River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-11-19
I'VE ouoHr no BE rIIANKFu1 FoR LOIS on GOOD rHINes

busheI, and this year they had ventured
largely in that crop. Grain was low in
value The price of hogs was going
steadily down. down. down. These were
some of the real troubles. 1t seemed
surely that the bottom was Knocked out
of their prosperity.
Then her soul was equally narrowed,
for she had that way of fretting over
minor ills, over n long array "a imaE-
mary woes. \ new carpet had just come
home from the weaver's with the stripes
woven an inch nearer together than she
had ordered. This little trifie she had
worried over until il was magnified i1to
a great calamity. She was unable 10
get her a new cloak this fall. as she had
intended. Her fall house cleaning was
still unfinished. There were actually
fE spccks on the very window before
her now. which fretted her cleanly soul
into peevish uuhappiness- These, and
a score of similar weighty evils, chafed
her nerves on this beautiful morning
until she was powerless To see that life
held one charm or blessing.
Added to the above woes the children
had been clamOring for days for an
observance of Thanksgiving. But their
mother had told them emphatically that
they would not have any Thanksgiving
this year. That they had been so af-
Aicted by misfortunes they had little to
b. thankful for. That not turkey or
even a pie would grace their table on
,hat day; every turkey must be sold 10
buy neces sites.
She predicted dark outlook for their
future, filling the infantile minds with
visions Of CHASTITY want. Such words
coming from their mother were deeply
impressive on all tine children except
Davy. the little seven-year rebel of the
camp. Davy had no appreciation OF
the ethics of such an unhesrd-Of doc
trine Davy liked a good dinner And
not to have a Thanksgiving dinner!
not have a turkey, not have pie. not
have any companyi Why, il was the
vilcst heresy to all that was worth liv-
ing for.
Unlike his mother. there was not one
drop of melancholy blood in little Davy's
swift-howing veins He was the very
embodiment of joy and sunshine. He
saw life through a mirror which re
Elected back only pictures Of bright
ness. His eager, vivacious. joy-loving
little soul was proof against despond-
emit infection
As Mrs. HOven stood looking out the
window in broOding blueness. her hus-
band came in from the barn and took a
seat by the fire to warm.
John Marsh passed just now" he
said. ale says another one u the
Green children died last night of
iiphtheria. How terribly afflicted they
are! hope to Cod it won't get in this
neighbOrhoOd."
The door into an adjoining rom
where the children were playing WIS
dignity ajar. 4 numerous little regi-
ment were the Hoven children. and
crowded cloSc together in years. There
we're six Of them, from 12-year-old
Katie to year and a half baby Roy. They
had all gathered in the big kitchen on
this morning where they loved so TO
play. and. as usual. Davy was the life
and leader of the party.
Say, Katie" he cried. tets play
Thanksgivin.' IL we can't have a truly
Thanksgivin' let's have a play one. /
guess mamma won't care il we just play
Thanksgivin' That won't make MS
pny poorer. viii it. Katie2"
How shall we play Thanksgiving.
Davv?" asked Helen. who was Just his
senior
.oh. we'll have a sermon. an then go
home an have dinner. Katie can fix US
up q nice Thanksgiyin' dinner. Ion can
lake some bread an aPples. Katie. an
eut EN- up an give EN- some alice names.
An III run set one o. ny little sweet