Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-11-29


dresser and started for the cellar saying:
esther, hold the light for me; want
some of them tall apples; they won't
keep long"
By the time share of the fruit had
disappeared Lucy had regained her
good spirits, and, with new courage, ex
claimed: "Uncle Jerry, can't we have
Thanksgiving this year? I'd like to-.
Nonsense, child. What would it
amount TOP"
'FWhy, we'd have jolly time. We
always did at home
eyes; big dinner one day and the
doctor the next"
'1tnever made me sick-never in the
world"
"But what's the good, anyhow ?"
Mamma thinks it's good, and she's
always right Just last year papa
thought we'd better not have a dinner,
for mamma wasn't strong, and we were
so Disappointed was, anyWay-and
mamma putt her arm round me and
said: Wen all help and do the best
we can, for we mustn't miss keeping
holiday. When my boys and girls have
left home and gone out into the world,
/ want them to have the remembrance
of happy childhood and pleasant
home to help them over the hard
places they will find. 1t will make
them better men and women, I'm sure;
SO order the turkey, papa | remem-
Der it ALL Uncle Jerry, cause thought
trembled so, and | believe | should
have cried myself if she hadn't said
turkey. ,"
"She never had many good times to
remember" said Uncle Jerry, thinking
of their hard, orphaned life.
perhaps that is why she wanted her
children to be always happy" suggested
Aunt Esther.
eyes, she said SO once" continued
Lucy, picking apple seeds out of core;
"and | think, Uncle Jerry, if you had
some little boys and girls, you'd feel
different about it. But Pm your little
girl this year; won't you do it for me %
She was almost frightened as she looked
up and met his stern, white face.
at is your bedtime now, Lucy" in
over till morning" And Lucy was
glad to retire to the adjoining room,
wondering what she "could have said to
make Uncle Jerry look $3.50 dread
full -
An hour later Jerry Winters broke
the silence, which was already becom-
ing oppressive.
II suppose we must do something or
the child will be homeslck."
eyes" answered his wife
''Don't see how [ can stop chopin a
day, with that contract on my hands,
and Jake and Steve have both begged off
no such days. I suppose nothing
child"
"No; but we can we'll afford it. Who
is going to have our money after we are
gone? We may as we'll make the child
happy and have good time once in our
lives"
''She might be happy anyhow 1t
seems waste to me, | must confess"
"Well, Jerry, we never wasted very
much that way and it strikes me that if
we had had more holidays and had made
the cold farm house more congenial
to young, lively spirit, we would
have had our son with us in our old
age"
"Esther!"
~ know we haven't mentioned him
for years, Jeremiah but, for all that,
neither of us has lived day without
thinking of him."
"Well, | did my duty by him, if ever
father did by his child"
1--WE did what we thought was for his
best good; but | fear we made some
mistakes"
"He was wild as a young colt; nothing
could tame him - The father spoke
impatientlv and scowled hard, lest his
face might show the love and longing in
his heart.
Gle was full of life and fiery, too;
and, instead of guiding him gently in
traces which could not gall, we bound
l.; %i-rl>4I 4Io4 H>
the letters and disappeared. We want
ed him to be old and steady, and his
young spirit could not be subdued. |
see it all now. There were no COM
panions for him, and nothing about the
old farm worth staying for"
No answer but a smothered groan.
There, Jerry, | amt blaming you
more than | do myself. We were
wrong, and the boy was wrong, too. If
we only knew where to find him, we
might make it all right before we die.
I'll warrant he has lOnged to return, but
pride and fear have kept him back. He
can't know how much we loved him, for
we never told him -
"Oh, Esther !"
"Well, father, I won't say any more
All these thoughts have been crowded
down in my heart so long that l had to
speak, and | think it'll do us good after
all"
She drew nearer and laid her head on
his shoulder, while tears rolled down
her wrinkled cheeks; and thus they sat
far into the night
The next day, among the families of
the neighboring tarmhouses, there was
but one topic of conversation: The in
vitation to spend Thanksgiving with
Jeremiah Winters.
The eventful day came at last Lucy
with a dozen bows and oirls made the