Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-11-26
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
Charles Thanksgiving
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~ NE year ago, Charlie had come

~ NE year ago, Charlie had come to
vi the city to make his fortune. He
was fond Of farming and farm
stock; but they We're slow means to
wealth. He would so to the city for the
fortune, and would then come back and
purchase the best farm in the vicinity,
and have fine horses and big meadows
and-envious neighbors.
He was standing on street corner.
with hands thrust deep down into his
pockets, and wearing the same clothes
he had brought from home. But the
clothes were soiled and worn threadbare
and shiny, and the shoes We're unblacked,
and the hat hacking part of its brim; and
long ago he had discarded such extras
as collars and cuffs. The fingers of one
hand played idly with his two last half
dollars, both of which were owed for
the poor little room he rented on ono of
the back streets; and the other fingers
touched several pawn tickets, which he
had no expectation of rcdecmng. In
deed, he was wondering duly il there
were anything else in his trunk which
could be pawned.3 He had had no break
rast, and there was no prospect for II
dinncr-and this was Thanksgiving.
A few yards away, a street boy was
sitting oil II dry goods box, swinging
his bare feet industriously to the tune
he was whistling. But his eyes were
fixed oil the listlcss figure of his neigh
Dor.
Say, country" he called, suddenly,
what YOU thinkin' of?D
Charlie flushed, but did not answer.
Come, don't make an owl O. YOUR
self, the boy went OH: there's nothin'
in this world to fret over Look hero !"
swinging his legs upon the box: ..no
clothes to spare, an what there is mint
much for cold weather: an my Jackets
lost an arm. an my shirt most o. one
shoulder; an Furthermore" pausins to in
dulgc in another bar of the street ditty
he was whistlins, II amt had no break
fast. an only cold pertater for sumner
last night; an still amt 10 split milk
to cry over" His legs swung back into
space and beat lively accompaniment
to- the conclusion of the tune. Then he
looked at Charlie.
Now, what's broke with you ~ he de-
manded. You amt stalled, an you've
got shoes OH your feet"
but can't eat my Shoes" Charlie
retorted; land the two pieces OF money
have left are to pay for my room. And
Nhu "hat Nopse III Oul OIL 1OD
'Twasn't much-swceping out oifices--but
1t meant room and something to cat"
The street boy stopped drumming and
looked at him with more interest.
lis sort O. bad" he acknowledged:
an You bein' from the country an know
In nothin' makes it worse. What'd you
come for?"
why. to get rich, of course" Charlie
answered, what does any one come to
the city fory'
Huh" derisivcly. "an' here I've been
lookin' ahead to goin' into the country
to get rich. Say, do you have fellers like
ME, an like that crowd on the sidewalk,
up in your country"
Charlie looked at him. and then at
the half-dozcn disrcputable men who
We're smoking in front of saloon OPP
positc, and the two or three women sort
Ing over an ash barrel, and the sqialil,
dirty-faced children playing and fighting
along the gutter, and answered, with an
expression of disgust:
sNo. indeedr'
II thought so. Then the country's the
richest an best place." He looked at
Charlie little cnviously.
Say, you got horses an cows an dogs
an chickens. an pa an ma, an green
grass an ,ishin' up there?" he demanded.
'Of course" with eager recollection
in his voice; land miles and miles of
woods where We so after chestnuts and
grapes in the fall. and big ponds to skate
on in the winter"
''An' you run away from them-for
this?" snatching his fragment of cap and
hurting it into the gutter as expressive
of his unutterable disgust. Then be
stood upon the box and stretched himself
to his full height, raising his hand as
though to invoke benediction.
My son." he sad, solemnly, 'go home
an eat the fatted calf an your ma
doughnuts. larry not. Hasten to pas
lures new where the calves flourish as