The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-11-19
A JOLLY THANKSGIVING DAY.

A JULY THANKSGIVING DAY.
"Oh, what jolly day! Good thick
ice on the pond! and just the day for
race with the fellows"
Harry Archer was out of bed with
bound and a real live boys whoop, and
ran to the window for a view of the dis
tant pond, before drawing on the warm
stockings and shoes which had lain ali
night in scattered places about the
floor, keeping company with different
articles of clothing here and there and
all over.
All of Harry's thoughts were with the
pond and his new skates. The skates
were a present from his Uncle Harry,
whose nameSake the boy was, and with
whom he was a great favorite. Uncle
Harry lived in the city, but had promis-
ed to eat his Thanksgiving dinner with
Mrs. Archer and her husband, and
Harry had been promised race with
his uncle after dinner, for Uncle Hal
was famous skater notwithstanding
his twenty-eight years, an age which to
Hal junior seemed very advanced in
deed. So to Harry this Thanksgiving
Day seemed very important, and had
been anticipated long and we'll AS he
hastily dressed himself, he thought:
Let me see; the fellows will be at the
pond about half-pa,t nine, | guess, and
that will give us skate of two or three
jolly hours before come home to dress
for dinner Well, after dinner Uncle
Hal and are going to skate | can
beat an old man like him any day; and
then, in the evening, there'll be
games, cause there's company coming,
aad mamma engaged a piano man. Oh,
this will be 1irst-class day, won't it,
thought
All these thoughts, while the stock
ings and shoes, the pants and Jackets
were being donned rapidlv-and the
last thought with the final question,
must have been addressed to Harry S
reflection, as he stood before the mirror
brushing his curly, fair hair, and smiling
at the merry rosy face which smiled
back to him.
Then, as every boy ought, he knelt
to say the morning prayer which good
mother had taught him never to forget
and in the pray er was included the
earnest petitions dear Lord, teach
me to do always to others as | would
that others should do also to me, for
Jesus sake" Harry had repeated that
prayer as long as he could remember,
and although perhaps he had never
thought as seriously of its meaning as
his mother desired he should, yet a very
kind-hearted, loving little fellow was
Harry, and willing salways to be oblig-
ing and helpful, and such boy is apt
to make a good man, we all know.
Breakfast over, away went Harry,
warmly clad in his fur-lined coat, and
with his new skates slung over his
shoulder. In the distance glistened the
smooth pond, on the surface of which
already were gliding half dozen boys.
Harry quickened his steps with a ''Hur-
rah, boysr' and laughed aloud in the
fullness of his merry heart and over
flowing spirits. Only little farther to
go and then for the trial of speed be-
tween the best skaters. Harry's cheeks
were glowing with health and exercise.
His heart was content with present Joy
and merry anticipations for the rest OF
the day. And no wonder that he sang
and whistled along the road until sud
denly stopped by pitiful sight before
| him. A boy of his own age apparently,
thin, whte-cheeked and sad, his blue
| lips trembling with weakness and cold
as he drew the worn, scant Jacket about
him, and his poor feet barely protected
from the slippery road by pair OF
gaping shoes. Much too short for the
shivering limbs was the ragged pair OF
pants, and the boys knees trembled
beneath his own slight weight.
80 Master Harry Archer" he said,
imploringly, "can you give me few
pennies to get roll with at the corner,
for I'm nearly starved and frozen tc
death"
Harry recognized the boy as the son
and only child of drunken father
who had long since grieved his poo
wife to death and now was fast killing
his child with ill-treatment.
But, Jack, | thought your father
had gone to work again in the forge
and so you would be safe from blows
at least. How came you so far from
the other end of the village and you
home?n