Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-11-25

Wldb 1 Sdlu yesterday! i was caIleQ on
for money myself and was put to- II I'd
know you was gunno sell the hoss SO
early, wouldn' t said word Washin'
ton won't half like it if I let you go.
'sI've made other arrangement, y said
old Cissel. II jest git my supper; that's
all. -
He left the house after supper.
ssGoin back to Ann Earp's, s'pose, "
said Mrs. Washington sneeringly, "to
have the tick took off again when the
boss moneys spent Well, reckon it's
best to be shed of him now =
The old man sat in the gentlemen
waiting room until very late. He was
congratulated several times upon the
sale of his horse. He was told that he,
at any rate, had something to be thank
full for, but he looked very, very old.
Bub best take him eff he wants
him, said the cowboys among them
selves. He's holdin out pretty study
for 17-year- boy. .
When old Cissel quilted the station,
he did not go to Mrs. Earp's, as Mrs.
Washington had prophesied. He went
up to the bridge and stood there, look
ing down mechanically at the railroad
track. There had been two light falls
of snow, enough to cover the ground
several inches, and the people had
brought out their sleighs for Thanks
giving. The old man, leaning against
the rail of the bridge, heard the sleigh
bells as in a dream, but he knew that it
was Thanksgiving. He brought his
hands out of his empty pockets and
folded them upon the railing. He looked
up at the moon lighted sky
'sI'm thankful, he said slowly,
'that I've been able to pay my just
debts-$12 to Ann carp. $40 for the
hoss and $18 to Eliza Washin ton.
Tain t no use settin a price on a hoss
What you can git for him, that's what
he's wuth Forty dollars for a fine,
sound, young horse! Lord, is the times
SO hard as that?'
Then he must have heard the sleigh
bells distinctly, for there were two
strings of them upon horse that was
springing and dancing behind him. He
must have heard the energetic ''Whoap'
and the tingling and jingling of the
sleighbells shaken afresh And yet it
seemed as if he heard nothing at all
His head had fallen on his arms. He
shifted his feet little to make surer
prop as he prepared to spend his second
night without a home.
The old head was lifted gently by
pair of strong hands, some one said
''Father!'' in choking voice, and old
Cissel turned and stared into the boys
face
''Fatherr cried Bub again.
But the old man drew back Leaning
heavily against the bridge railing, he
announced that the ''hoss' was sold,
given away.
"You'r re cold, said the boy gruffly
"You git in thar You're goin whar
you'll be took care of. l heerd all about
the hoss. Durn the fool that robbed
you'll"
He helped the old man into the sleigh
and drew the robes about him. Then he
whistled to his horse, and the sleigh
bells resumed their jingling.
The sudden change from the homeless
and destitute feeling of spending the
night upon the bridge, with no future
prospects whatever, with the knowl-
edge that it was Thanksgiving day and
that he could only be thankful over the
fact that his empty pockets meant that
each honest debt had been paid-the sud
den change from all this to the comfort
able seat in the sleigh, with the spirited
horse rushing him on to warmth and
light and home, was too much for old
Cissel. He sat in the sleigh beside Bub,
whimpering like little child.
The boy leaned over and very quietly
saw that the robes were rightly placed
Then old Cissel reached out his hand
and touched his son s coat sleeve.
"When man gifts to be nigh on to
80, Bub,' he said humbly, he ought
to have sense enough to know that
young blood's hot Though I'm the first
Cissel that ever done it, I'm gunno low
I'm sorry .
The boy turned about. tNo, you're
not, father!" he cried quickly. "You re
not to low you re sorry You're not to
be sorry. lis me that's both sorry and
ashamed =
''No, Bub; no. Bub," returned old
Cissel doggedly /" Tain't that away.
They sat in silence for long time.
The sleigh was turning in at the farm
gate, the moonlight was over every
thing, the glow from the window was
visible when old Cissel spoke again.
1--WE ain nary one of us sorry, Bub, "
be said fervently Its Thanksgivin.
We're both jest overpowerin glad. -
Washington Star.