Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1899-11-25

church and a sumptuous dinner in the town
hall. And if anybody desired to finish up
the overflow of thankfulness by tripping the
feet to rhythm of Uncle Jake's violin, whyl
the tables would be cleared In season and
preparations made.
In due time the day set apart by the pres
tdent of the United States and the people
of Orne arrived. The conventional ''sift of
snow" was punctually on hand. Nature had
doubled on her former efforts and the merry
jingling of sleighbells gave ''an extra" to
the occasion.
Everybody was hilariously glad; even
Aunt Marcia smiled religously and hummed
Praise God, from Whoman blessings how,"
as she ambled from pantry to kitchen and
from kitchen to dining overseeing the
packing of baskets and dishes destined for
the hall.
"She's humming the doxology," comment
ed Lena to her usual invisible audience, "X
would not be surprised If she went to serv-
ices"
But Aunt Marcia did not 90 to church.
Things had to be looked after at the hall
and she'd just as lief do it as not"
Its all right" she said to Lena. I'm
keep an eye on the victuals. meant to go
to services, but one can't get hold of the
worship part when the worry part has hold
of them, can they? And can't bear hypoc-
risy. But" she added, confdentially, you
see if Mrs. Marion has a new bonnet, and
whether the Allison girls wear their new
gray silks. They probably won't be at the
hall, for they have home dinner"
Having charged her niece thus, she moved
away on festivities intent Lena shut the
hall door with little more than usual vigor,
her thoughts about evenly divided between
the one hundred and third Psalm and Aunt
Marcia's devotion
After services, and just as Lena had fin
3shed making mental note of the fact that
Mrs. Allison wore her old bonnet, but that
the Allison girls were arrayed in the afore-
said new silks, Nell Worden pulled her
sleeve.
How do you like the new phase of Orne' 5
Thanksgiving" she asked, all animation
What new phase~ and Lena tried to be
interested
"Why," rejoined Nell, brushing snow
fake or two from her wrap, you see, Dea-
con Amnesty said it would give the occasion
a genuine, thankful turn to have an expert
ence meeting, and everybody enumerate all
the blessings they could recall for the year
that made them distinctly thankful. Didn' t
you hear the pastor mention the new fea-
ture, of the after-dinner programme.
''No," confessed Lena IT guess l was
laughing and coloring little.
''Oh, Lena" cried Nell, you are provok.
ingi''
''Well," said Lena, ct confess feel just
that way inside of me. But 1 shall remember
my mercies,' dear, so don't set offended"
A vision of the blue china rose jar came
sweetly across the provoking current, and
Lena felt condemnation for not having be-
gun the day as she had meant to all the
year, by counting the slips of paper and be-
ing thankful all over again" She was
afraid her thankfulness was little better than
Aunt Marcia's, after ALL
1--WE have drifted right into it." laughed
Nell as they stood together in the impromptu
ante-room of the hall. They were busy put
ting on dainty white caps and aprons tc
match. II did not want to wait on the
table to-day" and the laugh faded into some
thing ike discomfort on the pretty face
II should think not" Lena was absently
running -A-knoWx- apron string through her