The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-11-27
JEM HASTINGS LUCK.
"A Thanksgiving Story.


Jem tiptoed about the room, "set-
ting things to rights and preparing
the table for prospective meal.
To be sure there was very little in
sight, but he had faith that there
might be something in the cellar
and in the cupboards, for the widow
was known in the township to have
been "good pervider" in her days
of atfluence.
you've made me very happy,
Jem-very thankful"
"Well, ma'am, I'm glad of it. It's
Thanksgivin."
What! Really sgiving
day? It's the first time Eve forgot
ten it-ever. must be growing
DID,"
Jem grew bolder.
There's turkey out in the barn
yard. He amt very fat, but if you
say so I'll help you fix turkey din
! ner.'
The widow urged no objection,
and both fascinated at the prospect
of Thanksgiving dinner, with
themselves as host and hostess, the
boy trudged out to the barn.
Some sticks of hard wood were
soon piled on the fire, and by the
time Sir Turkey was ready for the
oven the widow had peeled the vege-
tables and dropped them into the
mysterious depths of the steaming
kettles, Jem looking on with glow
ing but bashful appreciation.
A snowy cloth over a round table,
| Wy fun re nf hnP
is always an inspiriting sight, and
when topped by steaming brown
turkey, with all the "fiXings' of a
turkey dinner, the feast is one to
melt hearts harder than that of the
lonely widow and the homesick New
England lad.
1T is the happiest Thanksgiving
dinner | have had in many a year,
my boy" she said to him as he
cleared away the dishes and brought
out dessert of fragrant ounce pre-
serves.
MAY God bless you? And to
think how the dreadful, gloomy
morning has been turned to such
bright sunshine by your cOming!'
Jem turned to the window to hide
squeezing themselves out of his eyes.
81 wish she wouldn't be so senti-
mental" said he to himself quite
wrathfully. But to the widow he
said: "Why, ma am, amt done
nOthin great-no more'n you'd have
done for me, I'll bet. ] amt enjoyed
dinner so myself sence L can re-
member. l wish L could jest stay
here all the time.n
A new light came into the woman's
faded gray eyes born of a thought
that had been struggling for expires.
sion for an hour or more. "And
why can't you stay, Jem?"
II could, ma 'am, if could come
| as-as partners.
, 1t was out at last, the boys yearn-
ing for something as his own and
; the chance he saw upon the
up" he went on eagerly, land make
the chickens lay eggs and the COW
give milk and-and''-
Jem stopped, but the widows re,
! spectful attention led him on.
II could earn my board in saving
things that's goin to waste. Wher
| L came through your wood lo
this mOrnin, l noticed cords anC
) cords of dead trees that ought to bt
cut an made firewood of. An as fol
timber, there's more'n 500 wutl
there that'll be spilled if it ant Gu
: an sold pretty soon."
The boy hesitated, amazed at hi
; audacity, but the widow nodded hel
head and smiled approval. THAT
true, Jem. The farm is runnin!
down for the lack of some one Il
oversee out of doors. So then, it is {
> bargain"
And so this strange partnership
) began. The first winter Jem spen
in thinning out the superfuous wooC
t in the neglected lots, stacking up be
hind the house enough fuel to sat
D isfy even the cravings of that yawn
ing fireplace for years to come ant
selling TO the sawmill on the pon(
, timber for shipment that came t,
; quite $500.
Q AS the spring opened he was sool
: afield, continuing the good work o
[ improvement, and planting time
| found the farm with more and ear
lier labor performed than it had eve
before experienced. In front of th
0 western door he threw out plat
form, protected by a lattice wOrl
covering, and here the widow passed
| all the spare time she could snatcl
from her indoor duties. 1t hat
1 never occurred to any one befor
r that farm work might be made at
t tractive. The widow had only look
ed upon the beauties of her farm
4 around her through the kitchen win
4 dow or during hasty trip to tn
{ well or farmyard. The lattice'
4 porch was revelation to her, and
t haven of rest where she sat ant
4 unused during the long twilight o
S summer.
: II never thought L should tax,
;, such comfort here" she said. "Be
n fore you came was more than will
g ing to give up the farm and go away
It But now, Jem, want to 1--we her
a the rest of my life. l would no
a leave it for the world"
: "That's so, ma'am. 1t would hav
Q been great mistake TO leave th
a old place. Why, there amt pret
| tier view in all the world than thi
from your front door. IL there is
n then it is right there, down in tn
II woods, where the great trees NEE
4 overhead, the brook sings a soft SON.
K of rest and the fern covered bank