River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-12-04
no FOLKS.
A Thanksgiving Story.

geStlOn OF snow IN the air. the cnlIllneSS
of which penetrated even to the warm,
coy 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, father!" and the thin hand
was outstretched for the letter she saw
in his pocket.
"Let me read it, Mary" he said.
"Tm afraid it will be q disappoint-
ment"
sorry, but we cannot be with you Thanksgiv
ing bay. Harry's father has been taken very
ill, and has sent for us. We leave for B. in
the morning; will write yon 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 loi eli
ness ?"
"Oh we'll, mother, we must make the
best of it. Perhaps 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 / 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, well trained to
keep it's own 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. |
think the smallest one is little lame
or something, she always cllngs close
to her sister, just so. J. have wanted
and wanted to speak to them. they look
so tired and poor and hungry l won
der"-and then she stopped and hest
tated, looking eagerly into her husbands
face.
"Well. Mary"
81 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"
81 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 90 TOP The old man pondered
a 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'il tell you what. Mary" he said at
last, 9TH 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 first-class es-
tablishment, the two young girls had
assembled three flights to their room.
1t 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. Therel is that better ?
Now will hurry up"
Then she kindled 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 belonged
to 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, n small loaf,
and a tiny bit of butter: then she
thought q moment, and then going to
the closet, took out couple of dried
herring and warmed them ut the fire.
How good they smell, don't they,
Flo?" said Maggie cheerily, hut Flossie,
exhausted with cold and hunger, an
swered not. w she asleep? Maggie
hardly knew, she looked so white, SO
death like. 40 my love-" she grasped,
what can / do? o Lord, help, me,
help mel"
A knock at the door brought her
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 month
| rent, or Mr.. Bins, the coal man, and
she without dollar Yes, it was Mrs.
/ Arden, indeed, and a man, but strang-
/ er.
evil you walk in ?" TREMENDOUSLY.
i II can't stop minute, miss" said
/ the landladv, "but this is our good
neighbor. Mr.. Sims, the baker. just
/ round the corner. He has 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 a 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, mother
wants you to come home, now, right
awayl You see, he said more softly in
answer to Maggie's look of wonder, u
mean the old lady you have seen look
/ ing at You from the window of the
4 brown bake house on the corner. Her
I little girls went home to heaven this
time last year, and / suspect twas to
make room for you two. viii you
Gomez"
Bv this time Miss Brown, the teapot
lender, had heard the report and hur-
ried in to offer her helpand advice, and
then Mrs. Arden had bethought her
/ that good strong cur of coffee and o
bit of meat might be good thing to
carry up, now that such good friend
had appeared, aud Mr.. Sims, seeing them
so well cared for for tue present, had
hinaselfopened all the draughts of the
stove. and emptied the contents of the
bod into it Remarking that he would
go and get carriage, for he guessed
the little girl wouldn't feel much like
walking that night, he disappeared
from the scene only to reappear in q
/ few moments, and then he wrapped
Flossie in big blanket shawl he
picked up IN the hall, and took her nj
in his arms as easily as ii she were. a
he said, nothing bnt doughnnt, and