UKENSIBE
BY
MRS. MARY J. HOLMES
Asihsr f "Dora Dune," "The Encllih Oi?ham." " Homesltaa' en the Hllli'ct," "Lett Rivera,"
" Mciulowbrook." " Icnpcst iod Snosbiae," "Cul Maude," etc
C II A PT K It VIII. (Continued.)
Tht're was a strange light in the doc
tor's eye as he answered, half sadly :
"No, Maddy. I am not what you call a
( hristian. I hive not renounced the
pomps and vanities yet."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," and Maddy's eyes
expressed all the sorrow she professed
to feel. "You ought to be, now you've
got so old."
The doctor colored crimson, and stop-
ring his horse under the dim shadow of
a maple in a little hollow, he said : I
"I'm not so very old, Maddy; only
Iwtnty-five only ten years older than
yourself; and Agnes' husband was more
than twenty years her senior."
"Oh, oh ! over twenty years that's
dreadful. She must be 'most glad he's
dead. I would not marry a man more
than five years older than I."
"Not if you loved him, and he loved
you very, very dearly?" the doctor asked,
his voice low and tender in its tone.
Wholly unsuspicious of the wild storm
beating in his heart, Maddy untied her
white sunbonnet, and, taking it In her
lap. smoothed back her soft hair, saying,
with a long brea.h: "Oh! I'm so hot,"
and then, as just thinking of his ques
tion, replied : "I shouldn't love him I
couldn't. Grandma is five years younger
than grandpa, mother was five years
younger than father. Mrs. Green is five
years younger than Mr. Green, and, oh!
so many. You are warm, too ; ain't
you?" and she turned her innocent eyes
full upon the doctor. "I wonder why
she married that old man? It is worse
than if you were to marry Jessie."
"Money and position were the attrac
tions, I imagine," the doctor said. "Agnes
was poor, and esteemed it a great honor
to be made Mrs. Remington."
"Poor, was she?" Maddy rejoined.
"Then maybe Mr. Guy will some day
marry a poor girl. Do you think he
will?"
Again Lucy Atherstone trembled on the
doctor's lips, but he did not speak of her
it was preposterous that Maddy should
have any thoughts of Guy Remington,
who was quite as old as himself, besides
being engaged, and with this comforting
assurance, the doctor turned his horse in
the direction of the cottage, for Maddy
was growing tired and needed to be at
home.
Maddy would never forget that morn
ing or the nice ride they'd had. She
liad enjoyed it so much, and she thanked
him many times for his kindness. He
was a very nice doctor, much better than
she had imagined, she thought, as she
went slowly to the house and entered the
neat kitchen, where her grandmother sat
shelling peas for dinner, and her grand
father in his leathern chair was whisper
ing over his weekly paper.
"Did you meet a grand lady in a car
riage?" grandma asked, as Maddy sat
down beside her.
"Yes; and Dr. Ilolbrook said it was
Mrs. Remington, from Aikenside, Mr.
Guy's stepmother, and that she was more
than twenty years younger than her hus
band isn't it dreadful? I thought so;
tut the doctor didn't seem to." and in a
perfectly artless manner Maddy repeated
much of the conversation which had pass
ed between the doctor and herself, ap
pealing to her grandma to know if she
had not taken the right side of the argu
ment. "Yes. child, you did," and grandma's
hands lingered among the light green peas
in her pan, as if she were thinking of an
entirely foreign subject. "I know nothing
about this Mrs. Remington, only that she
stared a good doal at the house as she
vent by, even looking at us through a
glass, and lifting her spotted veil after
she got by. She may have been as happy
as a queen with her man, but as a gen
eral thing these unequal matches don't
work, and had better not be thought on.
S'posin' you should think you was in love
with somebody, and in a few years, when
you got older, be sick of him. It might
do him a sight of harm. That's what
BjKjilt your poor greatuncle Joseph, who's
been in tbe hospital at Worcester nine
years."
"It was '." And Maddy's face was all
aglow with interest. "Tell me about it."
"There is no great to tell, only he was
many years younger than I. He's only
forty-one now, and was thirteen years
older than the girl he wanted. Joseph
was smart and handsome, and a lawyer,
end folks said a sight too good for the
girl, whose folk were just nothing, but
she had a pretty face, and hr long curls
bewitched him. S!ie couldn't have been
old.-r than you when he first saw her, and
she was only sixteen when they got en
gaged. Joseph's life was bound up in
her; he worshiped the very air she
breathed, and when sh mittened him, it
almost tojk his life. He was too old for
her, and then right on top of that we
heard after a little that she had married
Kome big bug, I never knew who, plenty
old enough to be her father. That set
tled it with Joseph ; he went Into a kind
of melancholy, grew worse and worse, till
we put him in the hospital, usin' his
little property to pay the bill until it
was all gone, and now he's on charity,
you know, exceptin' what we do."
