Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-12-05
THANKSGIVING STORY.

Il
perg, Bessie; j know what they are,'
laid Walter Allison, with q sad little |
smile, as he watched the motions OF his
wife.
Mrs. Allison had just taken the bills,
Tor bills they we're, from the post-car-
rier at the door; and as she stood be- I
lore the bureau mirror, fastening her
hat, she had endeavored to slip the ug-
IT,, yellow envelopes out of her sick |
husbands sight. 1
eyes," sighed Mr.. Allison again, II
know very we'll what they are-1ut
how they are to be paid, or wh on, I
don't know, am sure" and he ciasped
his thin white hands over his eyes with
low moan. Hir wife was at his side
in a moment. W.. 10
"Don't be disheartened, DEAR" she
sail, cheerily. "You are getting we'll
20 fast now, and after a while I know
>,-oe shall get out of these difficulties.
Why" she added, playfully, II am 60
ing to collect bill Of my own this
morning, to the value of $40. You
ought not to have looked about SO curl
ously, and then you would not have
known of these unwelcome visitors"
until you had found some way OF
bowling them out, eh?" said Walter,
smoothing the fair head bent over his
chair "And l know full we'll your ex-
pected $40 is all spent, wisely. You
ire brave little woman, Bessie, but I
can not SCI, how we shall stem this tide
much longer. J. have notion Of writ
ing to sister Catherine. I dislike to do
it, but there seems just now 40 other
way"
await until after Thanksgiving" said
Bessie.
thanksgiving! Tt is near at hand,
is it not? What with debts and duns,
T fancy that we shall not feel particu-
arly Joyous or grateful" said Walter
Allison, bitterly.
II am thankful, Walter, dear, that
you are so far recovered, and, above all,
that you were spared to me" And
here Bessie's voice faltered, and she
hid her face IN her husbands shoulder.
and both were silent as they remem-
bercd the empty crib in the next room,
and a little grave whittier the baby boy
had been laid to rest only few months
ago.
eyes, DEAR" said Mrs. Allison, rous
ing herself, eve will be thankful to
have each other and, precious Eth,
Ell. And when am tempted to despond,
say over and over to myself: I have
never seen the righteous forsaken, nor
bis seed begging bread and then am
thankful for the memory of pious par
en1s and ancestors. And now / must
go and see Mrs Wilton about my work. "
"That seems like begging bread to
me, or very near it,
"NIrs Wilton don't think so, can
tell you," said Bessie, brightly. II get
very good prices for my work, and you
are not to under-rate me, l can tell you,
SIR"
Walter Allison looked Of the bright,
brave face, the trim, energetic but
graceful figure before him. and sighed
again, but Bessie pretended not to hear.
She stirred the fire into q blaze, arrang-
ed the books and papers on little
stand within her husbands reach, shook
up the lounge cushions, and made the
rather bhre room look as coy and COM
Portable as possible; and with a kiss to
little Ethel, and an injunction to "take
go. d care of papa" Bessie went out
into the wintry cir.
She was a brave woman, as he hus-
band had said; but, in spite of her cheer
mess, there was heavy weight on her
heart this November morning. BY
some of those sudden turns Of business
so often occurring in our cities, Walter
Allison had been thrown out of en-
ployment. Then came the illness and
death of the baby, quickly followed by
the long tedious fever which had
brought the husband and father al
most to the verge of the grave, and
though now convalescent he was sill
weak and helpless. Under the con-
slant drain their slender means had be-
come painfully less, necessaries were
sadly needed, and debts were calling
loudly for payment.
AS soon as her husband needed less
Of her constant care, Bessie Allison had
courageously tried to assume the place
Of thread winner" She and her hus-
band had both relatives of wealth and
position, but the poor and struggling
easily fall out of notice; and the ALI
sons had full measure of pride, ard
called on none for assistance. Bessie
considered herself fortunate to obtain
sewing and fancy work from several la
dies. and, as she said, her work received
good prices. But there was so much
needed, though she trimmed the little
household strictly to the needful; and
SO many bills caused by that long ILL
ness, that, strive bravely as she would,
q weary look had crept into those soft
brown eyes, and lines Of care were
gathering around that sweet mouth,
that yet had always hopeful words for
the invalid.
81 nust pay one of those bills" said
Bessie, as she passed along the busy
street. II think Mr.. Morris will wait
awhile, but am not sure of White &
Go. Twelve dollars out of my twenty
go to the grocers; they have waited SO
long on us. I shall have ito see what I
Gan get ON my watch" ,tE
I. She pressed her hand upon it as she
thought Of the wedding day when Wal
ten gave it to her. The postofice had
30 be passad ere the pawnbrokers shop
WAS reached. Almost mechanically she
stopped in and inquired for letters.
One was handed her. Bessie almost
shrank from the sight Of the blue bust
Restocking envelope. Oh, surely it
was not another,dun! It was addressed
TO Walter r. Allison" as
Bat I will open it. 4 He must not be
50 troubled again to-day" said the true
wife, as her trembling fingers slowly tore
aside the envelope. 0
Was she mistaken? Surely it was a
check on - bank, and for three hum
Ldred dollars. Three hundred dollars