The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-11-30

meet. Stay. Call your people up from the
valley and guard your house" He was
gone
Then came anxious days. The letter
said the daughter so lOngpd for the mother
that her husband had uuwilliugly assentcd
to the journey overland; had. with sailor
ingenuity prepared a sledge with "a high
archcd cover of sgilcloth in which she
could either sit up or lie Upnl % mattress.
'It is a house that moves, wrote the AL
miring wife. -Four sailors, armed with
guns and pistols, NvCrr To 60 Hs escort and
to take back the horses. We start, sweet
mother. before this vtn reach yuu, but do
not expect our coming lor five or per-
chance six days thereafter
A week passed. No news some one of
the household remained constantly on
watch that there might not be a moments
delay in the opening Of the gates,
Another week began, dragged slowly to
its close, and then Il passing Indian, sullen,
but not actively hostile, told the watchers
that although the great rising had not
taken place, yet wandering bands had slain
many whites. Farmhouses had been
burned, and every paleface taken had been
killed without pity.
1t was now November. Day after day
went by. The wretched mother scarce dare
look into her husbands face for fear of see
ing there what would confirm her own de-
spuir.
Another week, another and then another
passed. The daily routine of the house
went on, but in solemn silence. And now
| the morrow was the day proclaimed in
which to keep the annual feast of Thanks
giving. Some word was spoken of it.
MARTHA said her husband, "let any
thing you would have set forth on that day
be prepared. The Lord gave; perchance in
his all wisdom our finite natures cannot
understand He has taken away. Shall we
not still say, Blessed be the name of the
| LordY"
Thanksgiving day dawned bright, but it
| dawned upon house of mourning. The
effort to prepare the usually joyous feast
made the gloom still deeper from the mem
ores it brought.
1t was almost on the stroke of noon-the
| dinner hour in those days-and husband
and wife, having, as was their custom, care
fully dressed for the occasion, came into the
| "living room, - which was also the one in
which they ate.
| They had been so long watching that, al
though hope was well nigh dead both
walked to the window from whence could
be seen the road by which the Joy of their
hearts should have vecome-should have come
| long weeks before.
The mothers eyes were dim with unshed
tears, but not so blinded that certain NOV
ing spots could not be seen upon the gilt
tering snow She turned to her husband
His keener vision, trained by long expert
ence in the chase, had already distinguished
the horses and the sledges looked for &c
long in vain.
| "Marthap he cried, Martial 1t is shep
| Useless to tell of the meeting The trav
elers had been met by the Indian, who had
guided them TO the log huts of some trap
pers. There they had sustained a thre,
weeks siege, and in all had remained more
than a month.
Suffice it to say that the sailors were
all invited to the feast, and that the din
ner, prepared in sorrow, was eaten in joy
The wild turkey, a young gobbler, but
giant for his age, was stuffed with chest
nuts. There was a saddle of venison serve(
on pewter plates made Kissing hot. Their
were quail, there were pies Of mincemea
and OF the golden pumpkin, there was gooC
| Madeira, and-crOwn Of the feast and sauc
for all meats-there were happy hearts il
which love reigned supreme.
Soon the mother asked to be pardone,
for leaving and drew her daughter to he
room. There, before the clock struck l
again, there came into the world a MAJ
child-the first Marsdon born in this oil
home in the wilderness.
His mother wished to call it after he
father. He smiled and said: mo, Pris
ella. 1t is too great weight to carr
. through life to be named Hezekiah." The
the family name was suggested. That wa
deemed too long and was shortened t
Wetheld, by which the boy was afterWar
baptized.
"Why, that is my fathers name" el
claimed one of the pretty cousins. Il a
2 ways thought it Anglo-Saxon
1T has, replied our host, been a con
, mon name in the family ever since thi
Thanksgiving day 200 years ago. And mo-
, we will go i'm and have coffee '-St. Lou
% | GlOhe-DeWlcrar.