Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-12-03
AN UNEXPECTED THANKSGIVING.

"I 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
stLor', well, what if they don'tp 1
guess we kin BIZ 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," 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 marshy district
which bordered the village, and her
spirits were consequently high.
81 don't care so much on my own nc
count, and l know you don't mind it,
Debby, but am sorry for Emily. It's
dredful dull for young folks to be forev-
er at home, IN never go out into any
kind of company. But folks that dom
even own the farm they live on can't
expect to be noticed. I don't suppose
there's anything talked of in the village
nowadays but that Squire Jones is go
ing to foreclose 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, a tall,
slender girl, with pale, pretty face,
who was gazing dreamily into the fire.
Seats foot! don't believe Squire
Jones will foreclose the mortgage, any.
how," Aunt Debby blurted out. "Joe
Whites BOY is comm out beautiful
with sort or rash, m they say he ant
nigh so dangerous, Mis- 'Lijah Perkins
told me-"
"Hiram's Kate got home from the city
yesterday, l 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" iNl
Emily shook her head, while a little
scornIul smile curled her lip.
"And you used to be such grea
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 1t wasn't so very
much, after all. !"
"No, m Squire Jones says they're {
spendin' it awful reckless. There won
be none of it left in year or two. Wha
with Kate a-goin' to the city to tax,
music lessons, m hevin' two silk dress
es. She didn't hev that last one trim
med with fringe after all. 1t was al
kivered with knife plaitin'; Mis- Jone,
went m asked the Port dressmaker
herself. They say neither Kate no
her mother scarcely speak to the neigh
bors now."
l "But Hiram's good-hearted, m
think he's kind Of ashamed of their ac
tions," said Mrs. Rollins presently
..Emily, / wish you'd light the lamp
It's goin' to be an awful dark night."T
Emily arose and did as she was re
quested, then she drew the curtains
bolted the outside door, resumed he
seat by the fire, and taking book iron
the table, was soon absorbed in its con
tents. Miss Debby commenced to con
verse on the subject of fevers and sicl
people, half to herself and half TO he
sister, who did not seem to be in talk
alive mood, but knitted away in pensiv
silence, every now and then raising he
head to wistfully regard her daughter.
Emily" she said, after long, lon
pause, ~ don't think Kate Sawyer
friendship is any great loss, after all
Do you know have always cherished
suspicion that she was the cause of Jo
Ashton's strange behaviorP thin
that she spread the report of your flirts
ton with John Foster on purpose to pu
an end to everything between you an
Joe. She wanted him herself every
body saw that"
Emily colored violently, but made n
reply. Joe Ashton's name had hardl
been mentioned in the family for year
He was an old lover of hers, but she ha
not seem him for eight long years. Sh
YVES twenty-six now, and he had left I'll
place very suddenly and mysteriousl
when she was only eighteen, and 81
had never heard from him since.
. The summer that he went away
had never been more devoted. Emil
saw him every day. He talked of giv
! ing up his sailor life because he coul
not bear to leave her, he said, and wa
looking for a situation in some mercal
tile house in the city. Then all of
sudden he disappeared without one wol
Of good-by. He left no message benin
him. He wrote no letter OF explanation
His grandfather, with whom he had a
ways lived, for his father and moth,
died In his infancy, merely said that
had gone On another foreign yoysge.