The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-20
PHILIP LATT|MER'S
THANKSGIVING
Continued from First Page

ago.
"O-ah--yes. that little beggar. No,
don't know-hi. Jim, ever see that little
scrub that was in here jest now buyin'
scrap meat:'
Jim laughed easily.
"See her every mornin' an night.
Lives 'longside me- Mas died an there's
a whole raft o young uns. Pas u viper
down to the yards-he's in the horspital
Got pretty nigh wiped out!''
The proprietor turned to his customer
with n wave of his hand. There YOU
have it, Sir-whole story" he smiled.
"Yes, yes-the whole story" reoelted
Philip Lattimer. absently. Already his
interest in the little episode had waned.
That evening a curious whim seized
him to go out into the kitchen and watch
Biggs dress the turkey. He had been
pacing restlesSly up and down-up and
down, till he could bear the monotony
no longer. And certainly he could no,
bear TO sit still.
Biggs was whistling gloomily over his
work. The great turkey reared its plump
SIDE from the drippings on the table. TIC
Philip Lattimer's suddenly awakened
imagination the dents of solft little
prodding fingers were visible in it. Miner
vy's-Patsy 's-S'lome's baby's-he
saw them all. Biggs' great hand rested
for a minute on the birds side, as hi
piled needle back and forth across the
breast, and new dents appeared. The
new ones and the old We're much alike,
but Philip Lattimer refused TO see the
resemblance He had remembered sud
Only the whole strange little scene OF the
afternoon. 1t built itself anew out of the
Pickering shadows of the little kitchen
and rehearsed itself before him, uninvi-
ted He was watching the row Of up
lifted lean, eager little faces again
choosing the big 'un' among the dang
ling uncomely turkeys.
Il choose the big un,' the commander
in-chief was shrilling in his ears.
THE big 'un. the big 'un.' all the
shrill voices were crying. Then he saw
them stretching up on tiptoe to touch the
big 'un's fat sides-there We're the little
dents they made now.
And last of all in the little drama of
shadows he saw the look of keen re-
sentiment on Minervy's face and heard
her cry Indignantly. Whats the good
O. maxim blieve if you amt fair?' That
was when the child. Salome. had looked
back wistfully at the big 'un dangling
still above her head Poor little Lots
wife! Her faith had not been equal to
the cruel strain upon it. Making believe
a Thanksgiving"
'Biggs," Philip Lattimer said, alb
ruptly.
.'That's me, Mister Philup.'
Ibid you ever make believe anything
in your life?"
mo, / never"
Then of course you never made be-
lieve a Thanksgiving?
Biggs looked around quickly. The
lamplight on his face showed the hints
of slow, serious smile. Il never, Mis-
ter Philip. There's them that has," he
said, gently.
Philip Lattimer smiled gravely, too
''Yes, yes, Biggs, there's them that has
There are men and little children, and
who knows how many more? It's hard
work making believe, Biggs."
Yes, Mr.. Philup."
Biggs' voice quayered with something
that, beginning like sob, ended in a
queer, uncanny whistle In whistles
Bggs found vent for all his warm emo
tions.
In the stillenss that followed Philip
Lattimer slipped away to his room and
his books and haunting memories.
Three years-three years it had been
since he had brooded there alone-shut
ting himself out of human fellowship
and the softening influences of it. Il
had been three years since he and q
light heart parted ways.
Tonight the heavinesS weighed upon
him more than ever. He could not stiht
it in books as Sometimes-it could not bt
stifed. After while he gave up the at
tempt and loosed the bars of restraint
and let his grief have its own way. Why
not? Why not?
Biggs crept along the hall on his way
to bed, and stopped at his masters
room as usual to see if all was well
The door stood little ajar and hC
peered in.
20, lordy. O, lordy" he cried. in
wardy, with a tug at his heartstrings
Hes at it ag'in! He's got the pictur's
all out, an that's the sign. He's at il
ag'in-Lord, Lord, amt there no endg'
Biggs was on his knees, and NIGH
have been praying. The tears were roll
ing down his creased brown cheeks
Through the opening chink of ligh
escaped. and made bar across hi!
face. Within he saw Philip Lattimel
sitting with bowed head before little
row of pictures on the table He haC
set them up before him with great care
hers first, then PHILLIPS, then Com
forts, and then the little ones. The
sweet still faces regarded him serenely
there was no grief no heartbreak il
them, as there was in his. Now and
again he put out his hand and smoothed
one of the faces-hers oftenest. The
room was perfectly still, except for the
terrible, dry sobs in the mans throat.
20, Lord! o, Lordv' moaned poor
Biggs in his stricken heart. He
crouched there in the dark hall. with
the bar of light athwart his homely
working features-grieving his masters
grief. 1t was all the grief he had ever
known, but it broke his heart.
Lord, Lord, couldn't you a took 'em
one to a time--one to q time. Lord? He
might a got over it. Look at him
in there, touchin' the faces-now he's
touchin the Little Un's. Look at the
Little I'm smilin' back! An she's a
smilin', too-they're all a-Smilin but
him. He's maxim them awful sounds
in his throat. o, Lord, ! do know but