Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-11-24
A Thanksgiving Story

i" There is no position in life, my
daughter, so bad that there is nothing
\ in it to be,thankful for"
Pray, tell me, what we have 10 be
thankful forY" cried l, impatiently.
ave were brought up to expect a for
tune, and are entirely untitled fer the
struggle before us, now that we are left
without "a cent"
81 have my lovely daughter and my
little ones" replied my mother; "and
if my daughter would but pray for a
better framo of mind she would find
that she has m any things to count
among the blessings Of life"
When mamma was young she was
dainty little beauty, the family she mar
ried into had held prominent social
position for years, and were ambitious
of continuing to hold it. But it seemed
to be slipping from them, for my fathers
only sister was a soured old maid bis
oldest brother had married much be-
meath him and my father was the only
one of the family who continued a
friendly intercourse with him. The
second brother had erred in the oppo.
site direction, marrying q marquise, the
widow of a French noble Of ancient
family she scorned the society OF
the pavveuus' of our new world and
held dherself aloof to absolute exclusion.
Her husbands immense wealth,
however, received considerable notice
through her aristocratic and lavish
uss of it. After this failure the
hopes centered in my mother, and the
sparkling little belle disappointed them
By becoming 4 confirmed invalid, una
BILE even to receive the calls of familiar
friends. Ny father, however, wor-
shipped her, and she lived in perfect
happiness with him till was seventeen
years old. During all these years she
was confined TO her room and never
knew that the great house she lived in
had grown barn-like through the care
lessncss and pillaging of servants. Her
own room was coy little nest, and to
her was all the world. During nv
earlier years was an only child. When
another olive branch adorned my
fathers table went to boarding school,
where learned those accomplishments
deemed proper for young heiress--em-
broideFy, French, music, etc. When I
was seventeen my father died, after a
weeks illness, believing himself to be
worth large fortune, and leaving il TO
my mother without reserve, naming his
two brothers as executors. They. who
had never agreed before, agreed most
perfectly in the affairs connected with
this estate, SO perfectly that within a
years time my poor sick mother was in
formed that most Of her money was lost
and that but pittance Of income re
mained. Yet IL vas patent that their in
vestments had in no wise lessened their
own fortunes. / was recalled from
school, not having the faintest knowledge
OF the condition Of things. I soon
Ie1rned finding that we, who should
have lived in luxury, could afford but
ono haIi-grown servant to do the rough
est work, while !, with all my ignor-
ance upon me, was supposed to cook,
sew, market, etc. Ny abilities we're not
strained in the cooking, for when all
necessary expenses were met we had but
modest fare--rice and some OF the cheap
fruits which the summer and fall had
Produced SO pleniifully. Everybody
raid vas second edition of mamma,
Hjust what she had been at my age"
These we're the circumstances whom I
vas sitting 1t her feet listening with >
most humble manner, but most rebel.
iioua heart, to the gentle rebuke with
which | began this story, and which
after moments silence / answered b.
saying: "Now. mamma darling, you
have given me my lecture, let's change
the snti iect; tell me something pleas
at. something about yourself when
yop ras Young. about some of your al.
anIfsfs. about some one o them who
lssa san ear =, and ! viii heflank.