Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1902-11-27

''SaIly Cont Oe Il fool retorted Dor
othy sharply. But that habitual in
Junctiua for once failed OF its usually
reprcssive eject upon Sally's demon
strations Of emotion.
Il don't care what ysu say now,
Dorothy. | lSt must speak. I'm
heartbroSen. Five years ago there
were four leaves more in this table.
Reuben was with us then. dear boy!
oh, God knows where be In nswl And
50 was Rebecca-and, oh. the house
went away
Mistress Tredwell. with q nne afsc-
tation OF placid unconcern. went On
taking her soup. but the hand that
Lcld the spoon would trembie.
Sally went on: "You set your face
Ike n flint against Reuben marrying
the cirl he loved, and she was as good
a girl rs ever was only you must
needs try TO compel him TO take an
other Manlike. he did as he was q
mind To. sud you lost him. Only three
extra leaves were wanted IN the table
the next two Thank>Sivfnrs, Tnen
the same thing happened with Rebec-
81. Yo2 tried TO make her marry
David Purcell. who hadn't thing but
his money TO recommend him. and,
having like you. an lrcn will that
would rather break than bend. she
went Off. aud you've never heard sf
her since"
"You have" interrupted Dorothy.
with sudden nuSh Of color and q
flash I'm her eyes.
Yes. thank God, have. The dear
girl has written TO me again and again.
bat she made me promise on the Bible
that III never tell you a word about
her until you asked. and have you ever
asked1"
Dorothy closed her lips tightly.
NO. you haven't. and for all yeu
know she may have starved or gone
wrong"
And | do not ask now." firmly re
piled the obdurate mother.
Then two extra leaves were more
than enough for only Priscilla was
left And now she's gone. oh, you un-
happy woman. can you not see that
because they are your children you can
not drive thNmI'
May help you to some Of the tur-
keyT"
mo. Dorothy; can't eatF cried
Sally. bursting into tears and making
n precipitate retreat from the table.
Mistress Tredwell kept her seat, took
a slice Of the turkeys breast. helped
herself TO the cranberry jelly and nib
bicd stalk OF celery, but her eating
was only a pretense - pride's blum
against loneliness and misery. For
long time she sat motionless, staring at
vacancy until her eyes filled with tears,
which she dashed angrily away, On IL
ashamed OF them.
Two Thanksgivings went by upon
which there was no commemorative
dinner In the Tredwell mansion, and
third dawned with no happier promise.
As upon the morning after Priscilla
achieved her independence. the ground
was covered deeply by new fallen
snow, but this time It did not prevent
Mistress Dorothy Tredwell going to
church. Warmly wrapped. she went In
the cutter. driven by tho hired man
John.
Perhaps something In the sermon
toached the hard old woman's heart;
possibly the sight OF the happy fam
lies nlling the chuFch-familles swol-
len at this season to abnormal size by
the annual gathering of loved ones
from far and near-brought home to
her new realization Of the miserable
loneliness OF her old age. At all events.
Hhr was conscious OF suffering mental
ly ss she never had before. for at last
the doubt had risen IN her mind vheth-
CT her unhappy condition Was not OF
her own making instead OF mysteri-
Gus diSpensation OF Providence whsch
had afflicted her with exceptionally
,ts0hcisent and untcellng children. the
latter he,ng the view she had long eul-
uva,cd. 'lsrion sad forgive me. o
Go,l u tho fault has been mine" she
nlOSnc,l While walking slowly from the
gate o. her slo0gay aud eAecrlsss home.
SlgAing. xAe Upcnca' the front door
thea sssod tTauxaxei by sssosaishEncRt
u seemed to her that she heard schs
tAA W ktaN ssAA fAS>fNNA Afc&t> % S@-@@
,SA laaSA,eg. She stood tsccn'ng n
eOuNy,ns wonder. ycs The lauEAtx
tNS real ard WA u ainsl-c SISTER
Ssny's srre treeNe. pvSsstsag nsAy talk
,a I've psr3or, Csa;tecsly sAe gfseed ee
ara pccVce ssroaSA The accr, vascA
ssosa = t'ssae s9sr
Sasly sss nroa The scor, e~nrscsag q
.tarSay Saaaea AesNca tsstle cAsle tesRs
vs. N>staaS WA - at hands ec~
~getcgv,a essrcls sae laagAsSe ecu1Cy.
~Nrae.srea always eovee Acc Nectrr
sssa ~. 9S~ca ny eva az ~. -
ave- scsaeasly s>sgSas sae ArrE-y
3s.srSsss ~sesaAa ss sase aeex.
Ehra rs~~>. Ff.sarsssgs weN~e rua ef
a .isssass~'s se@erygsc-s ctaca sro-r t>se
sascra ssgs - sas rSsaa sSAil.s s>'s
'lalss ~NNene ssSs sssS - MAMMA.
&taSblh SVssrs sso~l"