Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-12-09
THE OLD "PALACE'
THANKSGIVING.

/ AIk1INhS0t
Some thirty years ago the little county
of Rock possessed no poorhouse; and ac-
cordingly its principal town, Milford, was
Obliged to open small home in which
! it might take care of those who were de-
pendent upon the town for their support
In the early history OF the place an
eccentric old Englishman had built a
house with large Spreading wings which
stood at the end and overlooking the
principal street of Milford. 1t was COW
cred on the outside with certain white
cement, and presented quite an imposing
! appearance, so much 50 that it was
styled she palace
As the years passed by the white ce-
ment grew discolored, and many other
homes much larger grew up about it;
but still "the palace" was. known by
name to all the inhabitants of the little
village. When the old Englishman died
he left "the palace as a home for the
POOR, on condition that old Tom and Ann
Danfurth should have the use of the two
front rooms so long as they lived. Tom
and Ann Danfurth had been the earliest
settlers in the county; but in middle life
Tom had been injured by tree falling
across one of his legs. From that time he
was never able to do any hard work, and
when, in the Civil war, his only son,
Charles, was drafted, and afterwards shot
as a deserter, old Tom and his wife were
helpless indeed But the proud old wom-
an took up the burden of caring for her
self and husband, and by washing and
scrubbing succeeded until she became so
badly crippled by rheumatism that she
could no longer wash or scrub. Then old
Mr. 0sgood died, and according to the
terms of his will, the old man and his
wife went to occupy The two front rooms
of the palace" while the town allowed
them certain amount per week for their
board
In the Methodist Sunday school of Mil
ford was a class of young girls ranging
from IA to lG years of age Harum-
scarum young things they were, full of
high spirits and fun, and looking upon
life as one round of good times. They
were not the least bit interested in the
missionary work of the church, nor in the
prayer or class meetings. There wasn't
any fun to be had in these things. Their
teacher in the Sunday school was a very
influential business man of Milford In
deed the class had asked for him to be
their teacher because they did not think
he would be over and above "pious" as
they styled it.
But John Mathews had that deeper
kind of piety that is without any show
of pretention; and in his heart was the
deepest longing to awaken these young
girls to a sense of their own responsible
ity in life and TO bring them into their
normal relation to their heavenly Father.
The leading spirit in the class was
Belle Rosebush. a bright-faced, merry
hearted girl, who saw the funny side of
everything and delighted in making it
clear to others. She would sometimes
keep the whole class in one constant gale
of merriment, while she, to all appear
ances, was doing absolutely nothing. John
Mathews had again and again talked
with the girl alone and again and again
had she promised to do differently, only
to relapse into some outrageous fun at
the slightest provoeation. But John
Mathews never lost heart; he knew that
she was the very kind of girl to make
the most helpful woman, if only she could
be awakened to see life in its true light,
guided in his relation to, and influence
over, this seemingly careless girl.
One day as he was sitting in his office
he heard the voice of old Ann Danfurth
in the front store, and an idea occurred
to him. 1t was nearing Thanksgiving
day and he would ask his Sunday
school class to provide for a Thanksgiv-
ing in the palace" He felt sure that
the idea would be pleasing to Belle Rose
bush who liked to do things that were
out of the ordinary, and he was right. for
she took hold of the plan with the great
est of enthusiasm and, as was her way.
declared that it should be carried out in
frst-class stvle
There We're at that time eighteen oc-
cupants of "the palace including old
Tom and Ann. The first thing that
Belle did was to go to the palace" to
interview the old lady who was extreme
~ sensitive on the question of her pov.
erty, ana whom she desired to give the
dinner. aunt Ann" everybody called
her that, I'VE girls have been thinking
that we would like to do something for
the Doane children and for poor old Mr..
and Mrs. Flett. and for crippled Sarah
timt, for You know she can't do any
thing for herself, and Mr. Robinson. too.
! We want to give them a Thanksgiving
dlnner but we cannot possibly do it un-
less You viii help us. Do YOU think
That You could possibly ask them to
come to your house to dinner. for You see
while we could furnish the food we
haven't any place in which to give the
dinner"
| The bright voung faco ,-o. al oo,