New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-12-15
A THANKSGIVING STORY.

I'd rather doubt than know she don't:
-Scribner's Monthly.
A THANKSGIVING STORY.
No ONE should be mean enough to
ask if this is a true story. All stories
are true stories, and it isn't likely that
any one would lie about what happened
on such a good day as Thanksgiving.
TO BEGIN WITH,
The widow Du Shay lived in a little cot
tage on the ground now occupied by the
House of Correction. The facts in this
story occurred many years ago, but they
were sailed down at the time and arc
now taken from the barrel in splendid
condition.
Thanksgiving day had arrived. The
Governor of Mich gan had issued a
proclamation as long as a hoe-handle,
the turkey-gobblers had been gobbled
from market and grocery, and every
body was ready for a short sermon and
q long dinner. That's how things were,
and a war map would not give the read
er any clearer idea of the situation.
RETROSPECTIVE.
The widow sat down in her rocking chair.
And she drew up nearer the stove;
And the. north wind blew with an awful
"WhcW,"
And the snow flakes came down in drove.
"Bc thankful-for what7" unused Mrs. Du
"Tm widow, rheumatic and poor;
And twouldn' be queer, if before the New
Year.
was begging from door to door,"
She wiped a tear from her sparkling nose
And she thought of Du Shay in his grave
And her children three, who were drowned
at sea,
Under the foam-crest wave.
NOTICE TO THE AUDIENCE.
The public will please keep their seats,
rs the performance is not yet half
through.
i've worked like a slavc,'' the widow went
"Tve toied both early and late,
I've lcsscned my food that might get wood,
And my conduct has ever been straight
"My husband is dead-my children are gone,
My house needs many repairs;
Some white man or mig has stolen my pig,
And my head it is getting gray hairs
SAME ONE.
Every adult person has read of the
poor widow who was compelled to make
shirts for six cents piece and furnish
the buttons and thread. This is the one.
Five nothing to cat but cold pancakes.
And a sip of three-shilling tea"
And the widow she wept, while the snowflakcs
Under the door for to sec.
ave nothing to wear but an old black dress,
Ny bonnet Is seven years old;
And to add to my woes, my best pair of
For shilling couldn't be sold.
Thanksgiving! The day is nothing to me-
wish was under the ground
lwish was dead, and this sorrowful head
4 rest in a coffin had found
PERFECTLY NATURAL.
You would have wished the same had
you been in the widows place. Thanks
giving is q big thing with fowl, and
oysters, and cranberry sauce to back it;
but when you come down to three old
chairs and two old pancakes, it's anoth-
er matter.
And the widow she wcpt and rocked away.
And the wind continued to blow,
While the window pane it shivered again
AT the touch of the flakes OF snow.
CHANGE.
Human nature is tickle. If it WASH t
there would be no breach-of-promise
suits or divorces The widow Du Shay
finally concluded that cold pancake was
better than nothing, and that her old
house was superior to coal shed for
comfort. She decided to observe the
day as well as possible. She was warm
ing her feet in the oven preparatory to
starting for church, when she fell
asleep.
She fell asleep and she sighed and snored,
But never pain did she feel,
AS the room grew balm and the oven got
And almost blistered her heel.
And she didn't dream of the better land.
Where widows have rament Of gold
She heaved not sigh for coffee and pie,
And tiannels to keep out the cold.
THE REASON WHY
she didn't was on account of the sur
roundings. It's no trick at all for a
rich widow to dream of Heaven and
angels and second husbands and weeks
OF bliss, but a poor lone widow with her
feet in the oven is different story.
However,
The widow Du Shay she opened her eyes
There was wood at the dOOr-SOme ten cords
AS she could quite plainly perceive.
A barrel of pork-a whole chest Of tea,
In the shed with a barrel of flour;
And Il bonnet was there, with a dress Of mo
Selected from some fairy bower.
A pair of new shoes (shc wore No. fivc'sA
Shawl, stockings and other dry goods,
In fact, such Il store rs she ne'er saw before
Since tho day she moved out of the woods.
OF COURSE,
Her amaZement was intense, and it was
half an hour before she could fully real
ize that Providence had thus rewarded
her for her resolution to keep Thanks
giving day, and be thankful for what
she had. just as she had finished in
speeding the last article
A gallant knock was knocked on the door,
And responsive to her "come in,"
In walked gent, as slick as cent,
Or as neat rs any new pin.
! He smiled sweet smile as he took chair
And his clothes were fitting and fine:
And this he did say to the widow Du Shay:
''Oh, widow, will you be mine?"
She blushed Bit and she hung her head,
And her hand he took in hisn;
! And he stole kiss, which she didn't miss,
And-but it's none O your bizzen.
| They were married that eve by a parson tall
]
And they rode for an hour on a bridal tour
In sleigh by the light of the moon.
| THAT'S ALL
But this article should make a deer
impression on you.
Whenever you feel like saying hare
things of Thanksgiving because YOU
have nothing to be thankful for just re-
member what a narrow escape thu
widow Du Shay had from falling upor
the stove in her sleep and increasing
her misfortunes by roasting her hose
She happened to come out A 1, bu
fairies don't take to cverybody.-De
| ffOlt Free Press