Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-08-12

old times, her father had gone back to
his Office Immediately afterward, her
mother had entertained callers all the
afternoon, and she had gone driving
with a party of young people. How
grandfather had put In the time she
had not the remotest idea. At Uncle
Toms it would be exactly the same,
for Uncle Tom was the busiest Of men,
and his wife and daughters supplied
a great amount of material for the So
ciety papers.
''Stay at home this time, grandfath-
er, and you and l will have Thanks
giving all by ourselves, with maybe
some of the neighbors!" she cried, i'm
pulsively.
"All right, honey, all right" he
agreed, heartily, and she saw a sudden
leap of brightness in his blue eyes.
The two began planning at once, and
for the next fortnight there was no
lack of common interest.
Miss Indy, the old housekeeper, en-
tered warmly into their consultations.
But I won't say a word about it to
Them" thought Janet, the next Min
day morning. So the letters which she
wrote and mailed were the exact dupli-
Gates Of those of the week before, ex-
cept that circumstances demanded
report of the chilly weather. In one
or two of those which came from the
children that week were inquiries as to
xx,horo or.op6 FL thor xro1IId op0vd
Thanksgiving, so in her next commu-
nication Janet stated laconically that
her grandfather had decided to stay at
home
Something must surely be the mat
ter with father" said Mrs. Isabel
Huntley, uneasily, when she received
her letter. "'He hasn't spent a single
holiday at home since mother died
fifteen years ago. l don't like these lit
tie notes of Janets. She says father
is well, but l don't believe it, for if
he was he would do the writing him.
self! I'm going homew So she can
celed a number of engagements and
went at once.
Spending Thanksgiving at home !!
Why, that Is queer" unused Tom Hill
ditch. az thought he was coming to
us this time. There Is something
wrong, or he never would let Janet
be attending to his correspondence
this way" He slipped the letter into
his pocket, and called up his brother
Sam over the long-distance telephone.
$50 you don't know that anything
is wrong? Well, I'm not taking any
chances on it; 1 shall go tomorrow.
What? Meet me in Macon? Good !!
If he is all right, we can have a day
Of it together, and if he isn't Well,
good-by"
At JanetS own home there was con-
sternatiOn. II don't know what on
earth to think, Magnus," her mother
said. Janet was to have spent
Thanksgiving with Sans daughters.
She has written such provoking little
notes, anyway, ever since she has been
at the farm. Something must be the
matter. Sans girls are giving a
Thanksgiving ball for her, and yet"
"Will you just pack few things
into bag for me?" said Magnus Hill
ditch, abruptly. "Janet has already
remained with father three weeks
longer than she intended-she has
written all his letters. The probability
is that he has had an accident of some
sort, and will not allow her to tell
us. You know his independence, and
his reluctance to give trouble. 1t is
Il particularly 1nopportune time for me
to leave, but 1 must look after him."
Thanksgiving morning found Janet
up bright and early. She and Miss
Indy had made the old house spick
and span from roof to floor, and Jan
cts artistic fingers had decked the
rooms with autumn foliage and fruits.
Strange to say, Aunt Isabel had de-
scended upon the household in the
middle Of the night. There had been
no explanations, but she entered at
once into the spirit Of things, and trail
ed her rich dress through room after
room of her girlhoods home, as with
her father and niece she gave a last
look to see that everything was ready
for the coming Of the neighbors. Big
oak fires burned in every room, in
big open fireplaces, and the CHEEKY
flames were reflected upon brick
hearths and andirons. whitewashed in
the old-fashioned way, that always re-
minded Janet Of snow and Of frosted
cakes.
They're a-comin' Already" called
Miss Indy; and sure enough, down
the road a team was kicking up
dust. The three went to the gate, ex-
pectinE to greet some Of the invited
guests, but 10!
"The boys! The boys!" shouted
Grandfather Hilditch; and three big,
bearded men climbed down from the
wagon.
old ryofoo broI~o - -