Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-11-22

milk her husband had brought in.
Judge Carpenter" he replied, as he
hurried out in the deepening autumnal
twilight to shut the barn door and to
bring in the eggs-continuing, as he
returned and went to the sinkroom to
wash up for supper:
81 talked with him so long that am
late about my chores. He said he
should think you and in this large
house would be like two cannon balls
rolling about in an empty barn."
''If he thinks the house is empty he
would better come in and go over it."
"Oh. empty of people he meant. OF
course he knows you well enough to
be sure that the rooms are furnished
and in spick and span order"
well, there's only you and me,
know, but have always wanted a
large house and have got it. You
have a great many relations. and it
gives any housekeeper a comfortable
feeling to know that a platoon of Wis
itors may come in upon her without
creating feeling of dismay as to what
she is to do with them. Unless 1 am
greatly mistaken, you will find in less
than a month from now that our new
house is none too large"
"a month? Oh! that will bring
Thanksgiving. Who have you in
vited?"
Not anyone, but large house
draws company; your friends have all
a standing invitation and we are not
likely to be alone. Your brother Fran
CHS and his family will all come as
usual, as a matter of course"
Thanksgiving always makes me
think of Brother jude" said the farm
er, finishing the raised cake and GUS
tard, drinking his tea. folding his nap
kin, and pushing back from the table.
''He always from a child thought so
much of Thanksgiving; if he ever
comes back home it will be at that
time"
You have great faith, James; Jude
has been away more than twenty years.
Do you lhink it possible that he can
be living?"
more possible than to think he can
be dead. He was always SO very much
alive. full of spring and dance and
fun and common sense, too. l have
expected him every Thanksgiving since
he went away, and shall expect him
this year"
''If he thinks of coming 1 should
suppose he would write"
''Oh, that would not be like Jude;
he would want to come right in as If
he had only been away over night. 1
remember as if it were yesterday
when he went away. 1t was the
morning after Thanksgiving. 1 had
to go to town with load of corn and
started before daylight. AS was get
ting ready what was my establishment
to have Jude, dressed as he had set
out for the ball the night before, take
his place on the load beside me, for
Brother Jude never liked getting up
early in the morning. AS we started
of he told me that he hadn't been to
the ball; that Jane Bruce, the girl he
expected to wait upon, had given him
the slip and gone with the new school
master, and rather than face the music
there would be about it he was going
away to teach school himself in New
Jersey, and when he got over his NOR
tification he should come back. l sup
pose he never has got over it, for we
never have seen him from that day 70
this, nor has he ever written, but
can't help expecting him every Thanks
giving"
..Well, for your sake, hope that he
may come. If he does there is room
enough. that is one consolation. He
NAV be married and have Il large fam
ily."
..No. Jude would never marry
wherever he is, he is true to Jane
Bruce"
..And she, poor thing, has had a
hard life with her incorporate hus-
bard and burying him and their chill
5ren and her own poor health and all
: have been thinking of hiring her to
h.ln ne for a month-that would
h-;dre her over until after Thanks
icing and she has no home of her
ssAu right; should Jude come he
would never know he- name or her