Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-26
Thanksgiving Story.
By MRS. c. Z. TAYLOR.

stands the handsome dwelling of
Colonel Hazclton. A winding car
riage drive leads up to the broad
veranda. while a row of soft
naples casts grateful shadows over
the way. Within the dwelling we
see evidences of wealth. taste and
comfort. Costly paintings adorn
the walls, carpets of Administer
velvet rise and fall beneath our
feet: curtains of lace and portieres
of delicateiy contrasting shades,
tastefully draped, festOOn the win
dOws and dOorways. An open
crate casts its cheerful. Pickering
light. The piano stands open and
a young girl, seated before it, runs
her fingers to and fro over the
white keys. a lad of some fifteen
years sits near the center table
reading the evening paper just re-
ceived from the village. Nestled on
an ottoman ut his feet is a girl.
nine or ten years of age, stroking
the fur of a large Maltese cat.
Nearby stands a fair faced lady
with soft grey hair, eyes of deep.
intense longing, as turning toward
the lad she asks. ''is there any
news. my sonl'' ''No news
MOTHER" is the reply. just COM
ing through the doorway is mid
dle-aged man, his form somewhat
bent, as if by great sorrow, as
the storm scars and twists the oak;
a man of commanding appearance
and of strong character. He
catches the import of the question
and its answer, between the mother
and son. and turns aside with Il
sigh. We see, by these slight
signs. that the home which to the
glance seems paradise, has over
it the shadow of some great sor-
row. 1t appears an Eden, but a
serpent has dispoiled it of gladness.
Father and mother look into each
others eyes and in their glance
read the question:: ''Wherc is our
wandering boy tonight"
1t is years since their first born,
chatting at the restraints and dis
cipline of home. choosing the So
ciety of reckless and jovial COM
panions, departed from the par
entail home, vowing he would care
for himself and make his fortune
in the world. The parents had
heard indirectly several times from
those who had CHANGED to meet
him in strange cities that their son
was living a wild, reckless life. and
had become companion of the
abandoned and worthless. As the
years came and went only God
knew of the burden upon their
hearts, or how dark and heavy the
cloud Ovcrshadowing that beauti-
full home. Each visit of the post
man was watched for, if per-
chance. there would be some word
from him. Oh. the prayers that
were offered in his behalf. the tears
that fell and the weight of sorrow
that was carried. Would their boy
ever return.
The Thanksgiving time is APP
preaching: the season of family re-
unions. Afrcsh their thoughts
turn to the absent one. There can
be no glad family group gather for
the Thanksgiving dinner with a
vacant chair and one of their num-
Der wandering. they knew not
where. The scene we have Just
depicted occurred about two weeks
before the day of Thanksgiving.
After the children have with
drawn from the sitting room, full
of plans for the merry making. the
parents sit side by side before the
CRATE lost in thought. wife. :"
says the father, sit is long since
our boy left us. If we might only
know where he is, what are his
fortunes. or if he is dead. that we
might know that. This uncertain
ty is unbeatable, and Thanksgiving
is near. No matter how sad we
feel we must seem JOYOUS for the
sake of the dear ones who are with
u.s." Yes" the mother answers,
my heart is full of an urutterable
longing to see Harold again.
| cannot give up the hope that God
will answer our prayers and that
in some way he will save our boy. +"
And then they knelt together and
again laid their plea before Him
who has said: Call upon Me in
the day of trouble, and | will de-
liver" This was on a Saturday
evening. They rose from their
knees comforted and the mother
said: Il feel sure that our son is
to be restored to us. Something
tells me. / believe God whispers #
to my heart, that he is soon to
come to himself and return to us. =
On the morrow as they went up
to the house of God there was a