The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-11-23
a WILD-GOOSE CHASE.

THANKSGIVING When Effe heard ii she knew
very well what il meant,
Fog always at Grandma SpIcer' Thanksgiving
day had been spent,
With aunts and uncles and cousins, dogs, cats
and pumpkin pies,
And nuts and apples. frolicsome games, and
many glad surprise.
Is -Fanksgivin'day tomorrer2" over and over
again
Efe would ask her parents. begging them to
explain
low many days and weeks must pass, and en-
deavor to make IL clear
Why Thanksgiving-da at grandmas came
only once In year.
Tho Governors proclamation. for the good of
the Nation planned.
Little Effe was much too young ana TOO nignty
To understand;
Bu: she comprehended the meaning of prepa-
rstiOns to start
Far Grandma Spicer's; and no one could nave
emore thankful heart.
But this year the floods had broken away the
Ard over the roads and the meadows went
roaring and rushing along,
Beas1ng away the bridges, and whatever else
In their track; and the narrow streamlet
stretched out to great wide sea.
Ts.are were lives lost, too, i'm the torrent that
was all the while being fed
By the great black clouds that hung like
mantle OF gloom o erhead,
And as soon as the sun -shone out again the
dismal troop TO disperse
kneo gathered In solemn crowds, and said:
THANK God that 1t is no worseF'
Easa had heard her father say, as he brushed
away tear,
That he wouldn't be able to travel about very
And the little maiden thought 'twould be
bitter drop In her cup
u the visit to Grandma Spicer's was to be Civ
enup.
For how could they keep Thanksgiving all
alone 10y themselves.
Eea with lots of pies and things spread out
ON the pantry shelves
And how could Grandma Spicer give thanks in
proper way
II none of them went to see her, TO help her
keep the dayf
Thus reasoned the little maiden, who grew
very sad and sedate,
Astf puzzle were twisting itself about in her
And as She been always cheerful and rather
TO romps inclined,
Twas feared that her fathers trouble had
worried the baby mind.
-T.sas the day before Thanksgiving, as search
ing the place around,
From garnet to cellar, from barn to shed, little
Efie could not be found,
And all the treasures that had been swept
away in the vast abyss,
Though grievous to lose, could not compare
with a loss so great as this.
She was surely stolen from them like poor lit
tie Charley Ross
And Lizzie SeldenI God pity the bearers of
such crossi
They sought for her in the dismal swamp. and
of by the lonely church,
They looked in the well, and, as night came on,
with lanterns kept up the search.
In a village some ten miles distant was Grand
ma Spicer's abode,
Ard the way TO il was over rugged and lone
some road,
And Efiie's father and mother drove over to
tell their sorrow,
Add the reason why in fasting and prayer
they'd have TO spend the morrow.
But Grandma's eyes had twinkle in them as
she soberly said:
We'll, now you're so worn and weary. you'd
better go right to bed;
Those only are worthy the sweet who have
tasted the bitter drink,
And 1t may be the dawn is breaking-is nearer
now than you think
They closed the door of their chamber, heavy
snd sick at heart;
In the festival of the morrow determined to
And turning they saw-what was it2-the old
fashioned trundle-bed,
And there, asleep on the pillow, their own lit
. EfieI Efier' the mother screamed; 81 have
found my child at last"
= Eiel Effie!" the father cried, his tears COM
ing thick and fast;
And all that the naughty maiden said, as she
quietly sucked her thumb,
Was: ITS Fanksgiyin'-day to-mOrrer, and
gran'muvver said you'd come"
Oh, that was a rare Thanksgivingl the lifting
of soul above
The things of EARTH TO the thought of Gods
goodness and infinite love:
And when the story of floods and misfortunes
the group rehearse,
Each looks in a dear ones face and feels there
are trials that might be worse.
And when Effie has told her story-the trouble
some little elf
How she started all right for grandma's and
suddenly lost herself,
And how scared she was, with many a loving
kiss and embrace
They forgive the little "goosie'' that started
this wild-goose chase.
--Jtsephine Pollard. in HGTper's Young People