The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-01-20
MARGARETS MISTAKE.

! In Michigan, knew MISS Matllda Num-
ford, who kept small but prosperous
music store, and wore narrow blue rib
bon tied about her snow white hair.
Small boys liked TO tease her by tapping
on the glass windows OF her store, and
swapping the latch of the door, but down
| in their hearts all the little urchins were
| very fond of Miss Mumford.
In Michigan Thanksgiving never seems
| Just right unless there is snow on the
| ground. And as Miss Mumford opened the
store:door on the Goth OF November some
| years age, she gave quite a sigh of satisfac-
tion as she saw that everything was white
with the snow, that was still falling
steadily.
A few cutters were already out, for all IL
was very early, and the bells on the horses
were jingling merrily; the snow plow
went by, too, as she stood by the glass
door looking out, and the old man who
guided ii looked in at her with friendly
nod and smile.
Miss Mumford hustled back to her living
rooms, and here in the tiny kitchen the
kettle was singing noisiiy on the small
stove, and the wood fire was cracking
gayly, while in an adjoining room that
served as her parlor a small coal stove sent
forth a genial red glow that, mingled with
the gray OF the early morning, spread q
softening light over the simple but, pref
tily-furnished room.
Miss Mumford glanced around some-
what proudly, 1t must be confessed, her
gaze resting lovingly on each individual
chair and table and tiny couch. She had
accumulated It all piece by piece herself,
and had paid for the little store, and now
at forty-five was a maiden lady of means.
Above a table standi-g at one side OF the
room hung a picture OF a man that had
evidently been enlarged by some crayon
artist from a smnll, old fashioned photo
graph. Miss Mumford crossed slowly in
front of this picture, and stood with
folded hands gazing up into the frank
eyes that looked smilingly down upon
her.
"Dear, old mother" she murmured, "if
you had only livcd!"
At this moment Miss Mumford's
thoughts were interrupted by the open
ing OF the store door. Then quick step
came across the length Of the store, and
CHEEKY voice cried
"a pleasant Thanksgiving to you, Miss
Mumford."
1t was the little clerk who spoke, and as
she uttered the words of greeting she
from the coal stove.
81 am glad to see you, Margaret" said
the maiden lady, gently; "you are well
and left all well at home, / hope?"
"Oh, very" cried Margaret, in her
pleasant voice; "and they sent many good
wishes to you, and hope you may be
blessed with especial good fortune this
day"
"They are very kind, j." said Miss Num-
ford, "but, child, where are your over
shoes? Surely you did not come out with
out them in this snow?"
"Oh, mol" said Margaret, but slipped
them off at the other end of the store, they
were so caked with snow. will run and
get them and put them by the kitchen fire
to dry" All of which she did with little
or no loss Of time. Then she helped set
employer sat down together to eat.
81 never told you about my brother,
did II" asked Miss Mumford suddenly.
"No, ma'am," replied Margaret; and
she might truthfully have added: "Nor
about any of your family" But she did
not. She waited a few minutes, wonder
ing what Miss Mumford would say next,
but the little body sat perfectly silent,
ately, and apparently quite forgetful of
her little clerk. But not so Margaret.
"Does your brother, that you spoke OF
just now," she began timidly, when Miss
Mumford interrupted her somewhat
sharply.
"He died long ago-or, at least, l think
he did. He went to sea, and the ship he
sailed on was never heard Of and that was
many years ago."
The good little lady paused and wiped
her eyes. "Jack was such good brother"
she said, "and it was on Thanksgiving
day he sailed, too. All, remember it very
well!"
con Thanksgiving day!" exclaimed the
little clerk. To her Thanksgiving, Christ
mas, and New Years were sacred to
home.
ellis ship was ordered away. He had
to co." said the older woman, gently.
" He obeyed orders, and he never came
back. But" cheerily, Z" it is no use to
Let us talk OF other things. You will
have half holiday to-day, and quite a
gay time, presume"
" Yes" said Margaret, "a lot o. cousins
are coming to dinner and we are all go
ihS W thc W see MuSR y |
landing And what will you do, Miss
Mumford?"
Il? Oh, will 20 to the hospital, and |
take some good things to eat, and some
flowers" said she. 81 always go there on |
it seems then as II kind
Of remembered him more"
Z" hear that there is very sick man at |
he Bragg Hospital" said Margaret. +" My |
brother works up there sometimes, and he
was telling us about this one last night. |
And come to think OF it," cried Margaret,
and then she paused suddenly.
"What is it?" asked Miss Mumford,
kindly.
"Why," said Margaret, Crank said
his man was a sailor, and that he was
very sick indeed, and kept calling for some
Guinea hens he used to have"
"That was at the old farm, Margaret"
,he cried. "He and had half dozen all
our own. 1t must be Jsck-oh, it must be
Iackl"
Poor Margaret was quite frightened, for