The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-11-16

We'll, Mrs. Wigs, l. reckon there II
be ne THANKSGIVING in your house or
mine this year. sighed Mrs, VICE $
nearest neighhor, Mrs Nat1aniei
Green. as she entered the pleasant
kitchen. settled herself In convenient
chair, and threw her shawl and fascl-
nator over the back of IL with
Mary gone to Japan and Richard off
to the ends of the earth IN another d.
rection. You won't feel muen like feast
ing and frolicking. Ill warrant, As
for me-" wiping her eyes with a cor
ner of her Bingham apron, ] can't
think OF having company or going
anywhere since my husband died.
feel as if 1t would be almost sac
1Iege to think of such thing for one
minute. o my, my. The sorrows OF
this world"
MIS-. Tt'1EEs WIFE sitting IN try
rocking chair close beside the clean
kitchen table peeling apples for m4nce
pies. She was a smiling. happy
wholesome looking woman, and her
eurgIing laugh, which shock her tat
sides and brought out the dimpies
in her fat cheeks, was good TO hear.
why, what kind of talk is that,
Mrs Green" she asked in her COM
forting. cheerful voice. DO you think
pa and / are going 10 stop living be-
cause the children have all grown
wings and flown away to other parts
of the world TO make nests for them
selves? Tut, tut! Nonsense! That's
no way to look at things. Have
Thanksgiving? ! guess we are going
to have Thanksgiving, and the very
biggest one we've ever had"
You are? Well. l don't see how
in the world you can do It," said Mrs.
Green, looking exactly as II she were
going to a funeral You always set,
such store by your children. Mrs.
Wigs. Mary especially. Seems like
you and Mary were more like twin
sisters than mother and daughter.
If / were in your place, I'd be crying
my eyes out day and night instead of
fixing for Thanksgiving
Well. that wouldn't do you any
good, would it?" said Mrs. Wigs, eat
ing slice Of apple with great en-
joyment and I'm right sure 1t
wouldn't be showing "a thankful spirit,
Now. it looks TO me that Thanksgiving
is special day for giving thanks
for the mercies Of whole year. and
we ought to keep account Of what the
good God has given us and done for us
and bring remembrance of them be-
fore him Ike a feast of fat things
/ believe that he loves 70 have us re-
joice and be happy, and it makes q
body feel a whole lot better than to
sit down alone in a dark room and
wet up two or three pocket handker-
chiefs with a flood of useless tears.
Now let me tell you, Mrs. Green,
how it is with me. When Richard got
a chance to go to South America as n
civil engineer, I felt dreadful. II
seemed so hard to give him MP. But
when ] got to thinking about II l
knew he would never have obtained
the appointment If he hadn't been
extra good at his trade, and 1t really
made me proud and satisfied and
grateful that / had such good, in
dustrious. capable sor. that could go
ahead and lead men and help In the
progress of the world And then.
Richard sends me such long, lovely
letters every week, telling me all about
the country and his work and max
ing everything as plain as If / We're
right along with Kim, and--well, I
just said that God knew best about
Richard, so ! put his case upon my
memory shelf"
Mrs, Wigs paused here and ate