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

thrust in her nands, no small boy was
there with disagreeable errand on his
lips, Instead, tall man, bronzed and
bearded, stood without.
Come in, )" she said, in reply to his in
quiry if Mrs. Gray lived there
In he stepped, tall, strong and broad
shouldered; the room seemed smaller for
his entrance. Even Ruth, who was a
tall woman, looked slight and girlish
beside him. How lovely she looked as
she stood waiting, wondering. The
fresh wind had brought beautiful color
to her cheeks and blown the rings of
sunny hair into charming disarray
around her forehead. The bright light
shone on the warm hued dress, and the
man who stood gazing at her thought
that for many year he had not seen so
fair sight. 1t was only moment, but
thought is not measured by time. In
that instant's space they both went back
to that night just ten years past-the
saddest they had ever known, for it held
the secret of all the pain the after years
brought
"You know me, Ruth?" he said, hold
ing out his hands to her. "Surely you
have not forgotten"
mot for a moment have forgotten, "
she said, and then little Ned, who had
been looking on in silent wonder, seemed
to feel that the occasion demanded his
attention.
Stop" he cried, "you shan't kiss my
mammal You shant, say. You bad
manw
1t took some coaxing on the part Of
the tall stranger to appease the child's
wrath, and not till his mamma told him
that she was not the least angry with
the bad man did his anger abate.
But it was not long before he sat on
the strangers knees. and told him con-
fidentially that his mother was the
incest, sweetest, prettiest woman in the
world. When the stranger agreed to
this he further confded his plans for tho
future, stating his uncertainty in regard
to the black and gray horses.
He also, in the excess of his conf
dence, told him they were to have
chicken pie for dinner the next day.
After which piece of information he was
carried off to his dreams.
Opening his sleepy eyes for his good
night kiss. he murmured, Tomorrow
will be Thanksgiving day sure, won't it,
mammaT
Eyes, darling; tomorrow will be
Thanksgiving day sure" she said.
Then those two so long parted sat by
the fire, and above their mutual forgive
ness and sorrow for the past planned a
future that should hold in it something
of the joy and sweet content they had
missed
'Tsn't it too late, John?" she asked. II
have had so much sorrow. am so diff
ferent from the gay girl you loved ten
years ago. My eyes have shed so many
tears and there have been so many hurts
in my heart. Why, see," she said, "there
are gray hairs here" and she bowed her
pretty head before his eyes.
For answer, he kissed the bright hair,
saying: "You are different from the
girl who sent me away ten years ago,
but you are changed only in being
sweeter and tenderer and more lovely.
You shall shed no more tears if can
help it, and the hurts in your heart
love shall heal. We are going to be
happier than the day is long, my dar-
ling"
81 am SO glad" she said, "that l am
going to have one glad Thanksgiving
day. They have always been such sad
days to me, We will begin to sing our
songs of joy and gratitude tonight,
John"
"Yes, and we will sing them the glad
year round. won't we dearp" he asked.
Eyes, the glad year roundp said she,
-Carlotta Perry in New Orleans Times
Democrat.