The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1897-11-19


mountain road that led from the church
in the village by four miles OF sandy
incline up 10 his own slab barn. Miss
Hannah, alone on the seat Of her high
buggy, gave an occasional flick with
the whip, but in a meditative manner
as though out of some inner mood
They were having ian uncommon
spell of weather this fall, so the old
men said. 1t was the Sunday before
Thanksgiving, and yet the soft haze IN
the air, the quiet through which an Occa-
sional drifting Of Tuslting leaf or over
ripe nut sounded softly, made it seem
more like October than late November
day.
There was a faint whistle through the
sere leaves Of a small weedy cornfeld
she was passing. The shocks were
leaning as though stacked by incOm-
Petent hands.
Hope Seraphu get her corn in be
fore snow fies,' Miss Hannah grum-
bled, hitting Tom so briskly as to sur
prise him into an effort at trotting.
Then she turned her eyes resOlutely
away from the riekety house beyond,
standing half way up a bare, stony
hill, and the faded, sad-eyed woman in
the door looked after her longingly,
and lifted the corner Of her apron to her
face.
Hannah amt ever going to forgive
me-" she said, weakly, to her oldest, n
siekly girl Of IA.
''Why, what'd you do, map
''It's mostly guess what didn't do, -
was the answer. "Hannah's dreadful
smart, and she hain't no patience with
those that amt like her. Then your pa
was sickly like you, and died, and she
didn't like that; though I can't for the
life of me see how he was to blame.
He couldn't help it. But Hannah called
him lazy. And we owe her, too, you
know
Should think we did" broke in a
boy Of y. Don't we have to most kill
ourselves every year picking berries to
pay the old interest. Wait till I get 10
be man and I'll pay of her $500; see
if I don't"
Il guess you viii, Benny" said his
mother, admiringly- The boys ambi-
tons were a never-failing wonder to his
mother and sister.
Ma, did you know next Thursday is
Thanksgiving day?" asked a younger
boy.
What difference does that make to
us2" was the mothers weary reioinder.
Its many year since I've seen a
Thanksgiving day. I guess the Lords
forgotten US, or else we're too bad for
Him to care for. I don't know what
we've done, for sure. Mebbe it's ike
Hannah He hain't no patience with
folks that's down and good for nothing.
Anyway, he hain't thought Of Us in a
good while"
Miss Hannah, going on her way,
might have been shocked If she had
heard these sentiments from the lips Of
her cousin Seraph She always went
10 church. rain or shine, although old
Capt Skinner said Miss Hannah could
hear the greatest amount Of sermons,
and not one Of them stick to her any
more than water to a ducks back"
Yet be would have been mistaken this
time.
There's no use talking" had been
the sturdy words that had pricked
through her armor OF selfshness, @Of
keeping Thanksgiving unless you've
e1- A-G AatAl = A0hC III y our lEaLLs- 2 10
let it run over, as he did, toward those
around YOU And you never can make
a sure thing Of It while you cherish an
anforgiring feeling for a human soul,
OF hold back a hand that ought to be
stretched for human need. The Lord
VIII never accept any halt or halfway
sacrifice Go to your knees, and then
work TO see what you can bring Him
Now Miss Hannah had kept Thanks
giving as she said, for the 20 vears
that she had been left slone on the
snail, rocky, mountain farn. Every
year this had been ven titled and cared
Tor, and brought il sufficient for her
moderate needs, and little to place in
the bank against the rainy dag Of ola
4ge and infrnities- Fzr this she had
~at down 70 her solitary beard. TAere
stuffed rooster with cranberry szuee
asd vegetables and puE1pisin end sprie