Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-05-05
MARY,S THANKSGIVING.
|, j lnat menk ii October

Al Il general thing nature Ii not bOun-
tiful with her smiles, these short, dreary
DAVIS. when tine world stands shudder-
ing OH the threshold Of winter. But
this particular Monday was full Of balm
and sunshine; tho air sweet with the in
descrlhable perfume of colored leaves
which were driftod up along the road
aide and collected i'll rustling layers un-
der the stone foundations Of Exmouth
Jail. Overhead the sky was blue az
sapphire; and here and there along this
wood path Il starry wild flower lifted lis
purple eye, the last, lingering relic of
the golden September glow.
Df. Fitch rode along the lonely bri-
lie path, tile sound Of his horses hoofs
on the dead leaves reminding him
vaguely Of the days long, long ago,
when he WAS boy and secured these
very woods III search Of nuts, and hunt
cd squirrels and chipmunks with Il de
light which moose and red deer could
not give him now.
sIf one could only be i boy forever"
said Royal Fitch. ''Hallol Who's
that2' ~ his horse SHE'D ut the sight Of
i slender figure, sitting on q fallen log,
4 fcW feet back from the road "Oh,
lt's yon, Mary foil You got your
discharge this morning.
Mary Trefeil locked up II dark
eyed, paIld face woman Of two 81
three and twenty Doctor Fitch knew
her very well. She had been in Tx
mouth Prison three months for theft,
ard during two III three months she
had lain nearly III the point Of death in
the hospital ward, with low, lnger-
ing fever. Doctor Fitch WAS rather
proud of the skill which had rescued
her from the jaws Of death. He
stopped his horse and looked MT her.
Yes, sir, said Mary Trefoil, spirit
lrsaly. I've got NY discharge
And where are you going now2'
81 don't know, sir.
where are your friends 2 he asked,
not unkindy.
II have none, slr
"3ut this won't do" said Doctor
Fitch, noting the troubled light III the
girls eye, tile deadly whitcness Of her
brew and checks Look here; yon
must 80 somewhere, you know. You
can't sit here Can't you think of any
place where they would give You food
and shc!tcr for u few days, until you
yet strong 2
Mary Trefoil shook her head. She
lid not seem u b. II All Interested IL
the question. Doctor Fltch's horse
reached up his hcpd and browsed on
the still green leaves Of u wild grape
vine, which the boughs o( cedar had
sheltered from thc early frost. Doctor
Fitch himself sat like statue, and
booked 1T Mary Trefoil
IA social problem. hc said, inward
~. And she must he solved, some
"aIary," he spoke aloud, Can You
walk i milef'
u suppose ~, sir
Then walk along hy my horses side.
! know y good old lady who wants II
girl frehaps yau may suit her. She
need mt know WHO you are, OF whence
you came.
i didn't put myself III Exmouth
Jail, " sullenly rctorted Mary. And
have told one story from the beginning
that | had nothing to do with the sill
yer. | don't know how it came into
my trunk: didn't know il was there,
until tile officer dragged II out before
my Dyes.
Tile law Thought differently" said
Doctor Fitch. who, AZ prison physician,
had heard these pratestations Of inno-
sence from scores of lips before. How
ever, that Is not the question, we are
discussing Just ut present, Will vo'l
try q deserve my recommendation
give YOU unep'
Heaven helping me, sir, | wilir' said
Mary frefoil, evidently affected by his
kindness.
She walked beside the horse for some
little distance, until, down side road,
which seemed - plunge directly into
the woods, they came t. gray stone
house, all man.led i'll scarlet creepers,
with a background Of gnarlei apple
trees, and the whir ofagrist- sound
,ng somewhere iii tile background like
the ecasclcss hum OF some gigantic
insect.
Good afternoon, Mrs. Glover" said
~ Fitch. Have you suited yourself
vet With i Girl p
Old Mrs. Glover. an apple-faced mat
RON ofsix \, looked Mt them through a
pair " round. silver-trimmed spccta-
clcs
~, nor amt like to" said she.
Betsey keeuc. she's gone into the
millmef's trade, aud Iucy Hovey, she
Well, I've brought You one" said
Doctor ROYAL Fitch. Come here. Mary.
This IL Mary Trctoil,' with i quick
glance Al the silent girl. Il know who
She i. and can answer that she will
IS her best 70 please you and make
herself useful
Indeed will, ma'am," said Mary,
III L low voice.
Folks live about here" said Mrs. |
Glover.
Il have no relatives. said Mary. Il
come from the northern part of the
county
AL the better, said the old lady,
brlskly. You won't have no follow
ers. Well, Mary, won't deny that I'm
awful glad to see you, for I'm pretty /
nigh tuckered out doing all the chores
myself. To-be-sure, my son Daniel /
helps me, mornings and evenings, be-
fore he goes to teach deestrick school
for he's scholar, ny son is, with con-
scious pride. "Ani father, lie does
what he can; but a man can't do much
beside tendin' grist mill in a place like
this. You look little white and peak
ca, but
"0h, she'll be all right in this pure
air, with plenty OF your new milk and
nome made bread, said Doctor Fitch,
cheerily.
And with whispered word or two of
encouragement to Mary Trefoil, he rode
away.
On Thanksgiving day, nearly month
later, he came back.
Hello" said Doctor Fitch. "Why |
Mary, you look like 4 different crea-
ture.
Mrs. Glover mad gone to church with
her so1 Daniel and Father all I'M
iismayed by tho occasional flakes of
snow, which we're beginning TO futter