Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-11-22
Happy Thanksgiving,

Lucy Elworthy was deep in the mys
teries of clear starching, and had {
variety of charming little collars anC
cuffs and other feminine adornments
in lace and muslin, nicely prepared
for the bright smoothing irons that
stood before the clear kitchen fire. Il
was a raw November day, but there
was glow upon pretty Lucy's cheek
and a joyous CLEAN in her eye.
Thanksgiving day was coming fast
and Lucy was already making he1
preparations for that happy season
the happiest, she felt sure it would be-
that ever she had spent.
She knew of coy hooks at grand
fathers where there would be sure
TO be quiet little talks, and maybe sly
hand-pressures and more caressing
words Her heart beat quicker, and
her voice trembled a little as she
thought who might linger beside her
hear.
Just then her father came in from
the barn, where he had been husking
corn. He looked at Lucy as he en-
tered, and had she not been so Occu-
pied with her own happy thoughts
and her delicate work, she might have
seen something peculiar in his glance
well, mother" he said, addressing
his wife, this is what l call comfort.
It's goldfish out to the barn. But then
it's what we ought to expect about
Thankgg giving time. [ wish we might
have little snow. We could slip over
to Father Crumbs easy enough then.
Mrs. Elworthy was a woman of few
words, and she only nodded and
smiled, and knit the faster, and Mr..
Elworthy, as if not expecting an an
swer from her, turned to Lucy as he
concluded.
'But we shall go anyhow, father -
said the young girl, "snow or frost,
rafR or sunshine, it would never do to
stay away from grandfather on
Thanksgiving day."
She was coming toward the fire with
the cooled iron in her hand, but she
stopped short, as her father said.
why, yes, your mother and shall
go. but I thought like enough that
you'd e, ZEN up going. saw Mark
Sheldon just now--he was going by
segd spoke to him over the fence. He
said that he was not going"
Again the father looked searchingly
at his child's face.
Lucy said nothing, but she stopped
quickly and exchanged the iron she
held for a hot one. Perhaps it was
the heat of the fire that caused the
vivid glow that overspread her face as
she turned again toward the table
But it could hardly have been that
which, few moments later, when she
slipped out of the room, caused her TIC
give way to a passionate burst OF
weeping.
When she had gone the father and
mother looked at each other inQuir-
ingly. Lucy was their only child
Each held not and could not hold an
other thing or creature so precious tc
them.
DO you think she knew anything
of this, mother?" inquired Mr.. Ell
worthy after a moments pause.
"No, father, I should say she die
not, replied Mrs. Elworthy in anxious
tones, "She's been singing, as she
ways does when she is happy, all the
morning. But [ know we'll enough
she's gone off to cry"
"What do you suppose possessed
the fellow"
81 can't tell. [ just stopped him as
he was riding by, kind O. slow, and
never once looking toward the house
I said Good day. and he answered
kind o. sober. And says I, L guess
we'll have sleighin' for Thanksgivin'
If we do, I'll just take mother in the
cutter, and you can take Lucy in
yours. That'H suit, I s'pose.' I donH
think I shall go to Mr.. Crumbs, says
he. why, Lucy asked you, didn't
she?' Yes, but we shall have friends
at our house. Uncle Richard and his
wife are coming over from Meriden
I'm sorry, but l guess Lucy won't
care and before I could answer he
was riding down the road. And now
mother, if you can tell what it al
means, you'll do better than I can"
''Im sure I don't understand WORD
about it," replied Mrs. Elworthy. I'm
going UP to, see what she's doing,
and the mothers voice trembled as
she hurried out of the room.
Lucy was sitting beside the window
Her passion of tears was spent, and
she was beginning to hope that after
all her father was mistaken. 1t was
only last Sunday night that he had
promised to go with her, and the visit
connected with the annual family re-
union, was resigned to mark his pros