The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-12-19
AT NORRIS FARM
"A THANKSGIVING STORY.

1t was the day before Thanksgiving
hnt there were no preparations for feast
or revel ut Norris farm.
The old red house stood grim and
silent in the midst of gaunt trees that
had dropped their leaves like tears since
the trouble had fallen upon Norris Place
For during the last few months matters
had grown from bad to worse, and the
poor harvest had proven beyond doubt
or hope that the old farm must go.
1t had been under mortgage these
five years, and old Squire Winters had
been obliged to sell the mortgage to raise
money to pay the bills his long and lin
gcring illness during the last year had
accumulated.
II was sorry to hev to do it, Neighbor
Norris he said, when he came over, the
week before Thanksgiving, to tell the un-
welcome fact. ''The mortgage would
never hev been foreclosed by me, as you
know. I'd hev given you time to pay it
mp if il had been twenty years But my
sickness just snapped me-took all my
ready money; beside, hired help let the
place run down and ruined all my ma
chinery. Then that man came from the
city buying up mortgages and the money
he offered for the one / held on your
place would save my home for me and
my old woman. | told the man to 90
easy with you, but can't swear that he
will. "
And Eeighbor Norris and his wife and
tllcir "hclp,n Janet Dyer, listening, knew
just what this meant
Ii meant the foreclosure of the mort
gage the day after Thanksgiving
'Sha!i make any pies to-day."
II was Janet Dyer who asked the ques-
.tion this morning before Thanksgiving,
after the scant breakfast had been put
away, almost untouched.
Mrs. Norris shook her gray head, that
had seemed to whiten strangely during
the last week
mo, Janet" she said ''lct us have no
semblance of Thanksgiving this year-it
would be Il mockery aud n lie. There is
no thanksgiving in any of our hearts
how can there be2 Let the house he as
dark and chcerlcss as our hearts ~
While there is life there is hope, -
answered Janet Dyer, softly and the soft
voice in which she spoke seemed strangely
at variance with her muscular form and
large, handsome, but almost masculine,
features.
Hope" repeated Mrs Norris, with an
accent of scorn. " Hope, did you say,
Janet Dyer! No there is no hope for us I!
Haven't / prayed night and day for five
years that my boy might come back t. us,
reformed and repentant, to bless our old
age2 Haven't | wearied heaven with my
opportunities Have not | worked like
slave to save our homel And yet curse
hGS, seemed to follow MS at every step.
Everything has gone from bad to worse,
and now the house and farm is to go, and
we are to be paupers in our old age.
Don't talk to me of hope, Janet Dyer. l
have lost faith in God and MANI
"Youll never be paupers while Janet
Dyer has these two arms 10 work with y
answered the girl, barring her strong arms
with cords of muscles that would have
shamed many a youth
The old lady smiled grimly.
"That will do TO talk she said.
"But | know the world, Janet Dyer.
You are young, and handsome in your
way. You have woman's heart, which
is a soft thing always till it grows bitter
and hard with the iron of fate, as mine
has You are human, and that means
selfish. You think you will cling to us,
but by-and-by some man will say few
sweet words in your ear, and you will for
" get all your promised allegiance to us.
You will want home and a husband and
children by yourself, and you viii say,
Why should l sacrifice my youth and my
happiness 70 these old people' They are
nothing to me. All, know the world,
Janet Dyer"
A curious look came over Janet Dyer's
face.
''Have l shown any weakness toward
lovers during the three years l have
been with you2" she asked, in her soft
voice ''Did not give Herman Heia a
slap across the mouth, when he came
with his loye-words, that he will never
forget to his dying days And did / not
send Sandy Green away with piece Of
my mindl l want no lovers"
"Ah, no, not till the right one comes,