Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-05-31
MISS THANKFUL.

10 b66lutu W Ol1c VI I19- VI
fate that her name should have been
Miss Thankful Hope. Strangers smiled
instinctively at the name when they first
met her, for to them there was so little
in her narrow life to be thankful for,
and nothing to hope for. And yet to
those Of the limited number who grew
to know Miss Thankful the name was,
after all, quite appropriate.
She was faded looking little woman
Of 45, whose plain face was only re-
deemed by pair of smiling brown eyes
She was q day seamstress and made
enough to pay her board and usually to
keep herself suitably clothed.
1t was astanding joke among the 9TH
er boarders that no matter how dis
agreeable the day Miss Thankful could
always find something pleasant to be
said about it And, no matter how un-
prepossessing the last new boarder, Miss
Thankful's kind heart was sure to dis
cover some excuse.
She had watched Florence, Mrs Sim
mons young daughter, grow up into
womanhood and had shared her timid
condolences and opinions about the diff
ferent young men of the house, conf
dences which Florence would never have
thought Of telling her practical mother.
There was something about Miss Thank
full which invited confidence, and the
two were warm friends
It was a dull February evening, O
slight snow was falling, and Miss Thank
full hurried along toward home In the
early dusk. The windows were lighted
up and presented tempting array Of
millinery, dry goods, flowers and con-
fectionery.
But Miss Thankful did not notice any
of them until she turned into Bond
street, and there she walked slowly,
coming to astandstill at last in front of
Cooper & Cooper's large dry goods
house.
She smiled us she looked in at the
window. "Yes" she said softly, ''it's
there yet I made sure it would be sold
So cheap too Only $3.50" She was
gazing OF blue satin party bag. lined
with delicate pink, one of those dainty
French affairs which always catch q
woman's eye if she has any soul for
pleasing effects
II can't afford q new dress this year
That three weeks was sick last month
put that out Of the question, and SO it
does seem as If I could buy that bag If
want to- Only it would be silly
downright sillyp' and she sighed
''I never had anything as pretty as
that Maybe that's why I seem to have
set my heart on it Even my dresses
have been brown on black. They last
better.
''I've had kind of brown and black
life anyway. But there now, that sounds
complainin, and I've no cause to COM
plain. The Lords been good to me and
prospered me right along"
GOOD evening, Miss Thankful, " said
cheerful voice at her side "Right
nice window. Our trimmer beats any in
town. Lots If pretty things, too" he
added. with the pardonable pride Of a
head clerk.
"Good evening, Mr.. Jones, answer
ed Miss Thankful "Yes, / was just
looking in at the goods P'-she hesi-
tated-"was just noticing that blue
satin bag over there in the corner-see?
"Oh, yes that pretty bag. Pretty
thing Cheap too know good piece
of satin when see 1t. Funny it was moi
sold today. Will be tomorrow likely"
Miss Thankful felt her desire to pos
sess the bag increasing.
"On yoursway home? Let me take
your umbrella" and they walked on to
gether.
Miss Thankful had a decided liking
for this one # the boarders, partly be
cause he never forgot to show her thu
same courtesy that he would show t
Florence on any younger woman Ant
this is very gratifying to woman uh'
has no claim to youth or beauty.
He was a timid younp man. with