The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1884-12-04
mo FOLKS"

glaQ Thanksgiving!
mo FOLKS"
A Thanksgiving Story.
BY Mrs. A, H. Bronson. .,~..
It was raw cold day, with a sug-
gestion of snow in the air, the chilliness
Of which penetrated even to the warm,
cozy room where sat a pale woman
looking listlessly out of the windows.
Presently her face frightened, as man
with kindly face and CHEEKY smile passed
it and entered the house.
"Well; fatherl" and the thin hand
was outstretehed for the letter she saw
in his pocket:
"Let me read ii; Mary" lie said:
"I'm afraid it will be disappoint=
ment."
DEAR FATHER AND MoTHER-We are very
sorry, but VIC cannot be with you ThanksgiY-
| ing Day. Harry's father has been taken very
ill, and has sent for u.s. We leave for B. ii
the morning; will write you from there.
Your loving child, HATTIE"
The tears gathered in the woman's
eyes. ooh DEAR" she said, "what shall
we do? how can we bear the loneli-
| ness ?"
"Oh we'll, mother, we must make tile
best of it. 'Perhaps'-let me see-here
is some more on the other side-'per-
paps, mother dear
Father, come here quick" inter-
rupted the woman; "do you see those
two girls coming down the street
They are the ones l told you about,
that put me in mind so much of Matte
and Alice-look! The old man hast
ened to the window, just as the two
figures passed it, and looked eagerly
after them.
eyes, they do kinder seem something
like them," and heavy sigh escaped
from the brave heart, we'll trained to
keep its own SORROWS ont of sight, that
it might the better help the weaker one
to bear hers.
"Father," she said, "what if our little
girls had been left alone like that! I
have watched them now going on three
weeks, and they go that way always. I
think the smallest one is little lame
or something, she always clings close
to her sister, just so. / have wanted
and wanted to speak to them, they look
so tired and poor and hungry. I Won
der"-and then she stopped and hest
tated, looking eagerly into her husbands
face.
"Well, Mary"
II WONDER" she went GU, whether
l. b.
the day with us!''
"Oh," said her husband, "why Mary,
dear, perhaps they would want to stay
with their folks"
II don't believe they've got any folks,
husband. They go into Mrs. Arden's
boarding house, you know, and don't
ever look glad, either, as if they had
folks to go to!" The old man pondered
little. He was glad she seemed in
terested in anybody, for since the death
of two young daughters year before,
the springs of life had seemed dried up.
"I'll tell you what, Mary" he said at
last, "Pll just go round to Miss Arden's
and inquire bit about them,," and
suiting the action to the word, he put
on his coat and hat, and left the house.
In the boarding house alluded to, a
respectable, though not first-class es-
tablishment, the two young girls had
assembled three flights to their room.
It was very cold and they were SILVER
ing as they entered and shut the door.
Keep your things on, Flossie DEAR"
said the older of the two; mo, just lie
down and let me cover you up, till the
fire is started. There! is that better ?
Now I will hurry up"
much, for her stock of fuel WAS low,
and then she put on the kettle and
made some tea. No, not quite that.
She took the teapot, which belonged
TO a maiden lady in the next room to
theirs, who made vests for living,
who, after she had drunk her own cup,
kindly gave 1t to these still poorer ones,
for second sleeping and drinking.
Then she put two little cups of very old
china on the little table, small loaf.
and a tiny bit of butter: then she
thought moment, and then going to
the closet, took out a couple of dried
herring and warmed them at the fire.
GLOW good they smell, don't they.
Flo?" said Maggie cheerily, but Flossie,
exhausted with cold and hunger, an
swered not w she asleep? Maggie
hardly knew, she looked so white, SO
death-ike. 90 my love-" she grasped,
"what can do? o Lord, help, me,
help me-"
A knock at the door brought he1
quickly to her feet. She trembled as
she walked across the floor and opened
1t. What was going to happen! Per-
haps it was Mrs. Arden for the months
rent, or Mr.. Bins, the coal man, and
she without dollar! Yes, it was Mrs.
Arden, indeed. and o man, but strang-
| er.
"Will you walk in ?" TREMENDOUSLY.
II can't stop minute, MISS" said
the landlady, "but this is our good
neighbor, Mr.. Sims, the baker, just
round the corner. He has a message
for you," and she went down the stairs.
Mr.. Sims stepped in. He looked at
the pale, trembling girl, at the little
table with the cracked cups and the two
behring's, vainly trying to get comfort
ably warmed up at the mite of fire,
and then at the white face on the pill
low.
"Children," he said aloud, so loud
that the girl on the bed started and
opened her eyes in alarm, "mothe1
wants you to come home, now, right
away! You see," he said more softly in
answer to Maggie's look of wonder, II
mean the old lady you have seen look
ing at you from the window of the
brown bake house on the corner. Hel
little girls went home to heaven this
time last year, and I suspect twas tc
make room for you two. Will you
come y"
By this time Miss Brown, the teapo,
'ender, had heard the report and hur-
ried in to offer her help and advice, and
then Mrs. Arden had bethought he,
that a good strong cup of coffee and 9
bit of meat might be q good thing te
carry up, now that such good friend
had appeared, aud MI. Sims, seeing them
SO we'll cared for for tt1y present, had
himself opened all the draughts Of the
stove, and emptied the contents Of the
q hod into IL. Ramarkinp that he would