Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-11-26

good cheer and gratitude
She thbught about II as she proceeded IL
make preparations for observing the day.
in a fashion that shonld meet Ned's ap-
| proYal. 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 thai gala day Of
the year. she mad married James Gray
when. the next year. the songs of thanks
irving 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 a sharl,
pam What II she were to lose her only
delight and JOY on her fateful day. Bni
when he opened his eyes and declared
himself as hungry as bear her fears
vanished
Il say mamma. be cried. ''let's be-
gin Thanksgiving tonight Let's have Il
nice supper I'm so hungry Then let $
have some popcorn ant" he paused as +
trying to originate some new dissipation
-''let's make some candy You know
mamma. we haven't made any on the
new stove yet. and maybe we can't d.
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. mammal
Please don't really think" added the
wise little fellow that you need little
more fun-dont your
Il think do You are wiser than
you know, my dear
Then let's have some nolasses 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 OF
shade in her eyes should have his fun.
though memories heavy and dark were
thronging upon her. So they made a
jolly supper. The wonderful stove baked
the sweet potatoes to a 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 mamnay
cried the child
Very jolly. dear" said the brave lit
tie mother. remembering an evening ten
years agone, Ms gay as heart could wish.
followed by a day the darkest she had
ever known She had never seen John
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
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.
80 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 long black cloak over
her bright gown. 1t covered up her
shabbiness. did this friendly wrap. when
from her work she had to run to market.
and now it covered her unwonted gay
attire. She had a 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. Il know you'd say yes,
mamma, il you had on pretty dress or
q pretty ribbon at your throat"
As she FASTENED 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 a torture. Of his wretched
life and more wretched death, Of the
one who. somewhere in the world-in a
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.
On the way home she stopped at the
grocers and made various little addi-
tons to their prospective Thanksgiving |
dinner The fresh air invigorated and
exhilarated her. and by the time she
reached her own gate she raised CRATE
full eyes to the stars that shone so bright
Iy above her. They are always there,