Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-11-11
BY J. n. Connolly.

very angry old lady and looked it. Red
spots gloWed in her cheeks, that usual
ly were nearly as white as her silvery
hair, her thin lips were drawn in a
pale straight line, and her eyes flashed
fire, yet pride and conscious obligation
to ancestry, breeding and social posi-
ton, forbade sacrifice of her dignity
by free expression Of her feeling.
so" she said, with painful suppress
sion of her wrath, your wish to spend
the day with Mary Wallace was a de-
liberate falsehood, uttered for betrayal
of my confidence, to make opportunity
for your doing this shameful thing"
1T is not a shameful thing for a girl
to marry the man she loves" protested
the handsome. fearful young woman
kneeling before her. Il did not want
TO deceive you, but you made me do so,
you We're so unreasonable and unsym-
pathetic"
Unreasonable because l knew best
what was for your good; and unsympa-
thetic because / did not want my child
70 throw herself away on g nobody"
Pardon me, Mistress Tredwell,"
spoke up q tall, good looking young
man who had until now kept silent in
the background since his introduction
by Priscilla as my husband, Nathan
Gordon" And, though the lady quite
ignored him, he continued. The Cor
dons are as old and good a family as
the TredWells, n I'm sure l have
brought no disgrace on the name"
Priscilla resumed: you wanted me
to marry Abner Parker, though I told
you I hated him, and forbade my wen
seeing Nathan, whom l loved. Don't
be unkind, mother, dear. l love you
none the less for loving Nathan. You
married the man of your choice, and
I have done the same; that is all. Will
you not forgive me?"
mo, I will not. Go your way and
let me see you no more. AS you have
made your bed, so you shall lie. Pris-
ella Tredwell is no more for me, and
I do not wish to know Mistress Ma
h Gordon"
"Come, wife" said the young man,
with a touch Of ~brusqueness in his
manner. "Demean yourself no more.
We are only wasting time here. We
will be happy despite her" And mas
terfully drawing her arm within his,
he led her out, with no backward look
or word Of farewell.
ooh, Sister Dorothy" walled a quay
ering voice as a woman several years
older han Mistress Tredwell came
from the dark corner where she had
been silently weeping, wen never see
Priscilla any more. And she was the
last. How can We two old
keep Thanksgiving alone tomorrow"
Sister Sally, don't be a fool" snap
ned Dorothy.
Truly 1t was a mockery Of q Thanks
giving dinner to which the Old ladies
sat down the Lex day. A heavy snow
storm during h preceding night serve
as an excuse for Mistress Tredwell re-
manning home from church service.
The almost round table bore substan-
tial and dainty yiands enough to feed
a 6nVnu hITT the two old woman sat
down to 1t alone. They bowed their
heads while Mistress Dorothy said
grace inaudibly and briefly. Then Jane,
the hired help" brought in the soup.
"Oh, Sister Dorothy" exclaimed Sal
~ t~earfully. u can't eat! I don't see
how you can have the hear to, I'm
sure I don't.
sally, don't be a fool" retorted Dor
othy sharply. But the habitual in
junction for once failed of it's usually
repressive effect upon Sally's lemon
STATIONS OF emotion.
Il don't care what you say now,
Dorothy. ! JUst must speak. i am
~heartbroken. Five years ago there were
four leaves more in this table. Reuben
was with us then. dear bow! oh. Cod
knows where he Is now! And SO was
R~ebecca-and, oh, the house has never
been the same since she went away!".
Mistress Tredwell, with a fine affec-
l1llOll VI pldSAN hlAACAlIClL IL tAl blL Tan
ing her soup, but the hand that held
the spoon would tremble.
Sally went on: You set your face
like a lint against Reuben marrying
the girl he loved, and she was as good
a girl as ever was, only you must needs
try to compel him to take another. Man
like, he did as he was a mind to, and
you lost him. Only three extra leaves
were wanted in the table the next two
Thanksglyings. Then the same thing
happened with Rebecca. You tried TO
make her marry David Purcell who
hadn't a thing but his money to recon-.
mend him, and, having like you, an
iron will that would rather break than
bend, she went off, and you've never
heard Of her since"
you have" interrupted Dorothy,
with a sudden flush Of color n a fash
In her eyes.
Eyes, thank God, 1 have! The dear
girl has written TO me again and again.
but she made me promise on the bible
that I'd never tell you a word
her until you asked, and have you ever
esked2"
Dorothy closed her lips tightly.
mo you haven't, and for all you knew
she may nave starved or gone wrong"
And / do not ask now" firmly re-
piled the obdurate mother.
Then two extra leaves were more
than enough. for only Priscilla was
left. And now she's gone. Oh you un-
happy woman, can o not see that be-
cause they are your children 20 cam
not drive them?"
May l help o to some of the tur-
key"
mo, Dorothy; l can't eat!" cried
Sally, bursting into tears inc making
a p~recipitate retreat from the table.
Mistress Tredwell kept her seat. took