The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-11-29
\ THANKSGIVING
PROCLAMATION

1t happened q lOnS tlme ago. Once
in a great while some one OF the Oldest
inhabitants. in exploring the chambers
of his memory, brings it from some
hidden corner-dusty. Q with
cobwebs. and gray with age brushes
it up, and tries to estOre its old-tlme
vividness to CRAFTY the curiosity OF an
indispensable grandchild who wants to
hear a story" 1t happened away back
in the East.
The tall. digniied man with iron
gray hair aud beard, with clothes OF
irreproachable cut, and a general air
of culture and self-possession about
him. who sat looking somewhat YEARLY
out OF the car window. was travelling
on an Eastern railway. He had been
"out West"-merely on a visit.
1t was a raw. chilly day in Novem-
Der. and the sky was overcast with
clouds. However much one may re-
we're Emerson, Bunker Hill Monument.
the Charter oak, the old mill at New
port, and the memory OF the Pilgrim
Fathers. there is seldom anything at
tractive in a New England landscape
in November. and it i, no wonder the
sun himself often gets tired Of look
inc at it. puts a veil of clouds over his
face, and hastens on TO the golden
West.
The elderly. dignifed traveller soon
wearied If the bleak landscape flying
past. He took 4 PAPER from mis- pock-
ct. opened it, and began to read.
There was an article on the editorial
page, written in the editors ablest and
most pessimistic vein. that attracted
his attention The country-so the
editor said-was going to the dogs.
Crops had Eeen a failure. The national
finances We're at a low ebb. The State
was misgoverned. 1t had beer q year
of failure, and the editor could see no
ray of hope ahead.
1t was small satisfaction to the tray
eler to note that the paper was nearly
a week old. If things were so desper-
ate as they appeared to be they surely
could not have improved much in n
week. He laid the paper on his knee,
took from his pocket o memorandum
book, wrote rapidly in it for some
minutes, bordering awhile, looked
over what he had written, added a lew
words. replaced the book in his pock-
ct, and bowed his head in reverie.
"Travelin fur, mister::"
The voice that disturbed him was
that Of q lank individual on the seat
in front.
81 am on my way to the State capt.
tai he replied ~cOurteously.
Q business. mebby:' haZarded the
inluisitive mau.
The elderly traveller did not reply.
He had la sed into reverie again.
Anything p'tickler on your mind?"
why. sir. INT an amused SIN lie lit
up for Il moment the serious. preoccu-
pied face of the gray-haired man. II
ave been wondering if there is really
anything to be thankful for this
year"
Anything to he thankful fur, Lard
q goodness. American. amt yc?"
YES
In good health:"
"Falrly."
Alive, anyhow. amt ye?"
81 nQuestionably. But look ct this
artic e an ( he handed him the paper
he had been reading.
a-as, said the other. as be slowly
ran his eye down the co,umn Il saw
that day fore yistcdy. 1t don't amount
TO nuthin.'
1T is n Of the ablest pa@crs pub
lished in the State"
Vas"
And il published at the capital"
That don I Gu. no iigger. Its an
oppo ition sheet. Why. look h'yer..
Blieyc in God, Il mt ye."
YES" reyerently replied the elder
~ traveller.
An tee promise that all things
shall wcrk together fur good to his
children
"Yc-."
What might be yer namc?"
Ny name 5 Hcndri 5hson."
why, you're -"
Crash.
Without q moments warning the
train in rounding curve had dashed
ITO wild" lreight-train coming from
the opposite direction.
The visible effects cf a railway dis
aster were not disposed of as quickly
hen As now, but the accident had hap
pened within a few miles Of the cap