The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-12-02
P0LEY,6 THANKSGIVING.

Germany, what did mother mean
by sayingyou would live with Abel
Barker ifgrandpa dies?"
The questioner was fair-haired
little girl and the question was asked
in q whisper, lest it disturb the thin
old man resting in the old-fashioned
bed in the corner. There Was no time
for a reply to the question for the
sharp voice~of the little girls mother
was at that moment heard demanding
her immediate attention.
The little girl cast frightened look
at she sick man, and tiptoed out of
the room, but not before her fears
had been realized, for as she closed the
door, she heard his squeaky voice call,
"Polly1 PollyW
"Well, Jedidiah?,' replied the old
lady, as she came quickly to his bed
side.
"Polly, why are We alters canterin'
off soon as / close my eyes. wan
asleep; no man could sleep with Lu-
cinda alters and forever yellin' at the
young Ones" he said tretfully.
"Polly?" he queried in softer tones.
"Well, jedi"
II hev been thinkin' what pretty
girl We wuz when married We twenty
years ago."
"Sho, Jed, wuz forty the month
we were married"
$50 We wuz, an We didn't look twen-
ty, an ye had raised yer brothers an
sisters to be men an women an then
We came and raised my children. Ye've
raised two families Polly, an nary
child Of your own tew keer fur We
when Pm gone. Now if Doug were
here"-and here the old man lowered
his voice to whisper-'Twan't my
fault Doug left home. Twas Levi
that drew him off. Levifurn;shed the
liquor that made him drunk. l aim t
'blamin' him fur that, fur the boys
wouldn't like to raise the new barn
'thout liquor, but he needn't been so
hard on the boy afterwards.
"Do We remember when l brought ye
home here how little Doug was the
only one to greet We? The rest of the
young qns was put out at hevin' a
stepmother. They all learned to love
you but Levi. Manda an Jim is up
there" continued the old man point
ing heavenward. "an' the only one
that keers fur you is gone when I CO."
II hate tew hev ye worrin' about
me-" said the old wife. II hev my
God, my brother Abel, an my good
neighbors. can live with Abel if I
amt comfortable here"
"Abel is getting near and I'm afraid
he wouldn't want ye," said the old
man bluntly.
"Jedidiah, when mother died she
left Abel in my arms, a baby. I rails
ed him to manhood and went with
him to the new home he made for him
self, and helped him pay off the mort
gage on that home. 'Taint likely he
wouldn't hev welcome fur the old
sister that mothered him."
Old Jedidiah's eyes closed YEARLY
Aunt Polly, as all her neighbors called
her, took up her knitting, but how
could she knit for one who it was evil
dent would never require the fruit Of
her labors? Shelet the unfinished sock
drop in her lap, and sat thinking of
the absent Doug, until the shrill voice
OF Lewis wife again aroused the gid
mad - :. -
"Polly," said he, II want ys TO ask
Squire Lamson and Abel's folks here
to Thanksgivin'. l sorter feel as if
Doug would come. It's FIVE wears
since Doug ate one of your Thanksgiv-
in dinners, an I want We tew hev tur-
key an billed victuals an mince pies.
Ye'd better fry 4Qughnqts. Doug was
a master hand for doughnuts.
&c. "Do you think 80 MUCH comply
will be good fur ye, Jed? Lucinda
thought it would work ys harm. II
eff I kin stand her clack, 1 kin stand
company, az beside, 1 am going to
make my will so you and Doug will
get your share"
cit is only week to Thanksgivin' !,
but will send them word to come, e"
said Polly.
Il
It is Thanksgiving morn at the 'old
red. farm hossss, but there is no sound
| 81 merrin1snt within. The village doc.
tor ha been a guest since midnight
He has exhausted his arts as q
physician and appealed to the great
physician for balm for the widows
heart, for the end is near. And Pol
ly's eyes are red with weeping and
Lucinda's harsh voice is hushed AZ
she moves quietly about making sac
preparations. She has removed tn,
big lowered valance from the ole
mans bed, and curtained it with {
pure white one. She has pressed thu
folds from tho fine sheets that hav
not been used since Manda and jim
died. The Squire came too late. TIL
old man has been unconscious sine
midnight, but now he calls feebly TO
Polly.
"Polly," he whispers, "I'm goin' t,
, Thanksgivin' up there. Tell Doug
The remainder of his speech was inau
dible The eyes closed asst asleep, an
old Jedidiah Wadlock was at rest.
Levi attended to the funeral prepa1