Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-11-29

Len EN- IL De III us SOOu Us We TEND
ed to the turkey"
Lucinda went into the sitting room
to receive the guests. The air was full
of kindly greetings and good wishes as
she shook hands with the newcomers.
They seemed to have brought the very
spirit of Thanksgiving with them.
Where's Marthay asked Sister Sa-
rah almost as soon as handshaking
was over. 81 want to see her about
somethin the worst way. In the kitch-
en-? Well, then, I'll go right in. You
stay here an see to the children, Gin
dy, while I'm gone"
''For the lans sake~ cried Martha as
Sarah appeared in the kitchen door.
"How do you do, an how's all the
folks?"
"Quite well, thanky," responded Sa-
rah, with proper politeness. which was
instantly put aside as soon as the door
was closed behind her and the two
were alone. Martha Pettibone, I've
got some news for you. You can't
guess who came to our house las
night?"
"Elder Hogaboom," ventured Mar
tha.
"Elder Hogaboom, indeedF' exclaim-
ed Sarah. 81 knew you'd get way Off
You'd never think of the right person.
Twas Robert Grant!'
"For goodness sakev' cried Martha.
"Air you reely in earnest, sary? 1t
don't seem as If it could be so. Cindy
an was a-talkin about him yesterday
an wonderin what had become of
him."
''Yes, tits So" answered Sarah, "an
he's there now. We tried to coax him
to come over with us, but he said he
didn't knows 'twould be agreeable, but
he'd like to the worst way. jest know
he was thinkin of Cindy all the time.
Now, / want to know if you have any
idea she'd care if he should come. l
thought I'd ask you fore l said any
thing to her. Martin, he told John not
to put the team out till he knows, an,
if it would be agreeable, he's goin right
back after Robert"
81 reckon she'd be glad to have him
come" said Martha. "Oh, Sary, meb-
be it'll all turn out right yet Who
knows? He-he amt married, is he?"
mo, he amt, an don't b'lieve he
ever will be if Cindy don't have him"
answered Sarah. "He blames himself
for what happened He jest the same
as told me so. Call her in an ask her
if she's willin he should come"
"Cindy, come in here mint, won't
you?" called Martha, in a flutter of de-
lightfuI excitement. Dear me, Sary,
1 feels if somethin was goin to hap
pen! Wouldn't it be jest splendid if
they should make up?"
"What's wantedg' asked Lucinda
"Cindy," said Martha as solemnly
as if about to inform her of some
body's death, somebody's come back"
Lucinda started. and her cheeks grew
pale. She opened her mouth to speak,
but no words came.
''He's over to Martins. and Sary
wants to know if you'd find any fault
with hayin him come over to eat
Thanksgivin dinner with us. 1t don't
seem jest right to let him spend such a
day there alone, does itf'
"Why shouldn't he Gomez" said Lu-
cinda. But it hardly seemed to either
of the women as if she spoke to them.
Indeed it hardly seemed to her, as she
stood there face to face with the fact
that after many years her old lover
had come back, as if she was not alone
with that one thought.
"Oh, Tn so glad" cried Sarah. 'I'll
run right out an tell Martini
Lucinda ran up to her chamber to
think it all over alone. AS she shut the
door she heard the sound of bells, and,
looking out, she saw Martin driving
swiftly up the hill road on his friendly
errand. How the bells rang!
He had come backl He was coming
there! She would see him again, would
hear his voice and feel his hand clasp
ing hers as in the old days when they
met each other after these long years
of separation! AS in the old days?
Perhaps not There might have been
changes of which she knew nothing.
But they could at least meet as friends.
Suddenly Il sense of all the sorrow
these vanished years had held seemed
to force itself upon her as she had
never comprehended it before. and she
laid her head down on the window sill
and cried. By and by she aroused her
self.
'sThis will not do" she said as she
looked at herself in the glass. She al
most stared at the face she saw there.
1t was not like the face she had seen
there this morning. This face seemed
almost radiant
The clock was striking II when John
| junior sang out that Uncle Mart is
comm back, an there is man with
him."
There was general stampede Of
| youngsters for the front door. Lucinda
felt a wild impulse to run away. But
| she did not. Martha and Sarah helped
! her to pass the ordeal of the next few
minutes by being very demonstrative
and talkative, thus drawing attention
| from her. She saw Robert Grant come
into the room; she saw him shaking
hands with all the grown folks and
smiling at the wondering eyed chill
dren and was dimly conscious of an
idea that it would take him years and
| years to get across the room to where
she stood. Then all at once Martha
spoke and said
"An here's Cindy. She's glad. with
| all the rest of us, to see you back, Rob
| crt," and then she felt her hand clasp
ed close In Roberts hand once more
/ and heard him say:
| "I'm glad to see you"
Only a few simple words. but they
/ might mean so much or so little.
| When they were seated at the dinner
| table, Martin happened to notice all at
once that Lucinda didn't look familiar.
| 'Why, Cindy, what's become Of moth
er's breas'ping' he asked. Il hain't
seen you 'thout lit afore .sence | can re-
member"
sT don't know what has become Of
| It." answered his sister. Il lost it yes
terday. I'd give anything if / could
find it."
| Just at this juncture the pumpkin
pies were brought in.
"These are Cindy's pies,' said Mar
tina. "When I've said that, I know
vo1I'I want neoe"