Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-25
Thanksgiving at Brook Farm
BY Emily Grant Hutchings

snapped her eyes blazing with sudden
anger ITS all from Twin with that low
down Dan Ellls that's made you 50 sassy.
You used to be the most LADY like girl in
Miszourah. It's jest ~ I allus said. Evil
communications corrupt Eood manners
it's exactly what I alus said you'd come
10. sassy, poverty-strlcken drudge. And
now him gone or to the city to have
spree and leave you here alone on the
farm!"
ITO have what" Kittys eyes were a
match for her mothers now, the FIRE Of
Indignation blazing within their blue
depths.
Spree, s-p-r-doub,e-e, that the way you
spell It," and the thin voice was vibrant
with sarcasm. You kin keep your troubles
from some folks, but you can't fool your
mother. Can't I sec how you look?
know it's worrying over the way Dams
been acting that's usin YOU up so. But
you'd starve before you'd come down often
your high horse an so back home, which
I'D serve him right"
Kitty was too angry to speak. She only
clutched her baby to her bosom and grltted
her teeth. Her silence goaded her mother
20 further tsunts.
An to think of poor Henry Hargis
lovin' you to this day, an ownn' his farm
clear Of debt. and share Of the bank
In town"
LAS for farms clear OF debt. he amt got
none the best OF Dan on that head. We've
lost a lot Of money the three years we've
been married, but we amt gone In debt
fur things we couldn't AFFORD" Kitty's
head was in the air and her voice quivered
with righteous indignation. It stirred all
the antagonism in her nature to have her
rejected sutton thrust in her face.
"All very well to talk; but I know two
people couldn't live on nothin', and the
baby and all. That takes money, and the
Lord knows, Dan Ellis amt got mono to
spare except what he blows in fur gam
bling and whisky"
That's a downright story, ma, and you
know II u.s. Dan hasn't never touched n
drop since we've been married. and lie
hasn't never handled a card nor gone 70
a horse race"
Good reason why" there was positive
triumph in the mothers tone. He had
his nose to the grind-stone so hard he
couldn't git away. And whisky aud cards
takes money, and as l was sayin, the
Lord knows, Dan Ellis amt got none"
"Then thank the Lord for the grind
stone. It's made a man of my Danny. as
all the prosperity in the world wouldn't
ha' done l been tellin' him It was sent
on us fur some good purpose. Only the
other night he said he'd got so clean
weaned away from the boys that he
couldn't stand their foolishness. By-the-
way, ma" there was a sudden change
from the note of gratitude to one of keen
change sarcasm in her voice, at was your
angel Of a Henry Hargis that invited Dan
to go over to Taylor's saloon and join
in a game Of poker for the drinks. Dan
didn't stop but about ten minutes, and
the only reason he went I'm there was
to see old man Taylor about that par
titlon fence; but he did help to put Henry
in his wagon, dead drunk, when he was
on his way home that night"
Yes, that's Dams way of telln' the
story. Henry says It was him that put
Dan in the wagon, and ia believe Henry
any day again Dan Ellis word, and 80
would everybody In the county Dan has
got the reputation OF a drunkard and a