The Russellville Democrat., 1885-06-11
'IAeHoINeCirc|e
4 WILDG0osE CHASE.

Thanksgiring! When Fife heard it she kncw very well what it meant, For always at Grandma SpIcer Thanksgiving
 day had been spent. With aunts and uncles and cousins, dogs, cats And nuts and apples frolicsome games, and
 many glad surprise Is Flank ksgiyin'day tomorrcrz. cverand over again
 Eiiie woald ask her parents. begging them to
 explain dcavor to make 1t clear Why 1harksgfs slng-day at grandma's came only once m year The Governors proclamation for the good
 the Nation planned, Little Fife was much too young and too flight. But she compreheudcd the meaning of prepa-
 raii0us t0 start For Gran Ina Spicers: and no one could have
 moro thankful heart But this year the floods had broken away the And over the roads and the meadows went
 roaring and rushing along. Bca ing uway the bridges, and whatever else In their track; and the narrow strcamlet
 stretched out 10 a great wide sea. There were lives lost. too. in the torrent that
 ull the while being fed Fly the great black clouds that hung like a
 mantle of glc on o'erhead, And as soon as the sun shone out again the
 dismal troop 10 dispcrse, Meu gathered ia solemn crowds. and said:
 Thank God that it is no worsei' Fife had heard her father say, as he brushed
 away ienr,
 Ina, he wouldn't be able to travel about very And the little maiden thought 'twoud be a
 bitter drop m her cup If the yisit to Grandma Spicer's was to be giv-
 enup.
 For how could they keep Thanksgiving all
 alone by themselves. Even with lots of pies and things spread out
 on the Tantry shelves? And how could Grandma Spieer give thanks in If none of them went to see her. to help her
 keep the dayf Thus reasoned the little maiden, who grew
 very sad and scdate, Asff q puzzle were twisting itself about in her
 curly pate
 And as she'd been always cheerful. and rather to romps inclined, Twas feared that her fathers trouble had
 worried the baby mind. Twas the day before Thanksgiving, as search
 ing the place around, From garTet to cellar, from barn to shed, little
 Fife could not be found And all the treasures that had been swept
 away in the vast abyss, Though grievous to lose, could not compare
 with loss so great as this.
 
 And Lizzie seidenl God pity the bearers of such crossl They sought for her in the dismal swamp. and
 of by the lonely church; They looked in the we'll and, as night came on, with lanterns kept up the search In village some ten miles distant was Grand ma Spicer's abode, And the way to it was over rugged and lone some road, And Zines father and mother drove over to tell their sorrow, And the reason why in fasting and prayer
 they'd have to spend the morrow But Grandma eyes had twinkle in them as
 she s0herly said: ''well, now you're so worn and weary, you'd
 better go right to bed; Those only are worthy the sweet who have tasted tue bitter drink, Aud it may be the dawn is hreaking-is nearer now than you think and sick at heart; l In the festival of the morrow determined to take no part; l And turning they saw-what was it?-the old fashioned trundlebed And there, asleep on the pillow, their own it. tie ''curly-head' "EfSe! Eihe!' the mother screamed; "I have found my child at last" "Efhei Eniei'' the father cried, his tears com l ing thick and fast; 1 And all that the naughty madden said, as she quietly sucked her thumb, | Was: It's Fanksgivin day to-morrer, and gran muvver said you'd come" | Oh that was a rare Thanksgiving the lifting l of soul above 1 Thethings of earth, 10 the thought of Gods l goodness and infinite love: l And when the story of floods and misfortunes | the group rehearse, | Each looks in n dear ones face and feels there are trials that might be worse. | And when Fife has told her story-the trouble some little elf.- | How she started all right for grandma's, and l suddenly lost herself | And how scared she was, with many loving | kiss and embrace 1 They forgive the little .'goosie" that started | this wild-goose chase. | --JOsephfne PoRdrd, in Hdrper's Young People