Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1903-11-25
A THANKFUL
THANKSGIVING

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- DON'T feel as if I should enjoy this
Thankggivin'," said Mrs. Joel Mis-
- bett, looking down into the basket OF
aaoany. red checked Spitzenbergs as II II
%mra a family vault and taking up an
arnnlo nm II it had been q skull; no, 1
don't"
aATher, Sarepta," observed her hus-
hand, who had just thrown huge log
an ana omen fire, "you don't disarn moth
ln' 10 be thankful for! It's as harnsome
a burkey az ever tapped, and don't
kn0w Of q year when I've had nicer
pumpkins on that ar corn lotl
"Nrain't turkey or pumpkin pies OF
.v~.,,hayrv sass AS makes THANKSGIVING,
SIGHED Mrs. Nisbett.
ssWhat In It. then? Eff it's cold wealth
eP. I should ha' thought the last frost
would ha' done the business tor you
pretty fairly. Them artemisias Dy the
front door is scorched black, and the Ola
maple Is losin' its leaves as II they was
raanin' down. Parson Jarvis Is conan
all the way from Sloatesville to preach
tomorrow, and the Quire's larned pran
new anthem just a-purpose, ABOUT PEN
thankful for harvest and all that sort OF
thing. I'm sure I don't know what else
you'd have"
Mrs. Nisbett only answered by sign.
II wonder If faint possible Stephe Il
he hum tonight" SHE said after a pause.
He writ not. He thought he'd drop
IN arly tomorrow mornin' II he caugnt
the train he expected. Only think, old
woman; bts FIVE years since Stephe was
hum to Thanksgivin'!
Old Nisbett rubbed his horny hands,
with "A chuckle, adding:
"And | s'pose, if all accounts is true,
he's getttn' to be a great man out In
that western country. It was kind or
hand null when he went off and lett US,
but maybe the boy was in the right"
+1Tes," said Mrs. Nisbctt dolorously,
asbnh somehow ] can't get reconciled to
the idea OF his marryin' a strange gal
out there"
Joel scratched his head. This was
phase Of the subject that he scarcely
felt competent to discuss.
MAYBE you'll like her. Stephen says
she's a nice gal"
"gtephen says! AS If q man over head
and ears In love wouldn't say anything
al wish he'd told us who she was
Mrs. Nisbett groaned again. Joel went
ont to tho woodpile, the everyday shrine
whence he generally derived what little
OF Dhilosophic inspiration he had.
'Mm. Nisbebt!"
II was a soft little voice, and the old
lady's face relaxed instinctively as 1t
sounded on her ears.
'AWhy, Ida Tremaine-'tain't you!
at Is. I've done everything that Aunt
Constance wanted, and now I've just run
over to see if you don't need a bit OF
help"
She stood in the doorway, fair little
apparition, all flushed and rosy with the
Noysmber wind, while her blue eyes
vparkled as If they were twin sapphires
hidden away under her long, dark lashes.
She was neither blond nor brunette, but
a fresh checked girl, with nut brown
hair. skin like the leaf of damask rose,
straight, refined nose and lips as ripe
ma a red crabapple though Dy no means
.o sour. Generally she had a demure
aor+ OF gravity lingering about her face,
Aut when she did laugh a dimple came
emit npon her cheek and a row Of pearly
aseth glimmered instantaneously.
I'm enc hand she carried q bunch OF
late NNVuDn uoNeIs'
Seer she cried, holding them up. Il
xansneked Aunt ConStance's garden for
cheese. knew that big vase on the man
tai needed something, and, with a branch
or 30 OF scarlet leaves, I'll have royal
bouquet to help you keep Thanksgiving
Mrs NiSbett took the fair oval face
between her two hands and kissed the
fresh little mouth.
Set down, Ida" she said. Il wasn't
M-rnlculatin' to have no sech fxin's up,
bne you've sech a way, child, l can't
never say no to you"
"But you're going to keep Thanksgiv-
iag," cried Ida, throwing off her outer
wrappings and dancing up to the looking
glass like q little gale of wind, because
yen invited Aunt Constance and me to
dinner and because your son is coming
horRe"
"Yes, child, yes" said Mrs. Nisbett,
SHbsBding once more into the mournful
kay GSom which Lidas sudden appear
aHeS had momentarily aroused her
"JcePs got the turkey shut up in coop,
ana Ehe bakin'S done, and I'm just a-hx-
Id Rhem apples, and"
"OA, Oh" cried Ida, who had fut.
tsrra to tbs window, what glorious red
lsSvss speckled over with little drops Of
gclnl May make some wreaths for the
wAll2 Oh, please say yes"
hfea. Nssbett said "yeb"-it would have