The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-29
MEG,s THANKSGIVING.

Meg sat upon low stool by the VIM
dow with sad little pucker on her pref
ty face.
Near by sat Mrs. Thompson. Meg 6
mother, sewing away, for times were
hard, and with father away off doing
duty in the Philippines, the pale little
mother had to stitch steadily day after
day to keep the tiny home in compare
tive comfort
when did you say father might come
home. mother?" The question was ask
ed tiInidly, for there had been so many
disappointments.
81 hope he will-be with us at Thanks
giving time, DEAR A sigh was stitched
into the long seam, and Meg did not no.
tice it.
Mother" the low voice had a sugges-
ton of a sob in it. ST had a beautiful
plan, but am afraid. must give it up"
'Never mind, dearie, there are other
plans, you know, and you are only ten
years Old
But this was such beautiful PLAN 1
was saving my pennies Tor Thanks
giving turkey. I was going to surprise
you and dear. dear daddy. had rs cents
in my bank. I began, oh, dreadfully
long ago, but I had to take the money,
and now there is not a single cent. !"
There was no mistake about the sob this
time.
what have you done with the money,
daughter?' Mrs. Thompson lay down
her work and drew Meg closer.
.sWhy-wlly-'' with an effort at self.
control, I'VE had to have some blank
books and pads at school, and 1 Just
would not ask you, and-and-I bought
them myself, and / hate them, for / did
want the turkey so. 1 wanted a truly
Thanksgiving dinner, for l know father
hasn't had one since he went away, and,
of course, you cannot afford one, mommy
darling, and so, and so" The curly
head went down in the mothers lap and
Meg had a good cry.
.-Now, never mind, dearie," said man.
ma at last. you are brave little SOL
der girl, worthy of dear soldier-daddy
and / am SO proud of you that nothing
else can make me cry just now
Listen. have plan We may not
be able to fill the bank with money for
Thanksgiving feast, but we can do
something better. Every time that we
have anything to be really thankful about
we will write 1t upon a slip of paper and
put it In the bank If father should be
with us when we expect him, we will
open the treasure bank together and
I think it will make him gladder than
anything else to know we had SO many
blessings when he was far away. Now,
bring the bank, dearie, must slip in a
thankful thought just now. I am thank
full for my brave, unselfish little girl
Meg's tears were dried as if by magic,
and she ran and brought the little iron
bank to her mother.
"Why, l could fill it right up she
laughed merrily, when I come to think,
I have heaps to be thankful for
So that was the beginning, and many
were the white slips that found their
way into the Thanksgiving bank.
One, the very best of all, had these
words upon 1t:
Daddy has really started for home.
I am the gratefulest girl in the United
States!''
Meg wrote very well for such small
girl, but her happiness made her hand
tremble over those words. Nov, about
three weeks before Thanksgiving, she
had wonderful experience. It was a
warm day and her mother had given her
permission to go for walk III the park,
which was not far away. Why she took
the bank with her upon the walk Meg
really did not know; perhaps she expect
ed to have thankful thing happen lat
must be recorded al once, who can tell?
But she took the bank and pencil and
paper. Suddenly, while she was running
along the leaf-strewn path, she heard
music; low, sad music; that somehow
brought tears to her merry eye She
ran to the Noad nearby and there, bass
ing slowly, was a long funeral process
sion, and by the flags and soldiers in uni
form, Meg knew that "comrade she