The Penn's Grove record., 1883-11-17

turkey togetherY'
I'm mortal glad TO see ye, said tn,
cid woman. And that's q fine fat bird
If 1t aia't so extra large. Oranberries
too, and a loaf o. COMPANY cakel / de
clare to goodness 1 don't know whel
I've tasted cake beforei And 1 smel
real gunpovder tea; and as / live
there's a paper o. white loaf sugar
But ppraps. my dear, If you put a 10,
on the fire, / shouldn't feel quite s,
chill aud creepy along my poor oil,
bonesl'
And Ruth Harper built up the fire
brushed up the hearth, and went GU
into the woods for branches of cedar
and spruce, and hemlock. which sh
disposed of over the shrunken door
ways, aud above the mantel, and arount
the wlndow-castings, until the drear,
little room looked like a forest bower il
a transformation scene.
She put on the little saucepan of Gran
berries TO stew, and busted herself il
preparing the turkey, with plenty o
thyme and bread-crumb stuffing, tor tn,
oven. while old Mrs. Capped kept up
careless stream of talk.
How badly the world in general haC
used her. How careless the widow
Perkins was of her wants although tn,
town allowed her one dollar and
quarter a month for keeping an eye
on the solitary inhabitant OF the noun
tam cottage.
How her nephe y, Isaac, to whom she
had caused the widow Perkins 10 write.
volunteering a Christmas visit, haG
speedily sent back word that every room
in the house was occupied, and thai
her visit would be highly inopportune.
How Bill Risley's wife, her cousin
once removed, had taken no sort OF
notice of the letter which had been dis
patched to her, asking for something tc
buy a new winter shawl.
Nobody cares nothing about me nc
more,' said Mrs. Capped very sorrow
fully.
"But 1 care" said Ruth softly.
Here, indeed, was some one more for
lorn and more solitary than herself
some one for whom she, powerless as
she was, could help to make q merry
Christmas.
at is as easy for me to go back aud
forth to the fac. DRY from here as from
Mrs. Liffert's. 1 will come ana stay
with you, Mrs. Capped. l have a very
nice grey shawl which / don't often
wear. l can do very well with my fur
edged sacque, if you will take the shawl,
Aud ycu don't know what a good cook
l can be May l come, Mrs. Cappei2"
'My deas 3" said the old woman, with
tears in her pleased eyes, 81 do believe
that Heaven has sent you to me-. l was
just beginnin' to despair. but now it's
all right again."
Christmas came, all wrapped and
mantled in pearly snow, and Mrs. Cap
pel's lonely cabin was glowing with
freight aud warmth, while she herself,
in a clean cap trimmed with black rib
bons, sat basking before the blazipglogs,
and Ruth Harper, with a bunch of scar
let berries pinned into her black hair,
was dishing up the. Christmas dinner,
when she glanced out OF the window and
gave a little start.
"Some one is comingl" she said very
quickly.
Mrs. Capped stretched her neck to
see.
"WeI, I DECLARE" said she. My
old eyes isn't as good as they used to
be, and the sun on the snow makes a
dreadful glare, but 1 believe that's our
John. He's come dack. He's made his
fortune. Our John, my son Martins
only boy. as we all s'posed was dead
and buried long ago"
She began to tremble all over. Her
eyes filled with tears.
Don't leave me, dear Ruth, she faIt-
cred, "keep hold of my hand. For I'm
very old, and all this seems like a
dream"
In another minute John Capped dashed
into the room, his hesvy boots sodden
with melting snow, his brown, bearded
face flushed with the exercise OF climb
ing the mountain-slde.
Don't he frightened, granny" said
he, cheerlly; "it's only me. And I've
fancied how this bright fre-side would
look all the way up the mountain.
"Why," glancing around him, "this
is Christmas cheer, indeed. And there
is Ruth Harper with you, looking exact
ly as she looked ten years ago."
"Have you made your fortunep" said
Ruth, trying to smile al he wrung her
hand.
mot a bit of it." said John, with a
great breezy laugh, "but I've come in
to a little learning of common ense. /
decided to leave off mining and to come
home to work granny Cappel's farm
among the mountain pastures. How
say you, Ruth-is it wise or noto:"
every wise." said Ruth. "Only is 1t
not rather late to arrive at such a con
ciusion?"
lis itP" said Capped wistfully. els it
too late TO start the world anew? Too
late to ask you, Ruth, if you will stand
shoulder to shoulder with me in my
battle with fate? Look into my eyes,
Ruth, and answer me-"
DINNER is ready" said the factory
girl shyIy.
"But you must give me my reply
first" insisted Capped relentlessly, hold
ing both her hands in his.
What shall 1 tell him, grandma?"
said Ruth, laughing and cCloring, yet
making no attempt to Withdraw her
hand.
Tell him yes," said Mrs. Capped.
And what could Ruth do but obey
this nouble behest?
Ruth Harper did not go back to tine
factory. She was homeless no longer.
They built an addition to the little
cottage and began life as farmer and
farmers wife. And all things prospereo
with them; and in ten years john Cap
pei was a rich man.
at was all my good luck getting such
a wife" said he ~exuItantly.
SIT was ali our good look IN beeom-
ing engaged on Christmas Day." said
Ruth.
And of all the holidays that stud the
year, as dimends flash along the golden
band of bracelet, Christmas Day is with
the Capped family the brightest and the
best.
What the Birds Accomplish.
The swallow, swift and night hawk are