New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-21


and she laughed.
Winsor was now gazing intenty at his COM
panion. He was thinking that he had never
noticed before that she had n kind, wholesome
face. 1t must have agreed with her to live alone
as she had done for the five years since her
father died.
DAY after to-morrown be Thanksgiving" he
said. His eyes twnked.
And the day after'n be Friday" she retort-
ed she laughed again
wnsor did not laugh. but his eyes twinkled
still more.
What I'm wonderin' about" he said. after
silence, lis whether it'll snow Thanksgiving"
III you're askin' me. can't tell you The
Lord amt let ne 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 httin'."
Yes. It's fitt!n'. too
Mr. Wnsor coughed.
Got your spinnIn' dohe|
mo: somehow my sheep grew more wool n
common this year
Folks are corplanin bout their sheep
Dogs killed three OF mine"
Mt the sky for a long time in silence. Ruth put
more wood in the stove. then sat down and con-
templated the faded back OF the army coat.
Winsor turned toward her. He began. rather
nervously to stroke the extremely small tuft Oh
gray hair that he allowed to grow just below his
under lip.
"I was talkln' with old Paul Dill down 10 the
store las, week" he began abruptly. and ne
alv Thanks
giving. told him it didn't hardly ever He got
mad. n got mad. finally. You know he's So'
a way with him that would make saint lose
his temper n swear like the devil lie asked
me II I'd bet 'twouldnt snow. n | said
would
81 hone YOU were silly enough" Interrupted
Ruth
"J know I was-a regular built fool: am
most the time The upsho; Of the matter was
that II II don't snow Dills goin' to do certain
thing: n II it does snow I'm going TO do the
same | thought I'd tell you.
Mr.. Wlnsor now went TO the door and put his
hand on the latch. The twinkle had gone from
his eyes and he very sober.
II don't see any call for you to tell me.
Adoniram" rather wonderingly from Ruth.
mo. | don't spose you do. | couldn't expect
that. guess I'll so now. I'll bring up the tur-
key tomorrow night though what you're going
10 do with II / can't guess
He opened the door and stepped out. lie
looked up at the sky; there WAS thin haze
over IL. He went back.
Il tell you what It's. Ruth. / hope it'll snow.
he said with great emphasis.
Then you'll lose your bet: it'll be good
enough for you. too"
"It'r be too good Ruth Avery. want you to
remember that / said I hoped 'twould snow
Ruth stared: she continued to stare Win
sor's horse walked up the slope and finally
horse and cart and man disappeared down the
other side. For some time after they had gone
from sight she could hear the lesurely humping
Of the cart over the hoows and stones Of the
path.
She took her broom and began to sweep rap
idly: but the next moment she paused To say
aloud to the cat in the rocker:
"If men amt the queerest things that God
ever made then I'll give it up! s'pose them
two have promised to heel each other In
wheelbarrow. or some such foolishness. I al
ways was thankful | want man"
Perhaps it was this OF gratitude that
made her begin to sing as she swept. forgetting
some Of the words:
81 thank the mercy and the grace
That on my birth hath smiled.
And-m-um-ti-dc-
happy Christian child"
81 do feel real thankful. n that's fact. she
said aloud "Tve ben prOspered"
She had not finished sweeping when she heard
some one cry Whoa in front OF the house.
She went to the window. There was Paul Dill
In the buggy that had once had top. but which
had outlved its cover.
Mr. Dill WAS q lean. active man. and he was