Middletown transcript., 1905-11-25

"Whoa, whoa" a voice from behin
was shouting, and the old ladies came t
themselves enough to know that th
horse, feeling sundry jerks on the lines
supposed he was to go ahead, and forth
with started down the road. The prett.
girl, half dazed by the unceremoniou
push she had received, started after
breathlessly pursuing the runaways til
finally her voice penetrated the ears 0
the beast, and he stopped short, waiting
for further instruction.
''Pretty business this; getting me tt
find Ann Smith, and then running of
with her and leaving your own daughterP
''The horse started"
81 should think he would if you llad
the lines that way" and she pointed tt
them lying loose at their feet. Ann Smitl
wiped her eyes on clean white apron
because she couldn't find her handker
chief, and Martly spoiled her new gloves
in the same way. Then both laughed.
SIS that your daughter? Land, guess
most pushed her over. Le' me git out
an I'll turn the horse round an she ken
ride back. Hev' we come fur ~
"You sit still. I'm going to lead the
horse back. No telling where you will
go if don't watch vou," but her own
eyes were full Of tears as she laughed.
''Now you set down an tell me bout
it," said Ann, after the horse had been
put in the barn and the visitors had set
tied themselves in the kitchen, because,
as Ann said, ''the' was fire in that room
an it took week to warm the parlor
through. We used ter call it the North
Pole amigo explorin' till we mos froze."
"Wal, I got er letter sayin' Will couldn't
come home for Thanksgivin', and then |
got another one sayin' Janet's boys, both
of 'em, was down with the whooping'
cough and none OF them could come; an
then, ter crown all, David wrote that he'd
got to 60 West on business fer his employ
er, an he'd got ter 60 right off, an he
wouldn't be back ter Thanksgivin', an
then l sed l didn't know what we'd do.
We amt never had no time like this be-
fore. We'd always had SOM er the family
Thanksgiyin'; an there We was, jest Ann
an me-she's named for you. Ann Smith.
Her father named Janet fer his mother,
an let him; but when she come, said
her name was picked out when l was a
little girl and twas Ann"
She's awful pretty ter be named fer
me. 1 amt much ter look at" said Ann
Smith, gazing at the fresh face and smil-
ing eyes.
'tOh, yes you are you have lovely
eyes, and your hair waves. I like it. l
wish you would let me call you Aunt
Ann. Mamma has told ME so much
about yon that feel as if YOU belonged
to me someway."
'I wisht you would. 1 do SO. / amt
got nobody now but Marthy."
"And me-" added her namesake.
"Yes, and you, eff you'll hev me-"
"Wal, you see the dinner was most
ready. The turkey was roasted, and the
pork was done, and the cake and pies and
everything; the nuts ctacked, and it did
seem as if couldn't have it so, and then
Ann she said twas er special Providence,
I'd been talkin' bout goin' ter see Ann
Smith every year and 1 hadn't never
come, and she said ter take the things
and we'd drive out, and then wouldn't
be er frettin' bout the horse bein' taken
care Of, and she said you'd be glad ter see
me, and if you couldn't accom- date US
we'd 60 on ter some hotel but Land O.
Goshen, guess from the way"
"Wal, 1 guess you won't go ter no hotel
while the's er bed in this house."
''The' amt er thing changed, is the ?"
"Where's the tree, mamma? Is that
il ?" said Ann, pointing to the chestnut
standing grand in its loneliness.
Eyes, that is it." Then seeing the
shadow that appeared ON her mates face,
she asked anxiously "What is it, Ann?'
"You won't think it's very much but
I've got to sell it, and it's jest like partin'
weth one O. my friends. Squire Bakers
offered me fifty dollar for it, and he says
it's morn it's wuth but it's wuth mil |
lions ter me, and more"
"What makes you let it 60 ?"
II got to-it-I got to-jes got to, and
thet's all the is to it. can't talk about
it. Let's be happy while you're here"
"Tell me about some Of the good times
you and mamma used to have here. ]
should like to live here, know. Tell
me about your parties, and how you
made house out Of two sheets tied over
that low branch"
The tall clock struck twelve that night |
before they said a word about bed, and |
then in great haste the candles were
lighted, Ann declaring she preferred a
candle to the oil-lamp offered her. She
liked old fashions and she knew mamma
did.
All three women tramped to the barn |
a lantern with them, to look at |
Prince standing as much at home in the |
narrow stall and munching hay as if he |
had always lived on just such sweet
meadow grass.
ITS showing, sure as you live. We
shall have white Thanksgiving after |
all. You said it would, and we'd better
not come but | don't care, and hope |
We shall be showed in, don't you, Aunt |
Ann p and the merry girl took the Ian
tern and ran on ahead to light the way
for her followers.
Now and then fake was flying in
deed, it did not seem as if there was any |
danger at present OF their being showing
in but when Ann drew aside the cur
tain Thanksgiving morning, she uttered |
an exclamation OF pleasure, for far and |
l. II