New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-23

a.. ,o,,nleton CT the long over
land Journey, and whose cautious nannc, o ~
scending from the car ootemap was alfred in
H. ioose6 ttinp clothes and broad-brimmed ieit
hat of Yankee farmer. while the lau., IN S, ,,b
Of her whitening haiI anu oprrev lad The bright
air ard brisk manner Of New-Englhny housewife nc,
'i Tho old gentleman. planting himself upon me
platform and looking arJan IN every;hinr from
,hc mo,Icv essemblage about the depot 10 tne
Grand old hills where dsmantied 'ineyarus anu
orchords aternaed with nen d stretcbes 81 green
clusters of evergreen oak, ana s,recnes ~ sleen
,os,,,ro lie observed the songbirds that huttered
through bossoning shrubs IN ,ae a. one
station. and the air oainS WI" , sa chiji bree1o
of flowers, which seemed 10 moch 'he CHILL 'ieeA'
"ro think. Martha, he said impressiveiy, That
we should come 10 California at our .ig o. NE
donbtnd IT, before Birds and flowers and warm
SeatSer. though it's nigh December Do you
know, Joe, turning to the youns man Wa,h
fce's in the diabolical capabilities OF his own
climate we had fall OF snow down IN MAINE
that made the ground white, SIX wees ss1 1.-Two
- IN neace and comfort" returned Joe Lansing
h no RI No battles with wind and weather
here No suffering from cold or housing nd 9er up m TO
fort ont of doors pretty much every day in the
''"'Tb The only thing can't quite reconcile to my
al
tho idea of going to our children for Thanks.
giving It's quite a contradiction OF all the OLD
Puritan customs. , ;.;,,.a
Toe sturdily land time that the young should
do something TO make the day pleasan, ior tIe
old But here we are! he SAID cordiaily, STOP
ninr before a plain spring wagon. 10 which was
hprnessed patient gray horse, who pricked up
his ears at his masters approach.
Ii isn't much Of a conveyance. as you see,
but il lifts us up above the mud and dust. Now
fnr tho baggage Now father. Now, mother!
We mustn't waste any time in getting home to
Hetty.' -, ,.,, a..
bomey vehicle spun over the country road Ihcy
noted every shrub and tree and wild Hover
bossoming along the roadside, eNcialmihg az
the novel sights that met their eyes on every
hand, or silently drinking In the beauties OF tho
landscape, every line their witercd faces beam
ing with enjoyment of the scene and glad an an
ticipaton. Once the old farmer turned to MS
son-in-law with an apprehensivc look :,
you don't mean, Joe, that I'm TO sit down ana
fold my hands. It would cohle hard at my time
of life. You know I've always been worker
and TO be laid on the shelf now
by no means" the younger man assured MIN
You'll find any number of things to turn your
hand TO, and | shall want your service IN aiI
sorts of ways. AS for mother lie ad1'u,
expect nothing else but she and Hctty VIII quar-;
rel over their share Of the homework ana III
have 10 settle the difficulty BY getting emma
man to take the rough end of the work, as rye
threatened 10 all along. DO you know, ne sala
candidly. that Chnaman has been the only poin,
married lfel"
Il can imagine" said the old lady, with as
pe beayng her readiness 20 Sf wi OF f ,Sc
kitchen. while her husband chuckied at her de-
termined voice and manner. -,
"For the present." continued joe, still address
ing her. "f youIl just sit still and fold your
hands, you'll do, llctty a sight OF gooa nle
gets lonely and blue sometimcs-in fact, she needs
a woman about, She needs you. You Sec size
40" Joe was speaking seriously now. and his gaze
was directed straight between the horses ears,
but the mothers intuition supphea what nc @''
unsaid. I'll. -. .,.a.
Dear heart" she said, softly, while her eyes
filed with tears e,
II don't know rs I've been doing exactly right:
ice went on, "but yor know we agreed II "ouid
be better TO keep Hctty in the dark about your
coming. for fear something might go wrong anu
the little woman bc Gfevously disappointed. Az
the same time there were little preparations
10 he made and ! had to have her help about
them. so | actually led her on to believe that
I was going 10 take that young 3calawaS Ot a
brother of mine ard his vain little wir into our
home. Into home-naglne II. why, II |
shoud actually undertae to do saeh ,e c nmG
| would refuse to draw! concluded joe, WIN mo
| air of man who was taxing his Imagination IN
| the most eXtravagant manner. 49,
There was time to question TINS ~ uiar ara
seemingly rreverent statement, for ~ ,,,"t moment
! they came into full view of the liite cottage.
| standing on an elevated plateau at The base oil
| lofty hills. shouldercd by picturesque canon
which cleft the mountain range, presenting one
front TO quiet stream lined with tall forest trees
| ond another 10 the long stretch OF fertile valley
| extending as far as eye could reach. And
row. through the light foliage Of the pepper trees
The chimney itself could he seen, sending up q
! faint wreath of white smoke that curied ana
beckoned like a welcoming hand.
II don't 500 Iletty anywhere" said joe his
face momentarily clouding though don't know
as that is TO he expected considering the kind OIL
| company had led her TO expect"
| They did not wait 10 go around 10 the front
door. like formal guests but has'ened through tine
! OF singed poultry that was being dlliUHcd through
| the place through the snug dinine-room. wnere
the table was already laid with the finest cloth and
dantiest dinner service, with small jar OF flow
| ers in tie centre-the patient little womans con-
ceSson to the diSagreeable guests she had expected
| Joe ouencd the door that communicated with
the small parlor then stealthily mOtioned to his
| followers They noselessly entered the ROOM and
as they did so the fire blazcd up merr!y piercing
the gathering dusk with shafts of light, and fall
| ing fall upon the face Of the young wife. sleeping
| like a child, with her check pillowed upon her
| hand.
The sudden fash of light upon her face or the
| movement in the room aroused her. She started
| up. 10 meet the warming looks Of two old faces
| and to feel her mothers arms about her. while
Joe lowered like a sturdy patron saint behind
The first words that broke the silence very
Nv dear" said the good old dame, don't
smell sometime burning? Haven't you anything
% nv turkey" and the little wife made a
| rush for the kitchen, followed closely by the
| mother, while the two men surveyed the scene
| at respectful distance. -
| Bnt what matter if the turkey was a little
| scorched Was not the flesh sayory and tender
| And what matter if thc water bad boiled out OF
| the potatoes so long rs they acquired thereby
| only a crisp browning And what matter If the
| cream biscuits Ictty had planned were forgotten
in the talk and brstlo that ensued, when from
! tbe depths OF the great lunch basket evolved
! a genuine New-Fngland mince pie. such only
| a Maine housekce?er could ever have produced
and bowl OF ruby-colored cranberry sauce. which
| ts own perfection, whcr turned out upon pretty
| china Mate And what matter But who among
ms does not know that happiness and content
| make the poorest meal iit for king? And surely
happiness and content regned supreme in one little
| California home that night.
Yon may he sure that the corkscrew chimney
did it's part wher Joe appeared with sycamore
! backlog and an armful Of orange boughs and laid
them on the Goals Just the lest dish was washed
III al arar and tic little family AMIN ASSEM-