New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-11-24
ALL FOR THE BEST.
A Thanksgiving Story.

Z
you just now?" asked Mr.. Cary, as he
entered the kitchen door.
"Miss Jorden," replied his wife.
"She wants us to dropin to help eat
turkey this evenin'. Mr.. Hatfield and
the new minister and their wives are
to be there. We are to stop on the
way home from meetin'."
Chow does she know we are goin' to
meetin'? I am sure it is not Sunday"
returned Mr.. Cary.
"Why, William, you know this is
Thanksgivin'," urged Mrs. Cary.
II am thinkin' it is mighty little
we've got left to give thanks for" re-
turned the old man with a sigh.
''Never distrust Providence, William.
Seed time and harvest, He has prom
ised, and we have his word for His
care even unto hoary hairs. Man,
man, don't take on so. He is the
same God that told the children of
! Israel to 90 forward, and did he fail
to open them way?" and Mrs. Cary
left the pudding she was stirring, and
crossed over to the corner, where
her husband had drawn the old
armchair.
II have tried to serve Him for forty
Jears, Rachel and it is a little tryin'
TO be left homeless when my hair is
gray and my eyes are DIM" he
replied.
"1t is written, L will never leave thee
nor forsake thee," she said softly.
"And yet, Rachel, the home we have
worked SO hard to pay for will be
knocked down to the highest bidder
tomorrow. The roof over our heads
shelters us tonight for the last time.
With a cold, stormy winter at hand
we will be cast helpless out in the snow
can see nothin' before us but the
poor-house," he answered bitterly.
cit seems hard. William. but the
Lord will provide if we but trust him., ;"
sobbed the poor, tired woman.
"I'nl thinkin' we've been all
wrong in bringin' up our children. #
we had been salts fed for them to be-
gin where we did, instead OF where we
LETT off, the farm need never have been
mortgaged."
We didit all for the best, father-we
meant to do our duty, and if we made
a mistake, God only knows all about
it,"
"Ungrateful children is the sorest
punishment that can be visited upon
indulgent parents. Ihoped, when our
children were small, that they would
take care of us in our old days; but
instead disappearing us, they are bur-
dens on our worn-out strength. The
girls can sit and see their mother
wearin' out her strength for them, and
Robert -would to God we had buried
him in his innocent childhood"
The mother sighed heavily, and then
replied sadly: ''If Robert would only
do right, l would be willing to begin
life anew. 1t seems to me his reforma-
ton would give us both q new lease
;on life"
"But I have given him up. There
is no rest for us, but in the grave.
His destruction is only matter of
time. When l think of the bright
promise Of his early years. I almost
curse the college that taught him the
use OF Intoxicating drinks exclaimed
the father, earnestly.
ut was evil associates, William, not
the book learning, that ruined our
boy. Who knows but God may save
him yet? He does not forget the pray
ers we have put up for him."
4 reckon not, but it is hard to save
aGonfirmed drunkard," returned the
Il tfher;4
= Not too hard for the grace of God.
With him all things are possible. 1t
is hard to. give up every thing for no
it must be all for the BEST
The old man shook his head with
weary sigh, and his good wife, the
partner Of all his joys and sorrows,
drew her chair closer to him, took his
cold hands in her own, and deep silence
fell upon the gray-haired couple.
The aged parents were not aware
that their conversation reached other
ears than their own. Tears sprang to
the eyes OF two OF their listeners, and
Alice and Katy Cary, in whispered
comments, agreed that mothers time
to rest had come at last. Robert,
stretched lazily on the old-fashioned
sofa, could not fail to catch thesound
OF the voices in the adjoining apart
ment,. and, though the girls never
thought Of taking him into their con-
hdence, he resolved that, in spite of
his fathers distrust, he would help an
swer his mothers prayers.
He knew the farm had been mort
gagged to keep him at college, and he
had promised to see it lifted; but in
stead OF paying it off, he had been
yearly adding to it's interest. A sense
of his lngratitude almost overwhelm-
ed him, and to hide his emotion he
took his hat and hurried from the
room
"He is off totown now, to spend the
day in adding sorrow to the OVERLOOKING
cup poor father and mother are com
PEELED to drink, y sighed Alice.
Robert caught her words, and paus-
ed for Katie's reply.
"If he is doomed to a drunkard's
- n