung upon him; that
the minister he revered, the wife he
loved, the old servant he felt kindly
toward, had all conspired against him.
But his almost daily oath stared him in
the face, and he put an iron heal upon
all of natural affection and ground it into
the dust
"Go hence" he said, "vagabond and
wanderer that you are. Go, and take
your child with you. No daughtefOf
mine are you. Go, and quickly, before
l turn you out of DOORS"