The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-12-05

LADY, who lay q Ne sofA 81 thV warm.
est corner d tho room hSA Nttle 81
sunshine about hef.
A 9tetfdl experience shohs il her
sharp, dafk eyes and the lines about
her Thin lips were not pleasant. The
other lady, also elderly, who sst oppo.
site Mrs. Allison, seemed more in keen.
ing with the surroundings. Peace was
written all over the fair placid face, in
the kindly eyes, the firm, sweet mouth,
the faded. wrinkled hands, nov knitting
with the unmarried grace which belongs
only to tho aged. Mis-. Eunics Foster
seemed an itnpersonation Of the calm
autumn day without.
"1ts q week to ThanksgivinR,n she
said ~ she counted the stitches on her
seam needle,
Nns.. Foster made this brief remark
in = half apologize tone, ~ If she rath-
er expected to be contradicted, or called
to account in some way for her state.
ment; for Mrs. Allison was In the habit
OF differing from other people At FIRST,
whether she was Of their opinion OF not.
But at present she was too much occu.
pied with her own grievances 10 dissent
a. she usually did.
well, ! must Say I don't feel special.
" thankful" said Mrs. Allison, draw
ing the afghan over her knees. 1--WE
Just had one trouble after another all
this year. There was that cheating
tenant On the upper place; and then me
laid fiat O. my back in the very hottest
of the summer; aud what with the
drought and poor season the crops are
failure. Now, here am with .
sprained ankle, and nobody knows when
can put foot to the ground-if ever I
can-and all my business, and the whole
place going to rack for need Of some
one to look after things" And Mrs.
Allison drew long sigh Of self-pity,
and wiped her eyes upon q very fine
linen.cambric handkerchief.
Mrs. Foster glanced around the
bright room, so full Of comforts, and
even luxnries; then out upon the trim,
well-kept grounds, and beyond to the
wide fields where the stacked corn was
standing in low rows. She thought of
the stores of untouched provisions in
the great, neat, house, and how easy it
was for the thin, withered hands near
her to trace few words upon paper
Yhich would turn that paper into mon
q value. She thought how q little
spared from Mrs. Allison's abundance
would bring pleasure and thankfulness
into less favored homes; she thought
how her friend had it in her power to
uplift some bowed with toll, to add
comfort to some sick chamber, and
sparse larder, and thinking thus, Mrs.
Foster sighed, too.
Eunice2" said Mrs. Allison, sharply.
"If I am not thankful, I'll own to It;
and you need not sit there looking like
funeral"
"Was looking gloomy?" said Mrs.
Foster, with little laugh, for she un.
derstood Mrs. Allison's moods too we'll
to be offended at her plainness of speech.
Il m sorry you have SO much trouble.
Catherine, but things will mend after
awhile"
ut is to be hoped they will. But
my foot and ankle don't seem to inn
prove at all, and 1 am almost sure I'm
going to have spell Of rheumatism,
my back and shoulders are so stiff. /
hardly closed my eyes last night"
"Dear. dear, said Mrs. Foster, sym.
pathetically. Nov, did you ever try
turpentine liniment? just the yelk of
an egg we'll beaten, two wine-g1assfuls
of turpentine, and wine glass Of strong
cider vinegar; when they're we'll mixed
three wine-glassfuls of water stirred in
little at time. It's Just splendid
liniment.. Father thinks there's nothing
liks it. It's too bad about your ankle,
but MS was telling father, it's mercy
you didn't break your Leg"
"Humph!" was Mrs. Allisons sole and
ungracions rejoinder.
eyes, we ali have our troubles" con-
tinued Mrs. Foster, wiping first one
and then the other of her glasses, and
looking thoughtfully into the fire.
Some of US have one kind, and come
anotheri hut the Lord generally deals
out to us just the kind He sees fit for
us. For good many years He saw
best to give me poor health, but then q
woman never had kinder, more at
tentive husband than I had to care
for me, and the children, too. I wor-
ried good deal about them, but they
got along about az we'll as IL I had been
around. Now the Lords given you
few troubles"
ga few!" groaned Mrs. Allison.
"Well, He's given you sprained an
kle, but He's given you arep-covered
sofa to lie on. You want to be around,
and looking after things, to be sure;
but think how much better off you are
than poor Mrs. Vaughn, living where
she knows she'll never get up, and all
her poor children needing mother SO
sadly. The Lord sent the drought on
your land, too but oil your crops are
not spoiled, like Mr.. Whseler's, by that
dreadful hailstorm: and then his house
burnt to the ground. All, Catherine,
your back may-ache, but the Lord has
given you very soft pillows to rest on;
some folks haven't even straw"
"Oh, yes, Eunice," said Mrs. Allison,
moving uneasily. "You always see the
best side of every thing. 1t is very ca
~ for you to talk, but you don't know
the half of the care I have. You know
Mr.. Allison's affairs had all to be
Strengthened out by me (this little
triumphantly, for Mrs. Allison knew
she was good business woman), and
have to look after everything, no one
seems to manage properly. This is a
world of trouble"
ooh, yes," said Mrs. Foster, "but
you know we desire better country,
that is heavenly If We only reach
that world, these troubles will seem
very small. But, Catherine, I'll tell
you good thing to do, if you don't feel
specially thankful yourself-but I know
you will after you think quietly awhile
see if you cannot make somebody
else thankful. Try it, and see if you
don't grow thankful yourself. Now I
must be going, or father'll think I'm
going to stay all night. But will you
try the lini ment? I'll make some, and
send it over the first thing in the morn
ing"
you Please" was Mrs. Allison's
reply. in . strangely softened voice.
And good Mrs. Foster, having endeav-
| ored IN oive medicina IN eou1 and I,r,d,,