The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-12-15

4
lands will bad spread far aud wild,
and a few of Rodney's intimat
trends were convinced that the las
heory was correct. He would new
er return to impoverish his mother, ),
they said for. although Rodney hst
much Of his mothers gentleness, b,
also possessed considerable of hi
fathers doggedness, and woult
doubtless die rather than bring pov
erty to the mother he so idelized.
At last still another Thanksgiv
ing day dawned upon the earth, and
the widow, childless and forsaksn.
sat alone in her home. She drove
to church as usual in the morning,
and there was hardly a dry eye H.
the house, when the lonely woman,
clad in the deepest mourning, walk
ed slowly up the aisle, and took her
seat in the deserted pew. Oh how
she prayed fer help, aRd how far
away seemed the divine hand! Ar
ter the service was over, her friends
pressed round TO speak to her, but
her eyes seemed looking far away,
and her manner was so strange, thai
it was not to be wondered at-they
all thought the poor lady was losing
her mind. At noon che sat down
10 her solitary dinuer; but she could
not bear the great diOner-room,
with its memories of former Thanks
giYings, and the dinner was taken
away untasted. In the afternoon
,everal Of the neighbors dropped in,
but she refused herself to all, and
when night came, she had tea made
IN the little sitLing.roOm, where she
and Rodney used sometimes to take
their supper when the judge was
away. "Oh do, for mercy's sake"
said one of the servants, who had
lived with Mrs. Cleveland ever since
sac was married, "let me go and ir-
vite somebody to come in and have
a@with you. 1t breaks my heart to
see you here alone !" You shall
have tea with me, Sarah," said her
mistress, trying TO smile, "for it
doesn't annoy me to have you with
me, and "e will talk of the old times,
Sarah, when Rodney was a little
boy"
Sarah drew up the table, and hung
the kettle over the glowing fire.
with the tears streaming down her
cheeks. II shall be awful poor
company, Mrs. Cleveland, if you
don chirp up a little," Sarah re.
piled. Il don't think | was made to
be OF any use in trouble" she con
tinued, "for l always get to blub-
bering So"
'Oh, Sarah y said Mrs. Cleveland,
in the old agonizing tone. "if l only
knew whether my boy was alive or
dead. Tell me again what you
think"
Sarah at that moment was adjust.
IUg slice of bread to the toasting
fork, and ali Of sudden the bread
fell to the floor, and Sarah uttered
slight scream. She had seen psir
Of eyes peeping through the partly
closed blinds, and had recognized
them al once. For a moment or tive
she busted herself with her work.
abstainlng carefully from looking
again at the window, 81 think, just
as l always have, that Mr.. Rodney
is alive" the woman answered with
considerable dehberation, Though
every nerve in her body was ripg-
ling with excitement, "and l think,
when somebody gets the best of him,
he'll come popping 10 upon you all
of sudden. Mrs. Cleveland, il
you'll please to hold this toastlng
fork minute, III 60 cut and set
the milk"
The sitting-room windows opened
to the floor, and Sarah passed care
Iessly about the room. adjusting the
concluded on Fourth Page