The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-06-20
MISS THANKFUL.

0AW .@
IL seemed TO be one Of the ironies d
fate that her name should have been
Miss Thankful Hope. Strangers smiled
instinctively ut the name when they first
met her, for to them there was % little
In her marrow 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 a faded looking little woman
of Do, 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.
It was o standing 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-
progressing the last new boarder, Miss
Thankful's kind heart was sure to dis
cover some excuse. L.
She had watched Florence, Mrs. Sim
mons young daughter, grow 1p into
womanhood and had shared her timid
condolences and opinions about She 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
ful which invited confidence. and the
two were warm friends.
Il was q dali February evening, a
slight snow was falling, and Miss Thank
full h1rried along toward home in the
early dusk. The windows were lighted
up and presented a 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 standstin at last in front OF
Cooper q Cooper's large dry goods
house. "
She smiled ss she looked In at the
window. YES" she said softly sits
there yet I made sure il wcnld be sold
So cheap too. Only $1..bO." She was
gazing Mt q blue satin party bag, lined
with delicate pink, one of those dainty
French affairs which always catch a
woman's eye il she has any soul for
pleasing effects.
81 can't afford q new dress this year.
That three weeks ] was sick last month
put that out of the question, and so ID
does seem as IL I could buy that bag II
Iwant To- Only IL would be silly
downright sillyt'' and she sighed.
II VI had anything as pretty a.
that Maybe that's why ! seem TO have
set my heart on Ii Even my dresses
have been brown or black They last
better.
1--WE had q kind Of brown and black
life anyway. But there now, that sounds
complainin, and I've no cause 10 COM
plain. The Lords bean good to me and
prospered me right along 4,
Good evening. Miss Thanfknl " said
. cheerful voice 40 her sida. Right
mice window. Our trimmer beats any In
town Lots OF pretty things, too. " he
added, with the pardonable pride Of .
-&&&&6 SAD& IN 49, E5E"%H@#s8
tGood evening. Mr.. Jones, " answer
cd Miss Thankful Yes, ] was Just
locking in ats the goods. P'--she shesi-
tased-"was just noticing that hlue
satin bag over there I'm theoorner-seef'.
t0h, yes, that pretty bag Pretty
thing. Cheap too. know q Eoodipiece
OF satin when ! see iii Funny itwaa NOT
sold toda Will be tomorrow likeiyy','
Miss Thankful felt her desire 20 pos
sess the bag increasing. 0
"On your way home? Let me take
your umbrella. |" and they walked ON to-
gether.
Miss Thankful had q decided liking
for this or the boarders, partly be-
cause he never forgot to show her the
same courtesy that he would show 10
Florence or any younger woman. And
this II very gratifying 10 a woman who
has no claim 30 youth or beauty.
He was a timid young man, with d
colorless mustache and drab hair. who
talked with o jerk, but Miss Thankful
always liked him.
When they reached the boarding
house, she went very thoughtfully MP
to her room Mr.. Jones had discoursed
most Of the way upon the amiable quail.
tiles Florence possessed, all Of which re-
marks she had heartily seconded When
she had lighted the gas, she sat down
with the thoughtful expression still on
her face.
1T wonder" abe said. II do Just
wonder. But he would never under the
shining sun have the courage to tell
her" and she smiled.
Mr.. Jones--a lame I do abominate.
and Florence % pretty-and him with
those colorless eyes and washed o0t
hairi But then he is just as kind a. he
can be, and ! make no doubt would be
o good prpyider."
The next night when Miss Thankful
came into her room abe turned ON both
the gas 5atS-an unheard Of extrava-
gance. She carried asmall parcel done
mp In tissue paper, and before she step
ped 20 take OF her bonnet she went over
20 the bed and united the package II
y 100 Ma 80 = q ~ HEHAE EEtA So ~ &EM 49,.