The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-25
A SNOWY THANKSGIVING.


her open kitchen window. She had hastily
taken her apron from its usual place. and
now held it clutched closely about her head;
but the wind was blowing a lock of gray
hair over her eyes, and she was constantly
thrusting it back with a quick moving thin
hand.
You don't want to go as high as an eigh-
teen-pourder, do you?'
The man paused as he was about to mount
a one-horse tipcart. He had one hand on
the horses haunch and one on the shaft OF
the cart; he put his question over his
shoulder
Yes, 1 do. too; 1 don't care if it's a
twenty-pounder. Do you think l want a
small turkey for Thanksgiving? 1 sh'd feel
mean as dirt with a small one"
What you goin' to do with it? I vow, I
don't see how you're goin to make way
with it"-still speaking over his shoulder.
1T amt no matter if you don't see; faint
necessary that you should see, Adoniram
Winsor; 1 en- set n eat it. m be thankful
that amt man, n thankfuIler still that
l amt got one round" with a laugh that
rang merrily on the chill air.
'Certain-certain. You shll have the
lunkinest Teller I've got-big 'nough for the
President"
And now the man climbed into the cart,
the horse moved, and the wheels creaked
slowly into the ruts of the lane that led
to the main road mile distant.
Ruth Avery slammed down the window.
went to her stove lifted the lid, bethought
herself of something she had meant to say,
ran to the door, which she flung open with
a bang, and shouted:
'Adoniram! Adoniram Win-sor!'
Mr.. Winsors form as he stood erect in the
wabbling cart gave no sign that he heard,
but he Immediately began to turn his horse
and then to back him.
You needn't turn round!-I say, you
needn't turn round!' shouted Ruth.
But l want to. I've thought of some
So the horse retraced his steps, and the
cart joggled behind him.
tho wings said Ruth 'sThere amt any
thing so good for sweeping under the stove
and in the corners as the right wing OF a.
'I'li save EN-" answered Mr.. Winsor.
He descended to the ground and came for
ward. He was very TALL, ana the army
overcoat he wore was not long enough Ior
him. 1t was the coat he had worn in the
civil war. 1t was patched with various
colored cloths, and the bottom was some
what fringed. The owner Of 1t frequently
announced that he was going to wear Il as
long as two threads held together lie
usually added that blue army coats were
gittin' so skerce now that this one made
him quite distinguished. and If man could
be distinguished as cheap as that he was
lucky" Then he winked one keen blue eye.
Ruth Avery remained standing in the
doorway A sharp wind came sweeping into
the valley from the hills, and Ruth again
huddled her apron about her head and
shoulders. ,,,s
on the doorca sing: with the other he drag
ged the long lash Of his whip over the
grass, still green by the southern sloe OF
II say he began, how en- you eat so
much all alone?"
"oh. them don't count.
DON'T they? Well, then, If | can't eat 1t
alone l can throw it away alone. is that
what you came back to ask?"' -
W Wins drew his whiplash still faster over
III" "We' al better go in than to BE standin
here with the wind BLOWN through our
bones" remarked Ruth.
oh I can't stop. WE'LL mebbe L had bet
The two went into the kitchen. Ruth sat
down in a chair and Winsor continued to
stand apparently that he might more con-
veniently pull his whiplash through his
fingers. He bent his head that he might
look through the uncurtained part of the
Think it's goin' to snow?" he asked, UNI
dTm sure 1 don't know. You can't tell
nothin' bout the weather in the fall OF
''To-day's Tuesday" remarked Winsor,
with still more irrelevance.
''I amt goin to dispute that" responded
Ruth, and she laughed.
Winsor was now gazing intently at his
companion He was thinking that he had
never noticed before that she had KIND,
wholesome face. 1t must have agreed with
aIA chn hod
five years since her father died.
DAY after to-morrow'll be Thanksgiv-
ing" he said His eyes twinkled.
'And the day after'll be Friday, she re-
torted; she laughed again.
Winsor did not laugh, but his eyes Twink
led still more.
what I'm wonderin' about" he said,
after a silence, lis whether IT snow
Thanksgiving.
IF you're askin' me- can't tell you. The
Lord amt let me know whether He's goin'
to send snow or not.
It'll make it bad passin'."
THAT won't make no difference to me,
the passin' won't. There's weeks / don't
go out onto the main road when the winter
sets in
"'Tain't fttin'.'
Yes, it's fittin, too"
Mr.. Winsor coughed.
Got your spinnin' done?"
mo; somehow my sheep grew more wool
n common this year.
Folks are complainin bout their sheep.
Dogs killed three of mine"
The speaker walked to the window and
gazed at the sky for a long time in silence.
Ruth put more wood in the stove then
sat down and contemplated the faded back
of the army coat
Winsor turned toward her. He began,
rather nervously, to stroke the extremely
small tuft of gray hair that he allowed to
grow just below his under lip.
II was talkin with old Paul Dill down
to the store last week." he began abrupt
ly, land he stuck to it that it most always
showed Thanksgiving. 1 told him it didn't
hardly ever. He got mad, m / got mad,
finally. You know he's got a way with
him that would make a saint lose his tenn
per m swear like the devil. He asked me
Il hope you were silly enough" inter-
rupted Ruth.
II know I was--a regular-built fool; am
most the time. The upshot of the matter
was that if it don't snow Dill's goin' to
do a certain thing; m if it does snow I'm
going to do the same. l thought I'd tell
you"
Mr.. Winsor now went to the door and
put his hand on the latch. The twinkle had
gone from his eyes, and he was very sober.
Il don't sec any call for you to tell me,
Adoniram. rather wonderingly from Ruth
NO, cont s'pose you do. couldn't ex-
pect that. guess I'll go now. I'll bring up
tho turkey tomorrow night, though what
you're going to do with it can't guess"
lie opened the door and stepped out He
looked up at the sky; there was thin
haze over it. He went back.
Il tell you what tbs, Ruth, I hope it'll
SLOW" he said with great emphasis.
lhen you'll lose your bet; it'll be good
CROUCH for you, too"
"It'll be too good. Ruth Avery. I want
you to remember that 1 said / hoped
'tWOuld OW'