The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-12-06
a THANKSGIVING DREAM.

The Hlrei mea were Just rising from
! he table, wher,,, after the usual Cali.
fornia fashion they had eaten then
breakfast with the family.
Mr.. Aiken looked up. Jim" be
said to one of them, Il think we ought
to get through that job on the fiat by
Thursday night"
Yes, sir" was the answer, "f we keel
at it pretty steady"
well, there is nothing to hinder
don't think the weather will change
Then there will be time to finish haul
ing the wood this week"
''AlI right"
As the door closed Mrs. Aiken said
to her husband, John, Thursday will
be Thanksgiving"
"Win it?"
Yes, and I meant to ask you if you
couldn't take holiday, and let us all
keep 1t as it ought to be keps?"
Mr. Aiken leaned back in his chair
L don't see how | can without upset
ting all my plans, Harriet Holidays
are very well for idle people who don't
know what to do with their time, but
they are nuisance to busy man.
Mrs. Aiken said nothing, and he
went on:
Besides, dou't see that we have
had much to be thankful for this year.
1t has been one series of mlsfortunes-
first your sickness, then Willie break
ing his leg, and last of all, the barn
burning up. No, think we may leave
1t to other people to keep Thanksgiv-
ing day"
And 80 saying, the farmer rose and
went out, quite satisfied that the matter
was settled.
His wife sighed as she began to clear
away the breakfast dishes. Not much
to be thankful for" she said TO herself
With strange wonder that she and her
husband should see things in such diff
ferent lights.
She has been Ill il the spring, very
Ill, indeed, but WAS it not cause for
gratitude that her life had been spared
that she had been given back to her
husband and children almost from the
verge of the grave? Willie had broken
his leg, but then IN the midst of her
distress and anxiety at the time she had
been unspeakablY thankful that he had
escaped from worse injury, and the
fracture had been so skillfully treated
that 1t had left no sign of weakness.
Then the burning of the barn in broad
daylight, when there was no living
creature inside, and on calm morning
when there was 40 danger of the fire
spreading, even that, although 1t had
been loss in dollars and cents, had not
seemed very great calamity.
She was not much given to signing.
Life to her was bright and pleasant
thing, full of blessing and Joy. A more
cheerful and contented little woman it
would be difficult to find. But now she
sighed again, and wiped away few
quiet tears. She had set her heart
upon keeping this Thanksgiving, and to
give 1t up she felt to be needless pain.
Was her husband growing hard and
Notwithstanding to care for nothing
but mere outward prosperity? She
checked herself with sudden sense of
shame. Dear john" she said, remem.
berlng his tender care for her when she
was Ill, his sorrow for the little baby,
who had lived but few short DAYS, his
devotion to the children, his open
handed generosity TO every one about
HIM. How could she wrong him BIZ
such thoughts as these? Ii he worked
early and late, and grudged himself a
holiday, 1t was not for the mere love of
gain nor for his own advantage. The
shadow passed away from her heart,
and she began to arrange another plan
for the coming Thursday. A Thanks
giving dinner they should have at any
rate; and IN the afternoon she would 90
oh II
hills, If the day proved fine; in the even
ing she would ask the men to come into
the parlor, and play and sing for them
and try to give them a pleasant hour.
80 she said nothing more about a holt
day, and Mr.. Aiken gave the matter 10
second thought.
But sometimes even yet the angel OF
the Lord speaks to mems hearts In
dreams and visions of the night. When
the day was ended the farmer went to
bed, and slept the deep, quiet sleep of q
man IN perfect health resting from hon
est work. Toward morning he awoke
and then for awhile he lay in that hall
waking, half sleeping state where dreams
are apt to visit the mind.
Was it a dream? Was it memory
Or was it not something composed OF
both? Again the house was darkened
cautious footsteps moved lightly through
the silent rooms, voices were never
heard above whisper, for the wife anG
mother lay dangerously i'll. He came il
from the barn just as he had come OIL
that sorrowful afternoon in the sprinc
TO lind that the feeble spark of life il
his little newborn daughter had sud
denly gone out. But now it was not the
baby that was dead; the kind neighbo,
who had been taking care of it sat be
side the fire holding it in her arms, anf
tears were running down her cheeks a:
she tried to soothe its wailing cries
DOR little baby" she murmured,a pool
little motherless thing"
with deadly fear clutching at hi.
neart he passed her and went into hi.
Wlfes room. rigid form lay on TIE
ped, covered with sheet; but even a,
he sank on his knees with bitter eroar
a soft voice seemed to whisper in hi.
ear: she is not gone; she is eiver
back to you. This is only what nigh
have been"
Thank God" he fervently ex
claimed; and suddenly the visior
faded.
1t faded, but gave place to another
de stood at the gate watching his cid
est boy training his favorite colt. The
pretty creature was full of life and spir
it, but Willie was a good rider an d kep
his seat easily. Up and down the roa6
they went several times, but at last. ius
as they We're passing the gate, hunter
concealed by the willows in the creeL
unexpectedly fired his gun.
The frightened colt gave leap to one
side, and the boy was thrown. Had hi,
head come in contact with the gate-post
The father sprang to raise him with ,
dread he could not have expressed; bu
the boy looked up in his face with /
brave attempt to smile. Don't b,
frightened father; it's only a broker
leg and that will mend; my neol