The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-11-28

good as anyonea Haven't you had
lots more in your life than some peo-
pie ever had? l dunno what you've
done that you should expect to have
things easy always when some folks
never have anything but hard! Now
I'll tell you what you've got to do.
You've got to sit down tomorrow and
remember all the lovely thanksgiv-
ings you've had, and be real grateful
do you hear me?
She was busting one of the old
spindle-legged chairs; suddenly she
stopped and looked at tit was
standing back to back with another
one. IL declare togoodness," she ex-
claimed, 81 wonder how those chairs
got sol But some one is coming-it's
sure signl l guess it must be Annie
Evangeline."
She dropped herduster and looked
out the window. A little girl was
coming up the path, catching at the
ends of her shawl which the wind
kept twisting away from her; her
pretty round face was quite red from
her walk; as quick gust caught her
and drove her along she looked like
blossom drifting through the dull
bleak yard. She pushed the door
open and ran in, laughing and
breathless.
30 Miss Betsey, you do have SO
much wind up here" she painted.
"Sit right down and get your
BREATH said Miss Betsey delighted
ly. "I'm real glad to see you, Annie
Evangeline."
Annie Evangeline took off her
shawl and folded it over the back of
a chair. Then she drew stool over
to the window near Miss Betsey and
sat looking contentedly up at her.
Il came over to-day because to-
morrow's Thanksgiving and we'll be
80 very busy" she said. "Father
was real lucky in selling the turkeys
so we're going to have a splendid
Thanksgiving this year. What are
you going to have, Miss Betsey9"
Miss Betsey hesitated; she felt that
family pride demanded secrecy, but
to her surprise she suddenly felt re-
bellious. For many years she had
sacrificed the best that life held for
her to this relentless ghost; friends,
love, the happy little neighborlinesses
all had been thrust aside that
others might not know how poor she
was; now she felt strange longing
for eympathy-and besides, Annie
Evangeline was only little girl.
She looked at her with wide, almost
frightened eyes.
Promise me that you won't ever
tell anyone" she said impressively.
"No'm, l won't. Ipromise. Honest
truly, black and bluely," answered
Annie Evangeline earnestly.
"I'm going to have-memories,' y
she said TREMENDOUSLY.
Annie Evangeline looked at her
with puzzled brows. 81 guess-I
don't understand" she said in her
sweet, care-free voice.
Miss Betsey spoke rapidly before
her impulse could desert her. "Why
you see, Annie Evangeline, folks
think I've got money, and I've
sort of helped it on by keeping
quiet and not talking over things.
1 had to, because | knew how
father would have felt to have
the property all go to pieces so. He
was dreadfully proud, father was!
But it's been hard to get along some
times, and before you came l was
feeling real wicked and wishing
could forget that tomorrow was
Thanksgiving, because l had nothing
but some dried beef and old cookies
in the house; then it came over NEAL
of a sudden how dreadful wicked it
was when I'd had SO many things in
my life! So tomorrow I'm going to
sit down and think of all the nice
Thanksgivings l ever had; guess
it's time l spent one day being thank
full for themT
Annie Evangeline sat up straight.
her eyes shining softly. ~ think
that's beautiful, Miss Betsey," she
said. 20 Miss Betsey-"
"What it, Annie Evangelinei"
"If only-Miss Betsey, couldn't I
come over and you tell me about your
Thanksgivings instead of telling
yourself? I'd just love to hearp
Miss Betsey looked up in a gentle
furry of excitement.
"I'd admire to have you, Annie
Evangeli1e," she said. 81 thought
I'd set the table at noon-we always
used to have dinners at noon. was
going to set eleven chairs; we had
Frgl