Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-11-28
A Thanksgiving Story.
BY MRS. j. X. BARNEY.

Mr. and Mrs. Houghton were middl
aged people, living in atlluence, br
atone, in their big house, with the excer
ton Of Joe and Dinah, who had serve
them faithfully for many years. 1t seem
ed but short time since children's bus
feet had been heard in those rooms, an
childish voices had rung out the gla
music, which is the sweetest of any il
the home circle.
Just as their first born had reached th
earliest years of Il promising manhood, b
lad been seized with an ardent desire It
visit our Amcrcau Eldorado and III,
years had worn on, bringing no word o
his return. Indeed, they had come t
fear ,h.r Henry would never be conten
away from the excitement of CalilOrnii
ria another son was Il wanderer upor
the earth, driven out from his home by .
Glhcr's anger, and stddest of all, with d
IuHr's curse upon his young life. He
htt been wicked and dsobedlent, and
whio hardly more than boy he had
ltkcn bis father ut his word and left home
i, he said, "forevcr."
And death had not spared that house
ho.d, but had come upon them silently
taking their l;tiroSl flower in all its bud
ding luVimrsa. 10 develop and bloom IN
untaIh@ beauty in the gardens immortal
- shilltully had the transplanting been
lone that ere IL thought Of losing her
lad saddenod the hearts of her friends.
the rare exotic had gone from their home
a9d they had only her fragrant memory
~ console them.
Md so, aS it was nearing the Thanks.
wing Of the year, the great home festival
e. New EnGiaud, there were memories
clustering around that November time
when oppressed the hearts of Mr. Hough-
ION and his wife, the joyous years W on
their children had been with them, the
merry greetings of old friends who had
been wont to assemble at the homestead
to partake Of the festivities of the season
Ono year ago when the anniversaries had
passed unnoticed while their great grief
was fresh upon them, and ever present
Ike dull weight upon their spirits, was
lhe unspoken sorrow they felt over their
10Y lost TO them through sin. In al
Ihcsc years they had received no tidnNs of
his whereabouts though they had searched
luhiullY .2r him. He might be dead,
nr worse even, have plunged from wrong
,onr mtg crime. They never mentioned
him now but each felt an unutterable
longing to behold him again The bitter
oAt tears We ahed ere not over q dear dead
oe around which fingers the impress of
pure spirit, The hardest TO bear is the
'louble Of which we may not speak; deep
down in the heart, shut away from human
sympathy is the grief which is with US in
me morning and at night, at home and
abroad and from some lives it Is never
lifted in this world.
Speculation has been rife in the kitchen
e9ucarring the manner in which Thanks
giving day would be observed in the
ltoughton family. They looked back
rcgrauully to the time when The season
had been crowded full of enjoyment, and
'he abundant good cheer had been ample
-or all.
'Gut things be 80 dref'fulIy changed
..uoo Hiss Jennie died. said Dinah
.srrc' massa snd missus don't care for
lo,hn' now. Pears like tain much use
. shut 'cnselves up and find fault wild de
ori lie knows what He's bout, eff deyI
don :, pect better so 'an stir 'em up
II INlIo won't nassa look daggers at n1eP
h,t dis chile amt feared"
'Ie, so, ieas so,' mumbled Joe.
W th an All Of great determination,
Ninan proceeded INTO The parlor.
1--WE es down in de kitchen wants TO
snow what's to be done = dis ger house
'hopt Thanksgiyin'? canse cf tis to be
,ertod 'tiroly, we's dat dus be tanklul |
%aGl5 to 90 ober to Pete Smiths an
,oamber what de good Lord hab one for
},s y"ar, and hab god time 'jolcin ober
I, fol't dar do any oder ways, Tor fear
re Nlessin's will be scarcer next year
"Lin4h, Il il q year to-day siEce Miss
eanio 2iot J'o you think we lecl like
having company o. ze,oicingF' asked
oog Mrs. Houghton.
ier husband showed the imitation no
iel- "|Yh9t have we 20 oe thankful torP
We are q lonely old couple, you car
prepare our dinner as on ordinary days
md then you can 60 where you choose
here will be no teasing here. We will
c.o,c the blinds and sit in the back
ptrlor Let those keep Thanksgiving
who can call their children around them,
pnd who have meroies and blessings to
recount"
81 clare to gracious, ulassa, should |
mink you way 'nutf to yoke the Almighty
hIsselfl Has mo an my old man got any
cnillens, but oder folks ha') and can't we
aep EN- joice o5er it! An aint dar
7eaps Oh tings to praise dc Lord for; II
.ol wouldn' hab sich an ingratelul spirit
hal wil!ibrng cuss to you. l member
pi Twas "a wear since Miss Jennie died 'an
~ opened her room an busted it AN
ung up Der bird cage thar, an put her
lowers in dc window an draw,d her
chair up side of 'em an put her books all
round. wish missus you'd come up an
ook at it, 'twoud do you heap of good,
mebbe.'
Mrs. Houghton went, more to please
1er Old servant and reward her thought
iolness than because she desired to go
there herself She had never entered
that room since the dear form OF her
child had been carried out OF 1t. Dina
hai placed it in order and kept 1t so.
liow bright and sunny II looked now. 1t
-eened ~ though Jenny had but gone
OlL for a walk, she would Sit down in her
h,5 and Rwai, her coming. Perhaps
some comfort would come 10 The place so
-uGtca to that dear presence. Alter
While she opened the writing desk and
nero sat for hours, cntranced with the
..8, "nngs Of Jennie diary. There was {
% manv names mentioned Of poor people,
% many 10 whom she lad carried help
nd comfort and underneath the last
nlfv was written tremblngly, "Dear
un,Unp--be kind to those I've loved and
cared fer and they will help you 70 bear
our trouble
Dear child, how unselhah she had been
and how blihe and CHEEKY, even though
sorrow and suffering had shadowed her
}onng life Was this motto upon the
cover of her book the secret of her unVary'
lng oheerlulne.s, aud the spring OF her
continued care for others?
The mother pondercd over it. and finally
went down to her husband. The reading
and discussion drew their hearts closer
together than they had been Tor years
9eir child, though dead yet spoke to
lprm. and had opened to them the door 10
= life outside of themselves and their own
troubles.
Inc next morning Dinah and Joe were
summoned. Mr.. Loughton held his paper
M hont Of his face; but his vile said,
II YOU do not mind giving up your VISIT
10 ,our friend, we viii have company at
Ia n nh |