The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1891-11-26
A GLAD THANKSGIVING.

She was pretty woman. In fact she
mad just stopped short of being beauti
ful Looking at her in her shabby gown
and unbeautful surroundings one could
not help wondering how She would look
dressed rs handsomely HIS the woman
VINO lived across the way from her-the
woman who never succeeded in looking
any way but ordinary and common
place, in spite Of all the helpful acces
SORES of the toilet
She remembered; she could call up
very bright pictures of herself In the
days when pretty gowns and dalnt,
laces We're her portion.
Now she WAS onlya dressmaker. Only
| say, as If III these days of high art in
dress that We're not enough, hut, then
she had not grown up III it, and she lived
IN a country town, far from the cen,ers
of art and fashion
1t was only after her unhappy mar
riagc that she had taken IA stitch fo1
anybody Then being driven to do
something 10 provide bread and butter
for herself and her one child dear little
Ned, she turned to this. She had taste
Il good eye tor form and color, and what
the Yankees call faculty. She was reso
lutte and strong and patient, as well as
kindly and sweet OF temper, so with the
help of ladies books" and cut paper
patterns, and her own "knack" she sue
ceedcd in attaining II proficiency that
answered all the demands of the dwell
ers OF Kingsley
She had Just finished gown, and il
was to he sent home that uight-the
night before Thanksgiving The room
seemed more than usually disordered
and as she tied the package, which she
WAS to take home in the evening, il
seemed to her, so tired was she. as
though she never could bring order out
of the confusion. She felt sure tor Il
moment that She really could not make
any attempt at Thanksgiving
She had promised Ned that there should
at least be Il chicken pie. He did not in
sist upon turkey or oysters, but he hal
very decided opinions as to the quaitic>
of the chicken pies that his mother made
All this afternoon he had been teasing
her with childish, unthinking persistence
to leave the window where she sat and
come over to his window These two
windows We're in different ends of the
room and represented two different states
and conditions of being One looked
ont on ii little yard green with grass and
gay with Il climbing rose in summer
weather BY this window stood rock
ing chair and near by n table with big
photograph album. IA few books and IA
pretty shaded lamp There was well
worn but clean. cheerful looking ingram
carpet on this end of the long room, Il
comfortable lounge with number OF
Eayly covered pillows upon it, There
were Ncd's little chair. the bird cage
and two or three pictures-not very
choice ones, but they gave pleasure and
that is more than many choice ones do
There are fans tackled up against the wall
md stuffed owl on IA shelf, likewise a
set of swinging shelves also filled with
books Not much time had she for read
| iliS. blil ilI'It was flI b'A'i IllHulf lIpN
and then, and Ruth Gray was a woman
who made use of the odd minutes.
The other end Of the room. and the one
wherein Ruth spent most of her time
was the business end. Here We're the
sewing machine the kitchen table, the
few common chairs, the rag carpet and
the wonderful brand new coal stove
that was both parlor and cooking stove
In one-a recent acquisition and one they
had not yet ceased admiring. 1t would
do most remarkable things in the way OF
cooking, 1t possessed hidden and mar
velous resources. and above its adapta
ton to the needs of housekeeping it had
most dignificd and at the same TIM
cheerful exterior. 1t was great de-
light So one end of the humble room
meant work steady. hard. nerve tryin-
work. the other meant rest and relaXa
ton, or. rs Ned said, "a good time" Ne
wonder that he liked to get his mother
over the line that divided these two sec
hons
On this special day he had been par
'icularly "trvlng. He seemed to de
NelDp "A new ana Alarming ldNIIlN III u''
ylslng cunning nschlefs but he had
finally exhausted himself When Ruth
turned from one kind of work to begin
the process Of picking up and arranging
the fragment strewn room, she tonnd
fine restless little fellow curled up IN
little heap on the braided rug before the
stove, where. with the long suffering
kitty in a close embrace he had fallen
asleep. Tenderly she raised HIM and
kissed the rosy cheek and sunny, curly
hair Yes, she had something to Civ
thanks for Out of her sea of sorrow
she had saved this pearl
She didn't like holidays, and above ali
she had an uncouquerable aversion L.
Thanksgiving day Not from ingratl
indie for She was II devout and thankful
woman: hut hprause the chief sorrow
OF her life had happened-it anything
ever really happens-on the day SGT
apart by the authority of the land for
good cheer and gratitude
She thought about 1t Us she proceeded to
make preparations for observing the day
in fashion that should meet Ned's ap-