Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-11-18
WHAT THEY DID ABOUT TT.
A story Of Thanksgiving Day.


Miss Jane Finch was lonely; the sensation
was an old one, and she was at a loss what to
do with it. She had lived for fifteen years a
solitary life, had prided herself for decade
and a half upon being independent and indif-
ferent to the rest of the great human family,
and now she grew suddenly weary of her self
imposed solitude.
It might be because it was Thanksgiving
week, and everybody about her was so busy
and bustling aud happy, or it might be from
many other reasons but whatever the cause,
the fact remains that, ON a certain fine morn
ing in November, Miss Finch awoke to the
knowledge that her condition was not to be
envied.
In vain she tried to argue herself back into
her old dissatisfaction. 1t was just as true
now as it was yesterday that her brother
James had married Sarah Jones-a girl she
believed she had good reason to hate but,
someway, there was no pleasure to be gained
from comparing their poverty with her
riches.
monster turkey was just being brought
into her next door neighbor's; it reminded
her that the following day was Thanksgiving,
and also reminded her that she had yet to
prepare herself with the culinary wherewithal
without which no Thanksgiving dinner might
be properly celebrated
1t always made Miss Finch's face burn to
think of Capt. Abel Jones-hrst cousin to her
obnoxious sister-in-law. Long ago, when she
was in her teens, they had been lovers, and
everybody knew that as soon as he got his
ship, Abel Jones and Jenny Finch were to be
man and wife; but one evening she ran over
to Sarah's-they had once been bosom friends
and hearing voices in the parlor, had stop
ped moment to discover who was there In
that moment she had seen Sarah crying as if
her heart would break, with her head on Mr.
Abel's shoulder.
Quite ignoring the fact that these two had
been brought up together and that Abel had
time and again told her that Sarah was Just
the same to him as dear sister, Miss Finch
grew righteously indignant; yet she was just
very just indeed she would not Judge
them on this evidence, although to most any
one it would have been proof enough of a
very disagreeable fact, but she would wait, and
see how their conversation accorded with their
position. So she waited.
Don't cry" said Mr. Abel Jones, plead
ingly. Il am sure can fix it all right She
isn't nearly SO fond of me as you think and
you know, Sarah, how dear you are to her.
I'll break it to her gently, and I'm sure she'll
give me up of her own accord"
Now, Miss Finch hadn't jealous nature
not at all but the most unsuspicious idiot in
the universe could not have misunderstood
that speech. II was evident he wanted to be
free from her. So she stole gently out with
out letting them know of her presence, walk
ed home at railroad speed, and, with very
proper self-respect, Immediately tied up his
picture, his few presents and his fewer letters
and sent them back TO him with the pretty
falsehood that she found she didn't like him
well enough to marry him, and should be
Obliged if he would release her from the en-
gagement
She wasn't going to be Tilted by him-and
she wasn't.
Then she went of on a visit, staid two
months, aud came home to find her brother
engaged to her false friend and her false lover
nowhere.
In vain she endeRvored to prevent this mar
riage. Her brother would not be convinced,
without absolute proof, that Sarah Jones was
not perfect woman. She begged pleaded
and urged. But pride prevented her giving
the one fact of which she had become pos
sessod, and so the two we're married, and she
took her fortune Cleft her by her fathers on
ly sister) and herself to another town, grad
ually withdrew herself more and more from
the world until, at twenty she was a con-
frmed misanthrope, seeing no one.
This sort of existence she had kept up un-
til the time our story opens.
Why Sarah Jones married James Finch,
and why Abel Jones was still a bachelor sea
captain, were mysteries she did not trouble
herself to explain. Sure of their treachery,
what mattered it to her how they spent their
lives
To-day Miss Finch, in thinking over her
past acknowledged to herself for the first
time that she might have been hasty; not so
far as the stalwart officer was concerned, but
about her brother.
II don't suppose 1 ought to have expected
him to give up his sweetheart without any
reason, she thought, 81 wouldn't have done
it myself. l believe I'll send them a good
Thanksgiving dinner, From all l can hear,
they amt able to do much in that line for
themselves and with a sudden twinge of
conscience, more acute than usual, Miss Finch
hurried on her bonnet and shawl, and started
| of to market.
Oh the marvellous purchases she made I!
Pumpkins, cranbenies, turkeys and chickens,
and barrels Of potatoes onions, apples, flour
and everything else in the eating line that
could be desired.
I'm give em a Thanksgiving that will last
the winter" she said grimly and then, all
! OF a sudden, she felt great desire to partake