Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1908-11-20

Just occurred to him, though one might
have known by the troubled expression
of his kindly face that it had beer for
some time under silent consideration.
He was putting the finishing touches
of keenness with a milestone to an ak
that he held on his knee.
Looking at Jacob with Indifferent in
terest was a boy of fourteen years.
who sat curved to a restful attitude
with his feet On the round of the low.
splint bottomed chair, his elbows Oh
his knees, his chin in his hand, thank
full that the labor of turning the grind
stone was accomplished.
At one of the two windows which
lighted the room, STOPPING a little, with
her hands on its ledge, stood the mid
die aged woman whom Jacob addressed.
why. so it's T~hanksgivin'. father!!''
she exclaimed, her tone assembling
surprise more artfully than her face.
which she did not yet venture to turn
to him, for she knew that there We're
tears IN her cheeks.
Since she and Jacob were married
all their T~hanksgivings had been spent
In the homely comfort of the ''old
place." as they always called their
late home on the hundred acre farm.
Almost a year g they were forced
to give it up because Jacob had sign
ed the notes of a specializing friend.
House, farm and stock went to pay
another mans debts, and Jacob was
left penniless on the verge of old age,
with a wife as old as he, an invalid
daughter and a son scarcely old enough
to earn his own living. 1t did not
console him to remember Bently's as
surance as the Spectator set forth
with undated faith in quest of fresh
fields.
Never you fear, Jacob, OF man. I'll
fix things all right yet" Bently had
said.
Jacob bore his changed fortune pa
tiently and set himself to earn what
he could by day labor for the support
of his family. He was faithfully aid
ed by his wife and their invalid
daughter, who was cunning with her
needle. More than by aught else he
was cheered by the brave spirit with
which his wife bore their misfortune.
never offering him the cold consola-
ton of II told you So"
She covertly wiped her cheeks with
the corner of her apron and turned
from the window.
Eyes, it s~artainly is, an l hain't got
anything ready fort. only some pump
kin pies"
"Waal," said Jacob, pumpkin pies
is jest the thing for Thanksgivin'."
o course they be, but they kinder
want somethin' to help 'em out, seems
though. An we hain't got a thing per-
vided, only pork an potatoes"
"An' onions" Jacob ssuggested.
"Why," said the daughter, lifting her
pale, patient face, lighted with a smile.
from her sewing, with pork fried as
mother fries it, an such potatoes as
we've got, an onions an pumpkin pies,
I don't know what better anybody need
ask for. I'm sure we can be thankful
with it an for it."
You're always thankful" said her
mother. Thankful by name an thank
full by nature. We named you we'll"
'Why can't we have a turkey, same's
we used to-" asked the boy without
changing his position or diverting his
gaze from his fathers occupation.
Turkeys costs money" said his IA
Their, when you don't raise EN-"
"An' that we hain't DONE" said the
mother, 'ner yet a chicken. which I'm
glad we hain't, for they'd scratch up
the hull garden, it bein' so close to the
house. A gardens with more'n chick
ems to eat. Still. | wisht We had one
for Thanksgivin'. But We'll try to be
thankful for what we've got, as Thank
full says"
"An that's considerable compared to
what some's got" Jacob said. We've
got a good ruff over our heads, an me
an bulbs earnin' money 'nough to pay
the rent ont for six months to come.
We chop an put up our two cord a day.
l tell you, bulbs gettin' to be a master
hand with his ak. An now 'at he's
got a chance to do chores for his
board an go to school he's fixed com
plete for winter"
"An' Squire Bascom says / en- come
home every Sunday" cried bub.
"An' Pm glad to get such lots OF
sewin'," said Thankful. 81 can earn
a dollar every week"
IAN we're all tol'able we'll" But,
looking over at his daughter. the fa-
Their supplemented his remark WITH
"'That is, we hain't no WIS"
AN best of all is we've got one
mother" said his wife.
That's so, Mahaly," he said fer
vently. "Waal. my little fall chicken"
addressing the boy as he arose and
laid the milestone on the crowded
mantelpiece. "if mothers got our din
ner put up We'll be off"
The tin dinner pail was ready at
band, and, shouldering their axes. the
father and son trudged across the
fields. making a new brown path
through the sprinkled whiteness.
"I'm afraid father misses his old