The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-12-12
"Our Thanksgiving."

her justice, either. reckon 1t would be
hard to find a woman now like the one
who owned that face, and her life was q
story Just like those you read in books.
If you don't mind I'll tell you about
her,"--the old man closed his eyes mo-
ment, as if he would recall from his inner
thoughts the years long since passed, and
while he waited studied more closely
the face in the picture before me.
Many years must have come and gone
since the artist had given the last touch
to his work, but it smiled upon me in
such living way, and stood out 80 plain
" upon the canvas, that it needed no
word to tell that it had been the work of
q master hand. A massive frame of
heavy gilt that had grown but little
dimmed by time, and the laces resting at
her throat, gave evidence of wealth.
1t was a young face, a strong face,
almost q handsome face, but its great
characteristic was intellectual force, and
intense will.power. This gave her sort
of fascination that held the observer who
had seen it once until he must look and
look again. 1t was not the kind of pict.
are usually found in cottages, and seemed
out of keeping with the old man, who sat
on the uncovered porch, dreaming the
autumn days away.
had lost my way in rambling through
the outskirts of Tullahoma Zone of the
loveliest of all our New Eugland towns,
and almost as well known as q resort as
for its college,, and had stumbled upon
this cottage before was aware. The old
man, venerable with age, and alone, at
tracted me. l asked permission to rest,
and while waiting for drink of spring
water my eye rested on the picture have
mentioned, and caused me to exclaim,
"What strong face" He was now ready
for the story, which l will give in his
own words.
"You see," he began, 1--WE had been
married ten years, and never chick or
child had come to US. 1t was getting sort
O. lonesome for us, to sit down morning,
noon and night, just us two, and we be-
gun to talk of adopting child, just for
company, when pair of twins came.
They were born Thanksgiving morning,
and though it is nigh on to forty year
since it happened, l can see those two lit.
tie heads lynn on one pillow, just as
plain as if it had been to-day. One was
boy, That's for company for you,
Ephraim,' my wife said; t'other was q
girl, THAT'S for company for me- she
added. what shall we call them p
Something that means something" l
answered.
ADJUST so think she said. And az
ter thinking and praying over it, we made
up our minds to call the boy Welcome
and the girl Thanksgiving. That's her
in the picture, and everyonell tell you
speak the truth when say she was as
smart girl as ever drew her breath.
Welcome was always delicate, but she
was strong and well, and knew more
than any girl ever saw. We lived over
the mountains, in q neighboring county,
then, where schools were poor, AMI chill
dren couldn't have chance to use their
brains; for, you see, if a body can't be
taught how to use their intellects, it's
worse than if they didn't have them, for
they just keep working inside with moth
ing to do till they wear a body out, body
and soul. So, when the twins were ten
years old, said to my wife:
Samanthy, do you know what we're
doing2'
"No, Ephraim,' says she, and she
looked up suddenly.
"We're making idols of these blessed
twins, and not doing our duty by EN-
"I've thought the same thing she
said.
"What's to be done p says 1.
"Pray about it, she says. Samanthy
was wonderful woman to pray about
everything.
q. Something else must be DONE says l..
"What's that p
SaII - IT. II.
homa, where they can have good schooling.
Who ever knew child to teach herself
to read when she was three years old,
like our Thanksgiving And we might
better starve their bodies than their
minds, for the minds last forever.
80 You're right, Ephraim, you're al.
ways seeing what must be done. Well
sell this fall"
"And 80 we did, and we came to this
very cottage, and settled down where we
could send 'em to school, and began to
take college students to board. Wife
was good cook, and we soon had as
many as we wanted. One of 'em was a
poor chap, who offered to teach the twins
for his board. 1t was getting cold
weather, and this was just what we
wanted. So he took them under his
charge, and they learned so fast, he said
they'd soon be ready for college, One
day he came 10 nae and said:
"Do you know you've got wonder
full daughter, Mr.. Woodward Some
day her name will be known all over the
world as very learned woman. She
ought to be splendidly educated
"Do your best, Collins, and I'll buy
her books said. So then he let her be-
gin Latin and Greek, and when he gradu
ated, she was fifteen years old, and ready
for college, only women could not 60 to
college then.
"'They can't keep me from studying
at home, anyhow she said to me. sand
I'll keep up with Welcome in all his
studies just as if ! were in college,
"That year young man came to board
at our house named Cyril Hazlitt. His
father was one of the richest men in New
York, but no one would have guessed il
to see Cyril, for he was quiet and we'll be
haved, and uncommon fond of his books
No sooner did he get acquainted with
Welcome, than he found out how Thanks
giving studied every night, and kept uT
with him, just as If she was going to grad
uate. This made him take the notion o.
giving up his rooms in College Hall, anc
hiring our parlor. 40 he could help her
for he had had better fit than most o