Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1916-03-17
The Girl of
New England
A Story For Thanks
giving.
By EDITH v. ROSS

One autumn Warren Bickford of Vir-
ginia happened to be in Massachusetts.
Thanksgiving was coming ON, and he
had no invitation for dinner on that
day. This did not trouble him, for the
Thanksgiving anniversary. not being
indigenous to the south. has never
taken such hold there as in the rest Of
the country. Besides. being an ardent
Southerner. he was not enthusiastic
over New England institutions. He
admired the rosy cheeks of tine girls OF
that region, but had never had any in
tentiOn of marrying any but a dark
eyed southern beauty.
Bickford had some cousins in MaSSa-
chusetts living between Boston and
Plymouth whom he had never seen.
He had promised his mother that he
would look them up and on arriving at
Boston wrote them that he would be
pleased to visit them II they would in
Aruct him how to get to them. He
heard nothing from them till the day
before Thanksgiving when he received
an invitation to dine with them on that
anniversary. They lived on a road
some distance from a railway, and he
would be obliged to go by auto mat
ter of ten miles from the station. The
distance from Boston to their home
being but forty miles. he concluded to
hire car and go by that conveyance.
| He started about 4 o'clock in the aft
ernoon. expecting to reach his Cousins
home within two or three hours. But
! winter sets in early in that region, and
| the day ended with the advent of a VIC
! lent snOwstOrm. BickfOrd. who was
driving the machine, pushed on through
the deepening snow. but his progress
slackened. and it began to look as If he
would be stalled.
That was the year when intense cold
came on SO early and SO many persons
lost their lives in November blizzard.
1t was certainly not inviting to the
southerner used to the sunny climate
of Virginia. His lights after time. on
account Of the snow, failed to show
him the road, and presently he found
himself in IL ditch. He had IL choice be-
tween remaining in the car or leaving
| it to find better shelter. He decided
| to remain where he was, for time at
least. hoping that some wayfarer
would come along and pick him up. He
strOve to keep himself awake. fearing
that If he went to sleep he would freeze
to death. but despite his efforts he sank
into doZe.
Suddenly opening his eyes, he saw a
very short distance ahead Of him the
lighted windows of IL house. He Won
dered why he had not seen 1t before.
for he had looked for place of refuge
| in every direction. 1t occurred to him
that the reason he had not seen it was
because darkness had come on. the
snow was falling thick, and the lights
might not have been lighted. Deter
mining to go to it, he got out of the
auto. His limbs were stiff with the
cold. and he moved with difficulty. On
reaching the snow covered ground he
staggered like II drunken man.
Though he had but short distance
to so. it seemed TO him that he was
hours in making the distance. Time
in his tracks, but he struggled onward
and In time stood on porch. He could
not see the character of the house on
account of the darkness and the falling
snow. He was only able to catch an
iron knocker on the door and give II
few faint raps when he sank on the
porch. In another moment the door
nd In ln1 hr no
lights within.
\ man in a strange costume lifted
him up and supported him into the
house He had seen pictures Of men
dressed that way. but they had lived
two or three centuries before. The
man. calling for others to assist him,
got Bickford into room where was n
four post bedstead and. placing him on
the bed. called for hot rum. When 1t
came Bickford drank 1t. and it seemed
to give him strength. He sat up ON the
bed and declared that he was quite
himself again. though his head was
top heavy.
BY this time group OF men. women
and children We're gathered about him
What astonished him was that they
were all dressed in the costume of the
pilgrims.
Il see" he said to himself. this is 8
Thanksgiving party and they are cele
brating it in the apparel of their fore
fathers"
But those who were looking Mt hin
seemed AS much interested in his ap
pearance as he was in theirs. How
ever. since they refrained from com
menting on his clothes he refraine(
from commenting on theirs. Rising
from the bed. he said to them:
II am sorry to intrude upon what
conceive to be Thanksgiving famil!
party. but on my way to attend 1
Thanksgiving dinner got stalled II
the snow. Seeing the lights in you
windows, | came here with much diff
Guilty and barely had strength to give
few taps on your knocker before sink
ing down with fatigue and benumbeC
with cold. Give me shelter for thu
night. and tomorrow will leave you"
I'VE will not only give you shelter,