Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1889-11-28
THE OTHER side OF THANKSGIVING.

Thanksgiving will be here next
week, cried Mabel, dancing into the
sunny Kitchen where Prudence Hayes,
the ''help,' was plodding to and fro, as
though her feet were shod with lead.
"Why don't you say something
Prue?" the child exclaimed impatient
at the stolid expression on Prue's
hOmeIy face, and vexed as she saw it
deepen into a frown.
II don't kaer for Thanksgivin',
MaUc}, snapped PrOo, setting down
plate with Il bang, and dashing the wa
ter from her mop over the floor on
which Mabel was executing a plrouette.
Get out Of my way, wont you?"
Mabel retreatcd TO the big Boston
rocker, which stood in the south win
dow, aud curling herself securely on
the cushioned seat, watched Prue's
proceedings. The wind was in the
east with Pruo this morning, decided
ly. But why? What was there in the
fact OF the very pleasantest holiday in
the year, when all the clan of the
Hlllyers would be gathered to hold
carnival under the old roof-tree, what
was there in this to make Prudence
mad? That was the word Mabel used
to herself as she shot keen chances ut
Prudence, who was dashing and splash
ing, with her black brOws bent, her
forehead puckered, and her lips grimly
set.
well, what are you starin at?" said
the girl at last pausing in her work,
and feeling the plying wonder in the
soft, childish eyes.
Il am puzzled, Prudence" answered
Mabel. Everybody is happy at
Thanksgiving, and this house will be
crammed full OF the jOlliest people,
and we're to have games in the paror
after dinner and the loveliest times,
and the thought OF it only makes you
look glum and horrid. | think it must
be dreadful to have such bad temper,
Prue."
If you hadn't hardly any folks of
your own, Mabel, and when holidays
came the only difference was, you had
to work harder'n ever washin', dishes
all day long, and stewin', slaivn', boil
in, so't other folks could dance an
sing an gallivant in fine clothes, you'd
be cross too. Maybe bad temper
means bein' perfectly sick O life, and
wishin' you was dead and gone out O.
the fuss, and good temper's only
another name for havin' fun, and pretty
dresses, and lots O friends, and feelin
strong an we'll"
And, tired with this outburst, Prue
fairly broke down, and began to cry.
But the storm was for Il moment only.
Presently she brushed away the tc1rs,
and went on with her work. Mabel,
in the meantime, escaped to her own
pretty, white-curtained chamber, the
wonder still in her blue eyes.
Nobody grows old so fast as woman
who does homework in an american
family" Where had she heard that
remsFkP All! she remembers now, the
minister's wife had said so, in ch al
with Aunt Helen, the other day.
When Mabel began to think of it,
Prudence Hayes was no older thar
Sister Ella or Cousin Kitty, but how
she was aging, her skin growing coarse
and red, her step losing its spring. hel
whole form settling down. as il the
daily drudgery were loading her with
chains.
Mabel ran up the narrow flight o
stairs that led to the attic. Prudence
slept up there. IL was clean and com
Portable, no doubt, but-that old shake
down on the floor, the broken wash
stand, the cracked basin, the absence
of single pretty ornament, struci
suddenly on Mabe's awakened heart
II was so bare, so repulsively plain, 81
much. now that our fourteen-year-olC
grille thought OF it like Prue's owl
life! why, | couldn't bear it, sh,
thought, penitenty.
..Mother," she said, little later
sitting on hassock at Mrs. Hillyer'
feet ..has our Prue nobody belongin,
20 her in the world Pr
$50 far as know, my dear, she ha
no one except sister, who is a help
less cripple in house for incurable
In Boston. Prue's father was killed il
a railroad accident when Prue and thi
other girl were mere babies, and Eu
nice, the sister. was Injured at tn
same time. The mother had died whe
E,nice was born. Prue has had a sa
history. The contrast between he