Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-11-25

| killed a chicken
in her life-the
shI sLh" IhE WHILE sight of blood
made her faint
yet somehow she slew the white
rooster, and while his headless body
still contorted before her Mortified eyes
she returned to the roost and sacrificed
yet another victim.
She carried them to the house. She
J built roaring FIRE In her cooking
stove; she picked. cleaned and washed
the chickens and set them IN the cool
pantry, She went to the cellar and
brought up a pumpkin. That night
] she made pumpkin pies; she made
cookies and doughnuts; she got apples
from the garnet and cider from the
cellar
She built a fire in the drum stove in
Asa's room. She aired his bed and
warmed II with the old brass warming
pan. She made all ready for the COM
ing Of some one as she had made ready
five years ago.
1t was 3 o'clock when Jane Ward
went to bed, and the tired old woman
| fell Immediately into a deep, sound
sleep from which she did not awaken
until the morning was well advanced.
With undated vigor Jane prepared
her Thanksgiving dinner. The chick
ems were roasting In the oven; the
table In the dining room was spread
with q spotless cloth; the blue and
white dishes reflected the freight;
the sun shone on the glass dishes Of
currant jelly and turned them into
glowing rubies. Above all was the
Thanksgiving atmosphere.
Esther Pike tramped heavily into
the kitchen and stopped short at the
sight Of Jane Ward. Jane was peellng
vegetables. There were great golden
turnips, silver skinned onions. crisp
white potatoes, cracking spicy celery.
GOOD morning. Esther Pike" said
Jane kindly. 81 was afraid I'd scared
you away for good and all last night
/ hope you don't mind what a disap-
pointed old woman says out OF the
hardness of her heart"
Land, no" calculated Esther cor
daily. II am dreadful pleased you've
come to your senses, Jane Ward! Go
ing to have company to dinner" she
asked eagerly.
81 don't know" returned Jane sober
". "I'll have whoever the Lord sends
MY table is waiting for the hungry
and the needy"
Land, it makes me hungry to smell
oil your good things" returned Esther
meaningly.
"You staying with Ann?" asked Jane
abruptly.
Eyes: we're going to have roast pork
and apple sauce"
THAT amt to be Gespised," returned
Jane
~ thought you wasn't going to keep
Thanksgiving no more, Jane Ward"
said Esther presently. with a keen
glance at the old woman.
II wasn't going to till l got to think
Ing things over, and l made up my
mind l would keep IT every year"
said Jane slowly. while her faded eyes
flled with tears.
well, l guess III be going along.
Seems too bad IL nobody comes along.
You'd have a lot of victuals on your
hands" said Esther. rising and peer
Ing into the well filed pantry.
~ guess somebody II come along
before night" replied Jane. III there
don't, the food won't be wasted"
Maybe III come over tomorrow"
remarked Esther. with a pickering
hope in her eyes. Perhaps I'll come
over and bring my khitting."
DO" said Jane, without enthusl-
asm.
She carried an armful Of wood up
stairs and filed the drum stove IN
Asa's room. 1t made a CHEEKY roar
as the flames leaped up the chimney,
and Jane listened with rapidly beat.
ing heart. 1t did seem as though Asa
must be coming. Everything bore
such an old familiar look. The cold
loneliness of the later years had slip
ped away, and 1t needed only the trm,
light step bounding up the stairs 10
wipe out all those bleak years and
bring back the warm, beautiful past
Captain Smith rolled down the street
toward the station. He turned once
and watched a rabbit scuttling across
the road, and his mouth watered as
be thought of the delectable rabbit pie
that was browning in the Smith oven
ct that moment.
When he faced about again he stared
into the eyes Of a stranger-no, not
stranger, but ghost, for the sea does
not give up her dead. SO 1t must be a
ghost!
A hard hand on his shoulder, a IA
miliar voice ringing in his ears--the
hand and voice Of Asa Ward! But
Asa Ward was dead!
"Hello, captain! Tell nae how my dear
cid mother Is. I haven't heard a word
IL years, and I've written. God knows
! have written Tears fell down Asa |
Wards bronzed cheeks and splashed
upon the hands which were tightly |
clasped 10 Captain SDIth's
"She's all right, boy" wheezed the
captain joyfully. now fully convinced
that the substantial bands he held
were not ghostly ones. but she's
grieved herself most to death II viii |