Grandma had an object in telling this
to Maddy, for she was not blind to the
nature of the doctor's interest in her
child, so she told the sad story of Uncle
Joseph as a warning to Maddy. It made
an impression on her, and all that after
noon she was thinking of the unfortunate
mao, whom she bad seen but onre, and
that in his prison home, where nhe had
Inn with her grandfather tbe only time
she had ever ridden in the cars. He had
1ak-n her in his arms then, she remem
bered, and called her bis little Sarah.
That must have been the name of his
treacherous betrothed. She would ask if
it wre not so. and she did.
"Yes. Sarah Morris, that was her name
and ht-r face was handsome as a doll,'
grandma replied, and wondering if she
was as beautiful as Jessie, or Jessie's
mother, Maddy went back to her reveries
of the poor maniac, whom Sarah Morria
had wronged ao cruelly.
CHAPTER IX.
It was very pleasant at Aikenside that
afternoon, and the cool breeze blowing
from the miuiature fish pond in one cor
ner of the grounds, came stealing into
the handsome parlors, where Agnes Rem
ington, in tasteful toilet, reclined lan
guidly upon the crlmson-hued sofa, bend
ing her graceful head to suit the height
of Jessie, who was twining some flowers
among her curls, and appealing to Guy to
know "if it was not pretty."
In his favorite seat in the pleasant bay
window, opening into the garden, Guy
was sitting, apparently reading a book,
though his eyes did not move very rapidly
down the page, for his thoughts were on
some other object. When his pretty
stepmother first came to Aikenside, three
months before, he had been half sorry, for
he knew just how his quiet would be dis
turbed, but as the weeks went by, and he
became accustomed to Jessie's childish
prattle and frolicsome ways, while even
Agnes herself was not a bad picture for
his handsome home, he began to feel how
he should miss them when they were
gone. Had she been more agreeable to
him he would not have hesitated to offer
her a home as long as she chose to re
main, but, as it was, he felt that Lucy
Atherstone would be much happier alone
with him.- Lucy, however, was not com
ing yet, and until she did come Agnes
perhaps might stay. It certainly would
be better for Jessie, who could have a
teacher in the house, and it was upon
these matters that he was reflecting-.
As if divining his thoughts, Agnes said
to him rather abruptly :
"Guy, Ellen Laurie writes me that
they are all going to Saratoga for a time,
and then to Newport, and she wishes I
would join them. Do you think I can
afford it?"
"Oh, yes, that's splendid, for I'll stay
here while you are gone, and I like
Aikenside so much better than Boston.
Mamma can afford it, can't she, Guy?"
Jessie exclaimed, dropping her flowers
and springing upon her brother's knee.
Smoothing her bright hir and pinching
her soft cheek, Guy replied :
"That means, I suppose, that I can
afford it, don't It? but, puss, I was think
ing just now about your staying here,
where you really do improve."
Then turning to'Agnea he made some
inquiries as to the plans proposed by the
Lauries. ascertaining that Agnes' plan
was as follows: He should invite her to
go with him to Saratoga, or Newport, or
both, and that Jessie meantime at Aiken
side, just as she wished.
Guy could not find much pleasure in
escorting Agnes to a fashionable watering-place,
but he decided to martyr him
self and go to Saratoga. But who would
care for Jessie"? She must not be left
wholly with the servants. A governess
of some kind must be provided, and he
was about speaking of this to Agnes,
when the doctor was announced, and the
conversation turned into another channel.
Agnes Remington would not have confess
ed how much she was interested in Dr.
Ilolbrook.
His arrival dissipated her sadness in
a measure, and after greeting him with
her usual expressions of welcome, she
said, half playfully, half spitefully;
"By the way, doctor, who was that old
lady, all bent up double in shawls and
things, whom you were taking out for an
airing?"
"That old lady, bent double and bun
dled up in shawls, was young Maddy
Clyde, to whom I thought a ride might
do good."
"Oh, yes; that patient about whom
Jessie has gone mad. I am glad I have
seen her."
There was numistakable irony in her
voice now, and turning from her to Guy,
the doctor said :
"The old man was telling me today of
your kindness in saving the house from
being sold. It was like you, Guy ; and I
wish I, too, had the means to be so
generous, for they are so very poor."
I'll tell you, said Jessie, who had
stolen to 'the doctor's side, "You might
give Maddy the doctor's bill. I remember
how mamma cried, and said she never
could pay papa's bill when it was sent
in."
