The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-11-27
THANKSGIVING.
BY HELEN WHITNEY CLARKE.

d ALAEN OLAkhE.
"And so you've sold your farm,
Belindy2"
Eyes, an 1 must say I'm glad of it.
A lone woman amt got no business a
trying to farm, no way. Though 1
must say I've made out pretty well, this
year. l cleared six hundred dollars on
the wheat, over and above payin' fur
the harvestin, thrashin an the like An
I've sold the hay, clover and timothy
mixed, fur about three hundred more
But it's awful wearin on woman, a
tendin to things and watchin that the
hands don'tshirk nor nothin. AS was
a-sayin, lone woman amt got no bust
ness with farm. Twas different before
Aaron died, and Mrs. Belinda Blossom
gave regretful sigh to the memory of
the dead and gone Aaron.
you needn't to be lone woman no
lonner'n you want to, Belindy," quietly
observed her sister, Mrs Jerusha Hatch,
There's Deacon Gibbs now, would give
his eyes to-"
Don't say Deacon Gibbs to me, re-
torted the widow. Don't 1 know what
he's after? Don't he know as well as l
do, that I've got eight thousand dollars
put safe away in the Bluegrass Bank? 1
haven't doubt he'd like to git the
handlin of it, but he never WILL kin
tell him that"
"Sho, now Belindy," demonstrated
Mrs. Hatch, whats the use o. maxim
the poor man out wuss'n he is? DON
know as he's any ikelier to be after the
money than Lawyer Greene"
Lawyer Greene'e got money himself,
and it stands to reason faint so much
of an objeck to him. Besides 1 amt
said"
ooh no, you haint said, I know, but
body kin put two and tow together 1
reckin. Well, all I've got to say, I'd
rather have Deacon Gibbs any day, if
it was me, than that smooth-Spoke, iley-
loOkin lawyer. But l must be a-gittin
home; Bijah'll want his supper time it's
ready" and Mrs. Hatch rolled up her
knitting, wrapped it carefully in cloth,
and put on her black Sun-bonnet and
her blue yarn "half-hands."
You might of stayed to supper,
Jemima, said the widow, reproachfully.
II was a-goin to have cream cookies an
some of them Lawton blackberry pre-
serves you're so fond OF.
oval, I'd like mighty well to stay,
Belindy, but Bijah, he'll be a-lookln fur
me to hev supper. ready when he comes
in from the field. He's allus as hungry
as a beaver at night; an I amt left
nothin cooked so he could get himself
bite. reckin l better go. You go into
Miss LarcOm's quiltin next week?"
''Oh, [ s'pose SO. Miss Larcom would
get unified if didn't, and after another
five or ten minutes of conversation Mrs
Hatch got started for home.
Mrs. Belinda Blossom was a typical
widow, fair, fat, and not quite forty, and
was known as best houSekeeper in
and around the neighbOrhOOd where she
lived.
With even less personal attractions
and good qualities than she possessed,
she might have changed her widows
weeds Tor bridal attire long ago, had
she so desired. However, for some rea-
sons best known to herself, she had pre-
ferred 10 remain a "lone' woman" as
she called it, so far. Whether she in
tended TO remain so much longer was a
question which puzzled herself quite as
much as it did some other parties.
1t was the day of Mrs LarcOm's quilt
ing, and supper was almost ready. The
quilt was already out, and by a little
preconcerted Vancouver on the part OF
the fun-loving girls, it had been thrown
over the widow head. when taken out
of the frame-a piece of mischief which
afforded no little amusement, as, accord
ing to time-honored tradition. whoever
the quilt is first thrown over, is soon to
become bride.
Mrs. Blossom bore her hOnors blush
ingly, and her cheeks were still covered
with crimson, when the gentlemen be-
gan to drop in, just before supper.
Lawyer Greene, who was among the
first to arrive, was profuse in his atten-
tiOns to the blooming widow, much to
the discontinue OF his less fortunate
rival, who could only sit in the corner
and cast despairing chances at the OBJ
ject of his affections.
Just look at Deacon Gibbs, whisper
ed Mahala Williams TO Dorcas Lamb.
He looks like a hen on hot griddle,
while Lawyer Greene is accounting the
widow"
Dorcas Uttered out aloud, whereupon
the deacon grew red in the face, as if
aware that he was the object of their
mirth. ~
oval, [ reckin III be a-goin, Miss
Larcom,p he announced, approaching
the hostess a short time later. 81 only
jest dropped in to see how you was all
a-gItting along"
o"Oh, you must stay to supper, deacon;
it's Almost ready now, an / can't let you
go before that" declared the hostess,
determinedly. But the deacon was equal
w determined, and go he did.
deacon Gibbs Deacon GibbSi stop
a minute, want to speak to you,n cried
Mrs. Hatch, rushing out to the porch,
where he stood, looking little bewild.
cred at the unexpected summons.
Il want to ask you to come over the
day after tomorrow - Thanksgiving
day, you know-and eat dinner with US
Now don't say no-there won't be any
body there only Belindy an our folks.
Say you'll come!'
"Wal, dunno, Miss Hatch" said the
deacon, uneaSily II thank you kindly
for the invite, but I've been a-feelin kind
of blue for a good-spell now, an don't
know as I'd be fittin comp'ny 10 go an
eat Thanksgivin dinners with folks when