The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1888-12-07

his gun was raised and aim taken. The
conscience whispered; "They are no
yours, John Austin and turning hi
steps away he answered mentally if no
voeally: "NO, and Tn not gong TO be
thief, even for Thanksgiving dinner.
Pushing on again over the broal
meadow he struck the road-an unbrokei
one nOw-that led to the forest wher
game was likely to be found, and wa
passing the log cabin OF family evel
/ poorer than his own, for the husband
was lying very i'll. He glanced up a
I the chimney-the most natural thing I,
90 upon such day-snd saw no smoke
Either the poor man must be dead or tn
supply Of wood had given out In
stantly his own situation was forgotten
and he was not long in finding out tina
/ his latter surmise was correct.
Don't Worry, " he said to the anxious
wife, gathering and bringing IN all tn
wood he could find, I'm run over t,
neghbor SIMPSONS aud borrow hi
team and get you load. There's lot
Of dead timber on this land, and h
isn't the meanest man ia the world by
long shot,
To accomplish his purpose he wa
forced to retrace his steps and again loOl
AT the temptation Of the turkeys
Certainly no birds ever looked so large
and they stretched out their necks and
eobbled at him in the most provoking
fashion and as if they knew what wa
passing in his mind.
''les, John" said the farmer in an
swer TO his request, ''take the oxen and
get as much wood as you can haul Blu
you will have TO cut it. Everything
down must be showed under except il
may be some rotten stuff that is of nc
account
..All right, but you will have to lend
me an axe. Istarted to find some gam,
fer dinner, but now the children will have
to get along with whatever their mother
can manage 10 fix up
'Well, here's an axe, and you had
better leave your gun here till you come
back. I'd like TO use it if you can tell
me where | will find my flock OF turkeys
the tame-wild ones mean believe
they know it's Thanksgiving and have
run away"
Austin told him where the birds were
10 lie found, thought of how little there
would lie upon his own table, and
hasiened upon his Grand of mercy
FASTENED as fast as an OK team, discon-
tented with being out such a cold morn
ing and Wading through such deep snow,
could be persuaded to go.
Tramping along after the sled Austin
at last reached the woods and looked
for a convenient tree to ''fall.n An oak
stood near and tap of his ak convinced
him it WIS hollow. That suited him
exactly. He could easily cut of a couple
Of logs, roll them upon the sled and re
duce them TO burnable size afterward.
\ strong armed and willing hearted
man, he was not long in separating the
trunk, drawing and unloading in front
Of the house of his sick friend. The
poor wife thanked him heartily aud said
her brother Lad come and would do the
ehopping.
IAN right-no thanks" he replied in
his hearty way. "Iope your Thanks
giving viii be brigh .er than you antici-
Faied. ''Now Ill get my gun and see
what can do for my own dinner"
lie had gotten some littlo distance
when the woman shouted
"You have forgotten your satchel,
John Austinr'
Mine" he questioned, returning.
'sOf course it is. You must have
placed it in the hollow trunk and for
gotten it Anyhow it rolled out and
here is your wifes name on it. Gracious,
but it Is marked plain enough"
In mute astonishment John Austin
TOOK up the satchei and brushed of the
snow. Il was a small affair, battered,
worn, stained and las he afterNa ard said
might have come out Of the ark. A
piece Of buckskin was topped through
the handles and rudely marked Mrs
Jane Austin, wife OF John Austin and
daughter OF James selfridge, Beachton,
Pennsylvania, L. 5"
lie choked down great lump thst
had gathered in his throat, looked with
the most stupid surprise at the woman,
then at the satchcl, and forgetting
team, gun and game started homeward
on q run. Bursting into the house he
dropped breathlessly into a chair, flung
llt eAAtAeA 4uAo INT IlAuAiN VI tAlc louI
and gasped one the single word;
'ffherei"
s.John Austin" exclaimed his wife in
the l0udest key possible for her voice 10
reach and with the muscles of her face
gathering for a storm, aren't you
ashamed Of yourself to come home
drunk, and O. Thanksgivingl Take
that nasty old thing out OF doors. It's
a burning shame and a disgrace, and
YOU a husband and father OF family, ~
and her apron was brought into requi-
sition N wipe away her tears.
ITS marked for you. Jane, and
where in heaven did you get that great
furkeyl"
''Fsrmer Sampson brought it, and
YOUR gnn. which you lost. and If the
neighbors didn't take pity on Us we'd
sfarve, WAS replied in very short sen
iences and broken by sobs.
.'But Jane"
'Don't Jane me. Take that misera
be. dirty thing out and crawl of some
where and 90 TO sleep. To think /
should have lived 10 see the day-and -
and We become objects of charity and
-And-having 10 be fed by the neigh
bors, " and up went the apron again.
Mother. broke in the eldest of the
bopefuis, whose curiosity had caused an
Investigation Of the satchel, and who
hsd spelled out the address, SITS your
name, and such queer writing"
Thus reinforced John Austin explained
that he had found it in hollow log and
suggested that it he opened. The wife
looked obviously at 1t for an instant
and then. forgetful Of anger and tears,
exclaimed.
1t is fathers writing. Open it as
quics IS ever you can"
He complied. The first thing he saw
vas 4 letter Il Was written on coarse
raper. ursealed, directed 10 his wife. and
i.sd IAN for my daughter Jane, wife
Of John Austin. forever and ever. James
selfrldge.
sounds like a will, - said the hus-
bAnd. and well see what the old man
has left"
Little packages tied up in buckskin
we're taken OUT, and each, when opened,
sisclosed gold, eo.red, dust and aug