The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-11-28

whose crop he had gathered for many
successive years In company with She
boys % the neighborhoot. There also
were hickory and butternu:s and they
recalled the days Of autumn and the
nntting frolics with the gay CON-
panions OF his childhood. and tho long
evenings around the hearthstonc. eat
ing apples and cracking nuts, while the
circle that sat in tho light Of the big
wood fire sometimes widencd until all
the older brothers and sisters and their
little ones sat with them. and again
Mario wed down to three--thc dear old
mother with her knitting on one side.
and the father with his newspaper on
the other, and he himself, little hoy
o. low stool between them. eating
nuts and looking into the burning en-
bcrs. and dreaming Of the days when
he should be grown up, and should
leave that hearthstone 70 seek his fort
une in the wide world beyond.
For the last time he reached down
into this wonderful box and brought
were several OF each variety that grew
on the place, and, yellow and green and
red. fragrant and lovely. they brought
the smile OF spring. the sweet breath
81 summer and the vigorous life Of
autumn in their golden hearts With
them came the vision OF the old orchard
in tho spsing- time. with its wealth Of
pink md white blossoms showering the
green grass beneath the trees with
fairy snow; green and cool and shady.
bright with golden promises OF coming
| pleasure through the hot summer days;
and then in autumn, when every tree
became as gay as Christmas tree,
deckcd in bright-colored balls that
danced in the wind and sunshine and
were gathered in with shout and
laughter and stored away ~ help make
merry the long winter evenings around
| the fircside.
/. The moments went by UNDECIDED.
| while the young man sat and gazed
| upon the table heaped high with the
4 tokens OF his mothers love and thought
1 fulness and toll. His dark eyes were
soft and dcwy, as he unused long and
deeply. The spicy doors filed the
room with incense, that like magic
vapor formed itself into images and
visions Of his childhood days He saw
the long, low-roofed farm house, nestled
among the hills, the broad meadows and
fields surrounding ii. and the shining
river that flowed near the little red
school-house. where he first went to
school; and memories came OF a thous-
and incidents and scenes OF childhood
and boyhood memories OF his child com
panions and friends. Of his brothers and
sisters, OF himself the youngest child in
large family. with the older ones set
tied in their own homes AS he unused
he saw the child John. now following
his father as he went about the daily
work on the farm, and now helping the
mother with her household task. his
little hands always ready. his little
feet never tired. He thought OF the
happy family gatherings at the old
homestead. and the great family festi.
val OF the year-Thanksgiving day.
Many. many times his little hands had
seeded the raisins and chopped the cit
ron and peeled the apples for the mincs
pies, and his child eyes watched with
unceasing interest the mixing and
baking OF the various triumphs OF cult
nary skill that adorned the dinner-table
on that happy day.
Swcctcr and dearcr grew the thoughts
and memories Of home. until, like the
pure. fresh air OF his native hills. they
drove away the encravating effects Of
the atmosphere in which he had been
| 1;viv.< fnr ". x.or-.1 xx,eutho x.aut Ia n. 4,
then clearly the dangers OF the course
he had been pursuing. the weakness
and folly of which be had been guilty
John Williams had not gone very fal
on the broad and pleasant road or sin
but for the last six months circum
F.! stances had thrown him with set OF
| CAV young fellows. and he had beer
drifting with the tide. During the six
years he had lived in the great metro
polls he had not met with many tempta
| tons that appealed to him, but with
steady promotion and increase Of
salary had come intimacy with the sons
81 his employers and acquaintance with
| their friends. He had naturally taste
and admiration for the refined pleas
ures that lie in the power OF those who
I have wealth and leisure. and was able
| q crafty his intellectual and social
| tastes with his new set OF friends. but.
fascinated and dazzlcd by their ways
and doings. he became impatient with
his lot. lie despiscd things that used
TO content him. =. 4 strovc to find means
to add to his salary. and in his feverish
thirst for greater nin, and in companions
| ship OF his new friends he had crowded
down. down into very small corner Of
| his heart the duty and affection that
were due to the OIL folks At home.
Stronger and clearer grew the visions
Of home. until in fancy he could see the
| old home as IL would be on the morrow;
could see the dinncr-table with its load
Of good things. surrounded by the fam
| lily and friends, and could hear ons
another ask in surprise: "Why, where's
.Iohn?" lie could see the tear trem.
bling In his mothers eye as she
answered: Tile was too busy to come
home this year"
Too busy 70 90 home for Thanksgiv-
ingg' What evil spirit, what foul fiend
had prompted him TO pen that message
to gricvc the dear old fathers heart end
bring . tear to those patient loving