The Dickinson press., 1894-12-01
JOHNS

JOHNS FORTUNE.
A Story for Thanksgiving.
You may run and invite Willie Dean
and his mother to eat dinner
with us If you like" said the widow
Blythe, as she closed the oven doors
of the tiny stove and began searching
In deep trunk for her g~randmother's
homemade table-cloth. 20, thank you,
mother" exclaimed Johnny Blythe.
Il was feeling awfully piggish at the
idea Of eating such Il nice dinner
all by ourselves" and Selling his hat
he cleared the steep stairway, three
steps ut a time, and bounding out upon
the narrow, ill-smelling street in the
gray of the November afternoon, he
came e running over a little old
man In a tall hat, who stood on the
curb-stone gazing steadily up at their
windows. Il beg your pardon, sir;
please excus me, sir!" he cried. II
was In such q hurry You see; my moth
er sent me to bid guests to her Thanks
giving dinner, and it Is already late"
Hurrying along the little lad dove into
a stairway q few rods further down.
Presently he returned very much out
of breath, and once more raj against
the very same little old man. 20,
dear SIR" he cried, with undiminished
good-humor, do please pardon me.
I fear I came near doing you n mis-
chief. I found them gone, and I was
hurrying SO as to tell mother, aud see
Il there is any one else whom we might
invite. We know so very few people
In the city, you see, sir"
Its late to send out invitations"
said the old man in a high pitched
voice, and Johnny replied courteously;
1T Is, indeed, sir; but the chickens and
axins never reached us until quite
noon to-day. We lad no idea Of having
a Thanksgiving, and queer enough it
seemed; but just as soon as Auntie
Rays box came, and We had slipped
I began to cast about in minds to
e who we could invite. Are YOU in
vited anywhere, siry'-"Iw echoed the
little man; II invited to Thanksgiving!
Who ever thought of such O thing?"
"Why. sir, l did," smiled Johnny. You
look kind."-"I look kind!' repeated the
little, old man. "Who said so!'-"Nhy
I did, sir" laughed Johnny. "Nvill you
come with me? 1t is Just up here. The
sctairs are all funny, and the last
fight is narrow and crooked. We live
clear at the top. Just this way, please"
Eyes, yes; I KNOW" replied the old man
ENORMOUSLY. "As If I didn't know!
There, there. 60 ahead, boy. I shall get
along all right" II have brought some
one," said Johnny, opening the door
Of the living room. Not the ones you
sent for: they We're invited to eat din
ner at the school, where Willie goes;
so the woman in the next room said.
This gentleman seemed glad to come.
I was twice near running yer him,
and I owed him some acknowledge
ment."
II am glad to welcome you, SIR" said
the pleasant faced little woman, in her
plain, neat, black gown and white
apron, with soft brown hair brushed
smoothly each side her winsome face.
I'VE are New England people, sir, and
we could not make it seem right to
eat our Thanksgiving dinner alone.
We have not been here long, and we
hardly know any one; it seems SO
strange and this city life is so different
what we supposed. We had good
neighbors at home, and they sent us
our dinner: and kind it was of them,
for they did not approve Of our coming
here at all. But l wanted to give my
boy O better chance at schooling than
he could have there. He wanted to be
an architect; he had a natural bent
that way. You ought to see the plans
he has made for reconstructing this
queer old house." ."I.et me see them,'
said the man, and Johnny brought out
q large sheet Of brown paper. and
spread it on the floor. This is the house
as it is now" he said: these two
rooms are ours" "A queer place to
put a woman born and bred in a roomy
Connecticut farm house." put in Mrs
Blythe; but it don't do for me to talk
it over much"
"No. it don't do to talk over MUCH
be good enough for the hest. and these
room. No wonder the baniStcrS are
thin; we young kids have slid down
them times enough" HE is out OF
has head a little. I fancy" whlsperet
Johnny 10 his mother. and to the CUES
he said: will you not sit in this chair
sir? 1t is more comfortable, you Loo
tired. NO. no; I'm not tired. 1t Is tn
lay, tho day; and the street, Bon
rect; yes. Bend street! Who woul
',elieve 1t? Are you not afraid this rick
aty house will fall down about you
ears, madamy'-"O. no the found:
tons are sound, l am told. 1t was bull
II the old days. when-"-"Yes, In til
d IL days. the old days." interrupted til
old mar. THANK you madam, / al
clad to be seated ut the table. ! hay
been out longer than L intended.
fancy I am faint from long fasting.
doubt il I have brcakfasted. These a
ntversary days are lard days-har
hard days. 1 remember how we your
kids used sometimes to Laye lunch I
here when there was a party dow
stairs, but they are all gone, all gone
Yes tile brain Ia turned" whispert
the woman In an aside to her son; ''b'
he seems entirely harmless"
n When they were seated about the
tie round table. the hostess said a sho
d simple prayer Of gratitude, tharkil
God for his provision for the fea'
and for sending them a guest to partal
Of It "Amen! That is good" said t
old man, reverently. but may I as
do you mean 1t? Are you glad to ha
+ me here? Are you not afraid Of m
I am old fashioned and queer 20
y never afraid Of q Christian and