The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-11-25


whom she could open her heart and find
therein the relief of 1.-THE grief that
speaks"
She came home from church one dark
November day, had her late dinner, saw
the children safe in their beds, and
seated herself by the kindled wood fire
in the library to spend her solitary
evening; for the rain beat fiercely now
against the northeast window, and in its
gusty pauses the roaring surf sent It's
| laundering echo ON the wings of the wind
even through the heart of the town. For
this reason of the storm she stayed from
church tonight; and, as she sat staring
into the flicker of the fire, something re-
Thanksgiving Day that had been read
from the pulpit that afternoon. Her
lips smiled with scorn sadder than
tears.
"Thanksgivingr' she murmured. II
keep Thanksgivingr and her thoughts
went back to all the times she had kept
that festival in her life, kept it outward
ly and in spirit, for she was a good
womansand meant to be grateful one
till three months ago. She remembered
her childhood. How long the years
seemed then; how she looked forward to
the gathering of aunts and uncles and
cousins in the old red Greenwich farm
house; how much a new dress meant
and what wonderful viands Grandmother
always spread before them.
Then she was a girl, coming home
from school. and her brother brought
his classmates home with him-such as
had no near homes, at least-''to spend
Thanksgiving" So she had met her
husband. Her brother was dead long
since; and now James. A low cry part
ed her lips. the fire fell into brands,
tliekered, grew dull; and she went on
with her review of the past. There was
her wedding day that had been on
Thanksgiving. Her mother she had
never known. Oscar and she were all
the children, and of the three she and
her father We're left then, and he only
lived to see the next feast, the first of
her matronhood celebrated in her own
house.
Since then were not all her Thanks
givings alike? All full of cheer, graft
I""t' nleSaeuhtsS! anu HOW
ShaIl not Try 10 nave lnanksSIV-
ing" She said, dreamily; and, looking
up, saw her husband sitting opposite her
in his own chair, which she had never
moved from its place by the hearth.
strangely enough, she telt neither sur
prise nor fear, nor did she remember
her loss. 1t was so customary and
natural tn SEQ him there that only a full
sweet SENSE OF peace stole over her.
Nlle seemed 10 nave Just come nome, ana
To be so glad; but he dld not smile. lie
looked at her with tender gravity. and
very clearly ana slowly repeated a
1aVorlte quotation OF ms:
lhou Seest we are not all alone I'M
happy, AIDING, there are other wild
oWS beside you, Nelly
Other widows! What did he mean?
She rose 10 her feet with a start. A brand
tell, 6lazed up, went out. The chair
opposite hers was empty. The clock on
the snelf struck nine. 1t had marked the
nan hour, she remembered, just as the
lrsI pranus zen together' TWAS dream,
~, Ilieh; one sillNerea ana came pack 10
me- lit me ihhlP' leu 'ne uylhg IRE ana
i - hou ~ iiTI lie" Srlel; we" because
1ii'5 race h'4 peeil 50 real het @iadilesS
81 IeeP s ana no" IL was LOST once more
W Ml'h " lresh y perea'GlheIC' put thou@h
! Ine Tears letl hoPeie'sly ana laSt from
i lier eyes, ah" iler hearG acned anew WIN
lhe IepeiIio''S anguish OF loss SUN ms
Woru5 hePV recurring 10 her. one had
noC 'houSnl Oh 'ilaI before 1here were
o'neI Wi"o"S' no oouo!--oth9r: sorrow
ny WIN Iier SORROW III khu' II not IN
ueSr rec one remembered one Whom she
ii i neeil W sec Ill her charl'aole rounds
anu tLeh announcer ana among her ac-
Iu"l i Sne reca!leu one whose nus
oano llau; noI long Slhce' dieo abroad
'l" "u9lllcr "iuo"eu suuuehly years
"So' an" sui announcer VINO haa married
an ola love When he was smltten with
consumption ana nurSed HIM to his
death' She was startled to see how she
had passed by ali these sorrows as mere
matters OF course, without any real SYM
pathy; and a sense of companionship
stole upon her, as if, suddenly wrecked
on some desert shore, she had met with
beings of her own race after long lonely
weeks'of silence and despair.
Then the thought flashed across her
that all these women must dread the re-
currence of Thanksgiving, Just as she
did. Why could she not ask them all to
keep the day with her? 1t would be, at
least a SVmnathctic If a sad festival