The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-29

gray IL the cool. sriil air. The sunbeams
peeped In curiously between the old shutters
left yesterday siar, Of tho house in the corner;
playing upon the antique carvings of the wains-
coting in hall aud sittiug-room. and lying in
broader bands upon the kitchen floor.
just across the wide clear square, this same
sunlight lay in warm bars OF scarlet and gold
upon the delicate carpet OF tina breakfasi-room
IN Judge During's stately home. The Judge
and his wife, for there were only they two left
there now, sat at breakfast. A fire cracked on
the hearth. and the glow from the flames played
with the glancine sunbeams upon the cleaning
coffee urn, along the heavy gilt frames of the
family portraits on the walls, and across the
bindings of the books that filed the low cases on
three sides of the room Breakfast was always
q cheerful meal there. indeed, most
meals were cheerful. at heartened one amaz-
ingIy," one of their old friends said,
just TO sit at table there. The Judge himself
was as enlivening as the cracking fire, with an
intermittent glow and merriment not unlike its
own. And the fair, gentle woman opposite him.,
with SO serene and earnest a kindness In her
deep blue eyes, reminded you Of nothing so much
as the sunlight she delighted in.
They were lingering over their coffee, when
the Starboro stage stopped a moment at the gate,
a light step crossed the piazza, and straightway
with q brisk little knock to announce her COM
ing. a brisk little woman entered.
Ali Miss Molly. what brings you out SO
red cheeks and bright eyes. Perhaps that's
what you set out for" began the Judge teas
inely.
But she paid little heed to him.
you'll excuse me, Mrs. During, for coming in
upon you SC, but I've found l can come for q
few days any way if you want me. / expected
to be busy over to Stsrboro till Thanksgiving
time l was doing some wedding things. but
the weddings put off; something happened at
the last minute"
.'I'm very glad to get you. Miss Marvin" an
swered Mrs. During. "And I'm all ready, too.
save some little things l can get the Judge to
order"
Yes, 1 came early on purpose. said the dress
maker. 'You see" she went on confdentially,
for the Judge had taken his newspaper and was
apparently absorbed in its contents. '!you see. I
was at work for Elizabeth During over
to Starboro. She's engaged TO George Kin
nard; he's in Hill Town Bank now,
and they was going to be married this
THANKSGIVING time, and a-cominR out here to
live Enoch Kinnard, you know. Georges unsle.
left him tho old Stratton place on the corner
here; and they was a-6xing up round and going
to send their goods over this very day. They'd
lotted on eating their THANKSGIVING dinner
there, had everything planned and all. And
yesterday he had a letter. And it turns out the
place don't belong to them after ali, but to
somebody else that's held a big mortgage on itI'
How hard for them!"
"Ain't i'll Beth, she boards to her cousins,
Bashie Kerlis. Bashie's a particular friend Of
mine, has been since we was girls together. So
/ know all about it. knew she'd been sget-
VII ACoAN WIFE iObk tAEiC. hCE ohctko ObC
and even her fowls and dish-cloths made. And
last night she cam right round and told me,
thinking of course I'd want to be working for
some one else. Beth's a real nice girl"
'She 10 a far-away cousin OF ours, or OF my
husbands, though we knew her very little"
"Shed ha' been neighbor to We. wouldn't shel
And now I'm going right upstairs and open the
sewin-room binds, and touch of the fire. No,
you needn't send Martha, / kin do It."
The clock counted out eight silvery chimes
from its carven case, and the Judge rose hastily.
Il hold that mortgage. Amy, though l didn't
know who it was thought he owned it. / would
have given him a chance, though 'twould have
been a poor one, really, for the place isn't worth
more than the face Of the mortgage"
Mrs. During looked up wistfully, and their
eyes met. But neither spoke, and in a moment
more he had gone. But she sighed, and
her eyes bad a soft cloud over their
sunniness as she went upstairs to
Miss Marvin. She was not surprised,
however. to hear his key in the lock at lunch
time. II forgot your memorandum, ' was his
excuse for this appearance. "Why didn't you
remind mel'
an 90 make it out now" volunteered Miss
Marvin "You won't be likely to GO off without
your dinner and mine can wait a bit I'll be
back before you're through"
Amy said the Judge, after she had left the
room, and they were alone, Arthur During, in
my young days, nelped me moro than any
other person. l shouldn't be where l am,
and what / am. but for him. And l never re-
paid QlM. Il SQOulQ ike 10 Turn tuo SerVIC6 over
now to his daughter"
why mott" and her eyes were shining.
"Well. for one thing, l couldn't buy that fine
place at the Shore that We looked at, you know"
who cares for thati don't, and l don't be-
lieve you do, either!'
1.-The European trip might have to wait,
though / don't think it. We wanted to join
Helen in the spring, you know"
THAT can wait. too. If need be. Helen won't
come homo for two years yet"
And was boarding every stray dollar to en-
dow Hill Town Institute. IL needs to be put on
q sure and broader basis"
John" and there was a brave little thrill Of
decision in nrs. Duringis voice, you know I
have favored the institute plan from the begin
ming. It will help so many OF our young people
to higher and broader lives. But / would GER
tainly rather endow a home than a school,"
1t had been a hard day in the school-room. a
trying day ct the bank. Beth was tired, George
depressed. So they sat very sooerly and silent
ly in Miss Kerliss back parlor, while she nodded
over her knitting in the dining-room beyond.
Beth's work was not her treasured napery.
hemmed by hand. nor towels, nor curtains. nor
dainty draperles, nor bits Of her modest trous-
seau. She had put all these away, and, bent on
economy, yea, bound to it more than ever, she
realized, was turning last winters jacket for
another years service. Fortunately her reeigna-
ton, though written, had not been handed in.
There was a ring at the door and Miss Bashie
reused herself. and won't to get the evenipg mail
from the carrier.
Letters for you, Bethie," she said returning,
and Beth opened one with idle curiosity. The
other was thicker. and addressed, evidently, in
the same hand.
George, looking up O moment later, saw her
grow white, and sprang to her side. By that
time she was laughing and crying Historically.
saying when she could speak:
"Itis our Thanksgiving given back to us!
Read.
You have guessed already the import of the
letter. The legal document that accompanied it
was q deed of gift conveying to Elizabeth Dur
ing her 'heirs aud assigns forever" the estate
known as the Stratton place. with all the ap-
purtenances thereof. And Judge During's kind
note accompanying it said it was but the paw
ment of q long-standinR debt of gratitude to her
father. And so Miss Marvin was recalled
and the wedding preparations went forward
again more briskly and blithely because of the
delay. And their Joy seemed more really theirs,
and a dearer and more wonderful possession, be-
cause OF Its seeming withdrawal. and its new
~estowmen
November is q frowning, fearful. fearful
month, more capricious than April itself. and
stern and forbiddine where April is tenderly
mild. Yet the sun rarely refuses to smile upon
in upon the gathered groups that keep this
harvest feast.
An so on this Thanksgiving day the sunlight
fell in blessing through the many-paned windows
of the old dining-room of the corner house.
where two sat together for the fret time at their
own table. In other years, on other days, their
friends should be hidden, this day seemed for
them alone in their thankfulness.
And across the square it flooded the long room
where Judge During's guests were gathered,
resting tenderly on his silvery head and on her