The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1896-11-26


comfortable armchair with Il deep sigh
Of content. She closed he. eyes from
sheer weakness. while .Iem tiptoed
about the room, Setting 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 cupboalds, for the
widow Was known i'll the township to
have been a good powder" il her
Gays cf affiuonce
You've made me very happy, Jem-
very thankful.
Vel, La am, I'm glad of it. It's
Thanksgivln. "
What Really Thanksgiving day?
It's the first time I've forgotten it
ever. | must be growing old. .
Jem grew bolder
"There's turkey ont in the barn
yard. He amt very fat, bur if you say
so II help you fix turkey dinner. =
The widow urged no objection, and
both fascinated at tie 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, aud by the time SIR
Turkey was ready for the oven the
widow had peeled the vegetables and
dropped them into the mysterious depths
of the Steaming kettles, dem looking on
with glowing but hashfuI appreciation
A snowy cloth over round table,
with TIVE seats opposite each other, is
always an iuspirting sight, and when
topped by Il Streaming brown turkey,
with all the "IiXiugsa of "A turkey din
ner, The feast Is one 10 MT heats
harder than that If the lonely widow
and the henesiek New England lad
1T Is the happicst Thanksgiving din
ner have had i'll many year, my
boy, " She said To him as he cleared
away the dishes and brought out the
dessert Of fragrant ounce preserves.
May God bless you! And to think
how the dreadful gloomy morning has
been turned TO such bright sunshine
by your coming!n
Jem turned to the window to hide
some tears that would persist i'll squeez-
ing themselves out of his eyes Il wish
she wouldn't be so sentimental, 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. | ain
enjoyed a dinner so myself sence l can
remember. | wish | could jest stay here
all the time -
new light came into the woman's
faded gray eyes born of thought that
had been struggling for expression for
an hour or more. And why can you
stay, Jem?'
Il could ma am, if l could come as
AS partners.
1t was ont at last, the boys yearning
for something rs his own and the chance
he saw upon the widows farm Il
could fix things up" he went on eager
ly, land make the chickens lay eggs
and the COW give milk and-and'
Jem stopped, but the widow S respect
full attention led him on.
81 could earn my board in saving
things that's goin to waste When |
come through your wood lot this morn
in, | noticed cords an cords of dead trees
that ought to be cut an made fireWood
OF. An as for timber, there's more II
500 with there thatll be spilled if it
amt cut an sold pretty soon. :"
The boy hesitated, amazed at his au-
dacity, but the widow nodded her head
and smiled approval. That's true,
Jem. The farm is running down for the
lack of some one to oversee out of doors.
So, then, II is Il bargain. "
And so this strange partnership be-
gan. The first winter Jem spent in
thinning out the superhuous wood III
the neglected lots, stacking up behind
the house enough fuel TO satisfy even
the cravings of that yawning fireplace
for years To come and selling to the
sawmill on the pond timber for ship
ment that came TO quite 5000.
As the spring opened he was soon
afeld, continuing the good work of i'm
and planting time found
the farm with more and earlier labor
performed than it mad ever before cx-
perienced. In front Of the western door
he threw out IA platform, protected by
lattice work covering, and here the
widow passed all the sIare time she
could snatch from her indoor duties. 1t
had never occurred to any enc before
that farm wolk might be made attract
i've The widow had only looked upon
the beauties Of her farm around her
through the kitchen window or during
ii hasty trip to the well or farmyard
The lattieed porch was revelation to
her, and IA haven Of rest where she sat
and unused during the long twilight Of
summer.
4 never thought ] should take such
comfort here - She said, Before you
came ! was more than willing to give
up the farm and 90 away. But now,
Jem, | want to live here the rest Of my
life. would not leave il fol Tie world. -
That : 50, ma am. 1t would have
been great mistake to leave the old
place Why, there amt pretier view
in all the world than this from your
front door. If there is, then ii is right
there, down III the woods, where the
great trees meet overhead, the brook
sings soft song Of rest and the fern
covered banks stretch down to the pond
| never travelled amy yet, but ! don't
want TO- This suits me. - And he re
turned to his work with a CHEEKY whis
tie that sent thrill Of satisfaction
through the Widows heart