The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-12-05
"Ne FOLKS"
A Thanksgiving Story.

'Nt NOLkN."
A THANKSGIVING Story.
By Mrs. A. Il. Bronson.
1t was a row cold day, with a sug-
gestion of snow in the mir, the chilliness
OF which penetrated even to the warm,
Joy room where sat q pale woman,
looking listlessly out of the windows.
Presently her face frightened, as a man
with kindly face and CHEEKY smile passed
it and entered the house.
"Well, father!" and the thin hand
was o~utstretched for the letter she saw
in his pocket.
"Let me read it, Mary" he said.
"Tm afraid it will be q disappoint-
ment."
DEAR FATHER AND MoTHER-We are very
sorry, but we cannot be with you Thanksgiy-
ing Day: Harry's father has been taken very
i'll, and has sent for us. We leave for b. in
the morning; will write you from there.
Your loving child, HATTIE"
The tears gathered in the woman's
eyes. ooh dear" she said, "wbat shall
we do? how can we bear the loneli-
ness?"
"Oh we'll, mother, we must make the
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; edo you see those
two girls coming down the street?
They are the one I 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 o heavy sigh escaped
from the brave heart, we'll trained to
keep its W sorrows out 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! /
have watched them now going on threa
weeks, and they go that way always. I
think the smallest one is a 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
ier"-and then she stopped and hest
tated, looking eagerly into her husbands
face.
well, Mary"
II wonder" she went on, whether
they would not like to come and spend
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
clearinghouse, you know, and don't
ever look glad, either, as if they had
folks to go toll" The old man pondered
a little. He was glad she seemed in
terested in anybody, for since the death
of two young daughters a year before,
the springs of life had seemed dried up.
"IIl tell you what, Mary" he said at
last, "Ill just go round to Miss Arden's
and inquire a 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 ~frst-class es-
tablishment, the two young girls had
assembled three fights 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; "no, Just lie
down and let me cover you up, till the
fire is started. There! is that better !
Now I will hurry up"
Then she kindled q little fire, not
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 belonge d
to a maiden lady in the next room to
theirs, who made vests for a living,
who, after she had drunk her own cup,
kindly gave 1t to these still poorer ones,
for a second sleeping and drinking
Then she put two little cups of very old
china on the little table, q small loaf,
and a tiny bit of butter; then she
thought a moment, and then going tc
the closet, took out a couple of dried
herring and warmed them at the fire.
Glow good they smell, don't they:
FLOP" said Maggie cheerily, but Flossie
exhausted with cold and hunger, an
swered not. w $ she asleep? Maggie
hardly knew, she looked SO white, sc
death-like. 20 my love-" she grasped,
what can I do? o Lord, help, me,
help mel"
A knock at the door brought he1
quickly to her feet. She tremblad al
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, ant
she without a dollar! Yes, it was Mrs
Arden, indeed. anda man, but q strang.
er.
Twill you walk in ?" TREMENDOUSLY.
II can't stop q minute, miss" sale
the landlady, "but this is our good
neighbor, MI. Sims, the baker, JUS
round the corner He has a messag.
for you" and she went down the stairs
Mr.. Sims stepped in. He looked a
the pale. trembling girl, at the littl.
table with the cracked cups and the two
behring's, vainly trying to get comfort
ably warmed up at the mite of a fire