Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-11-26

She thought about II as she proceeded to
make preparations for observing the day
in a fashion that should meet Ned's ap-
proval She had followed father and
mother to their graves on a long past
Thanksgiving day; she had quarreled
with and parted from the only man she
had ever truly loved on that gala day of
the year; she had married James Gray,
when, the next year, the songs of thanks
giving and praise came from grateful
hearts. She dreaded each return of the
day, fearing lest it should bring her some
new sorrow She looked at the flushed
cheeks of her little boy with sharp
pain What if she were to lose her only
delight and JOY on her fateful day2 But
when he opened his eyes and declared
himself as hungry as a bear her fears
vanished
"l say, mamma he cried, ''let's be-
gin Thanksgiving tonight. Let's have
nice supper, pm so hungry Then let's
have some popcorn and"-he paused as if
trying to originate some new dissipation
-'lets make some candy You know,
mamma we haven't made any on the
new stove yet, and maybe we can't do
that. I'm so tired of not doing anything
nice-ain't your
Yes, dear I'm more tired than can
tell, and sudden tears dimmed her eyes
Don't cry; oh, don't cry, mamma!
Please don't. really think, added the
wise little fellow, that you need little
more fun-don't your
II think | do You are wiser than
you know, my dear"
"Then let's have some molasses candy"
Ruth laughed at the child's logic. She
needed FUN. therefore she needed mo-
lasses candy. Then she resolved that
the dear child who found his sunshine or
shade in her eyes should have his fun,
though memories heavy and dark We're
thronging upon her, So they made a
jolly supper The wonderful stove baked
the sweet potatoes to turn; they made
no demand upon it to which it did not
respond
Then the lamp shone with unusual
brilliance; mamma had brushed her
pretty hair till the little sunny rings lay
all around the fair, white forehead, and
she had, just to please Ned, put on the
pretty cardinal wrapper, and Ned de-
clared there wasn't prettier lady in the
land.
Then came the candy making and
corn popping Again the little stove
proved itself a success,
"How jolly it is, isn't it mammal"
cried the child.
"Very jolly, dear" said the brave lit
tie mother, remembering an evening ten
years agone, as gay as heart could wish,
followed by day the darkest she had
ever known She had never seen John
Sherman since the hour when she had
sent away from her the strong arm and
the strong, true heart.
But in spite of the heartache, she told
over and over the stories she had told a
thousand times before, and sang the lit
tie songs Ned liked to hear, until, as the
clock struck, she said "Do you know,
my dear, that it is o'clock, and | must
run down to Mrs. Green's with her
dress She couldn't keep Thanksgiving
without it; half her praises would be
left out if she could not sing them in
velvet gown.
$50 you just sit right here in this
chair. will not be gone more than
twenty minutes; you can stay alone
that little bit Of awhile, can't your
1t was brave little voice that an
swered "Of course can. I'll just think |
about the farm and the horses. | think |
I'll have gray horses, anyway"
Ruth threw Il long black cloak over
her bright gown. 1t covered up her
shabbiness, did this friendly wrap, when
and now it covered her unwonted gay
attire She had passion for color; rich /
warm hues thrilled her like music. She
said she felt like another woman when
dressed in the glowing, rich, warm
cardinal wrapper with its flowing folds |
Always when Ned wished some indul |
gence which she felt obliged to deny him,
he would say, 81 know you'd say yes,
mamma, if you mad on a pretty dress or
pretty ribbon at your throat"
AS she hastened down the street with |
her bundle, in the face of the keen No
vember wind she thought of all her
broken dreams, of the weary years
passed by the side of the man who made
every hour torture, of his wretched
life and more wretched DEATH of the
one who, somewhere in the world-in
world widely different from her own
lived forgetful of her
She Thought of the years to come
weary, lonely years she thought they
must be, yet she wanted to live them.
For the sake of the child she prayed to
live She prayed, too, that her trials
might not make her hard or bitter.
81 On the way home she stopped at the
grocer's and made various little addi-
tions to their prospective Thanksgiving
dinner. The fresh air invigorated and
exhlarated her. and by the time she
reached her own gate she raised CRATE
full eyes to the stars that shone so bright
ly above her They are always there"
she said reverently. "however dark it
seems God is good. His tender mer-
cies are over all his works, and what is
best for me be will not withhold"
She went up the walk saying softly to
herself that restful poem Of Burroughs;
The stars come nightly to the sky,
The dews fall on the thirsty lea;
Nor time nor space nor deep nor high,
Can keep my own away from me.
What matter II | stand aone7
wait with JOY the coming years;
My heart shall reap where it has sown.
And gat lered up the fruit of tears
The room looked very pleasant to her
as she opened the ioor-the bright light,
the brighter fire, and sweetest, fairest
sight of all. her boy curled up in the