The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1914-11-26


was rapidly increasing.
John Esterbr0Ok had proved his case,
though he had stumbled into the preOf.
| he spent q few hours each day hunt.
| ing for items into which he could in
fuse his quaint humor and q couple Of
hours more In making them over His
| work occupied him. for four or eve
hOuss each day and. was accomplished
without the slightest effort He was
doing exactly what nature had intend
F.! ed he should do what he had hinted
| TO- his sweetheart was q possibility.
and. since the circulation of the Eagle
| wiflened. his salary increased
Meanwhile. though John had left
| Amy Tarrant free to make u. home
| with more practical man than him
self. he had not forgotten her Amy
hadn't married She had given her
heart to John. and it was not hers to
give to any one else There was an
other reason why she did not marry
Her mother was widow and there
were several young children. all Of
whom required Amy's attention Amy
was an attractive girl and had sever
away. cOnceiving 1t to be her duty. as
1t was her preference. to remain al
home. where she was the mainStay OF
the family
Indeed. this was necessary. for
though Amy worked eight hours a day
at an office. she being the only pre-
ductive one of the household. she could
not earn enough to pay feat. buy food
and the necessary clothing
Such was the condition of affairs In
the Tarrant family when Thanksgiv
ing day approached One of the young
er boys heard his mother and his sis
ter Amy discussing what they should
do for Thanksgiving dinner. Amy
suggesting that hamburger steak was
the best they could provide for meat
The boy whined that they should have
turkey and. though Informed that the
bird would cost 80 cents pound was
not q whit better satisfied to do with
out it.
The day before Thanksgiving Mrs
Tarrant and Amy before the latter
went to her work had tinal confer
ence AZ to how they should get up
dinner for the morrow There were
absolutely no funds. and Amy could
not draw even the few dollars that
were coming to her until the end OF
the week Nor was there anything In
fh.al us dor m fAvu I'm. Hhn
outlook was dismal Amy went to her
work. intending to ask for enough OF
her weekly salary to provide at least
a meal sufficient to stay the children's
appetites. but she was Informed that
such advances were contrary to the
rules of the office She returned after
business hours to inform her mother
of her failure and was approaching
the house when she saw man stand
ing at the door As she drew near she
recognized John EsterbroOk
why. John" she exclaimed. what
brought you hereT'
Well" replied John. 'your predic
tons as to my iaziness having been
fulfilled. I've invited myself to take q
Thanksgiving dinner with you !
! haven't had q real good one since we
parted"
"Oh. dear! What shall we dor We
haven't q cent with which to buy q
dinner"
That's a disappointment. isn't it?"
mot only to you. but to US Mother
and wouldn't complain If it were not
for the children"
Haven't you anything in the houseY
Nothing tear stood in her eye
well. | have little change left
] reckon Ill have to pay it out for
something to ill the children's stom
achs. Suppose We go now together
The markets will not he open Oh
Thanksgiving morning
She walked away with him and as
they proceeded sympathized with him
at his i'll success. reminding him of
their conversation when he went away
and how she had warned him that
without hard work whether he liked
1t or not. he would never get ON He
replied that be remembered her words
very we'll He had done some hard
work. but confessed that he had not
enjoyed it. Indeed. he had diSliked 1t
SO much that he had given it up
"Aren't you doing anything nowr
she asked
Nothing that I consider work."
They stopped at u market In which
q prOfusiOn Of eata bles was displayed
and as soon as John could get the at
tentiOn Of one of the men in white
coat and apron he began his purchases
with ten pound turkey. quart of
oysters. a bunch Of celery. to say moth
ing Of cranberries. vegetables nuts
raisins and other deiicacies Then he
asked Amy what necessaries were re-
quired She was too astOnished to re
ply So he pulled q fat roll Of bank
notes from his pocket and paid the
bill Then they walked back to Amy's
home taking with them beefsteak
and other articles for supper that even
ing.
After supper John threw OF hts face
tiousness and made a clean breast Of
It to Amy 1t rather mortified him to