"Jessie!" said Agnes and Guy, simul
taneously, while the doctor laughingly
pujled one of her long, bright curls.
"Yes, I could do ttiat. I a thought of
it, but thoy might not accept it, they are
proud as well as poor."
Mr. Markham has no one to care for
but his wife and this Madeline, has he?"
Agnes asked, and the doctor replied :
I did not suppose so until a tew days
. T 1 J C T
Since, when 1 leaim'u iiuiu n. .ur. ijrreeii
that Mrs. Markhara s youngest and now
only brother has been an inmate of an
asylum for years ; and that though they
cannot pay his entire expenses, of course
they do all they can toward providing him
with comforts."
Agnes' cheek was very white, though
her face was turned away. For a mo
ment there was silence in the room, and
then Guy told the doctor of what himself
and Agnes were speaking when he ar
rived. "I suppose it's of no use asking you to
join us for a week or so."
There was not," the doctor said. "His
patients needed him, and he must stay at
home."
"Doctor, how would this Maddy Clyde
do to stay here with Jessie while we are
gone, partly as companion and partly as
her teacher?" was Guy's next question,
which brought Mrs. Agnes at once from
her reverie.
"Guy," she exclaimed, "are you craay?
That child Jessie's governess t No, in
deed ! I shall have a teacher from Bos
ton one whose manners and style are
unexceptionable."
Guy had a will of his own, and few
could provoke it Into action as effectually
as Agnes, who, in thus opposing him, was
working directly against herself. Paying
her no attention, except to bow in token
that he heard, Gay asked Jessie her
opinion.
-Oh, at via he avlaatltt Can afct
come to-morrow? I shan't care how long
you are gone if I can have Muddy here,
and the doctor will come up every day,
will you, doctor?" and the soft eyes look
ed up pleadingly into the doctor's face.
"It is not settled that Maddy conies,"
the doctor replied, adding as an answer
to Guy's question: "If Agnes could be
willing, I do not think you could do bet
ter than to secure Miss Clyde's services.
Two children will thus be made happy,
for Maddy, as I have told you, thinks
Aikenside must be" a little lower only
than Paradise. I will gladly open nego
tiations, if you say so."
"I'll ride down and let you know to
morrow," Guy said. 'Those domestic
matters, where there is a difference of
thinking, had better be discussed alone,"
and he turned good-humoredly toward Ag
nes, who knew It was useless to oppose
him.
But oppose him she did that night,
taking at first the high stand that sooner
than have a country girl like Maddy
Clyde associated daily with her daughter,
she would give up Saratoga and stay at
home. Guy was now as fully determin
ed that Maddy Clyde should come to
Aikenside as Agnes was that she should
not. He knew, too, how to attain this
end without further altercation.
"Very well," was his quiet reply, "you
can remain at home if you choose, of
course. I had intended taking you myself
wherever you wished to go ; and not only
that, but I was about to ask how much
was needed . for the necessary additions
to your wardrobe, but if you prefer re
maining here to giving up a most un
founded prejudice against a girl who nev
er harmed you, and whom Jessie already
loves, you can do so," and Guy walked
from the room, leaving Agnes first to cry,
then to pout, then to think it all over,
and finally to decide to go to Saratoga
and Newport.
Accordingly, next morning as Guy 'was
in his library reading his papers, she
went tripping up to him, and folding her
white hands upon his shoulder, said, very
prettily :
"I was real cross last night, and let
my foolish pride get the ascendency, but
I have considered the matter, and am
willing for this Miss Clyde to come, pro
vided you still think it best. As I am
Jessie's mother, it will be perfectly prop
er for me to hire and manage her," and
as Guy acquiesced in this suggestion, she
sat down at the writing desk, and com
menced a very pleasantly worded note,
in which Miss Clyde was informed that
she had been recommended as a suitable
person with whom to leave Jessie during
the summer and a part of the autumn,
and that she, Jessie's mother, wrote to
ask if for the sum of one dollar per
week she were at liberty to come to Aik
enside as governess, or waiting maid.
"Or what?" Guy asked, as she read to
him what she had written. "Maddy
Clyde will not be waiting maid in this
house, neither will she come for one dol
lar a week, as you propose. I hire her
myself. I have taken a fancy to the j
girl. Commence again ; substitute com- i
panion ior waning maiu, auu ouenug uer
three dollars per week instead of one."
As long as Guy paid the bill Agnes
could not demur to the price, although
remembering a time when she had taught
a district school for one dollar per week
and boarded around besides, she thought
three dollars far too much. But Guy
had commanded, and him she generally
obeyed, so she wrote another note, which
he approved, and sealing it up sent it
down to the red cottage.
It was the doctor who carried Maddy's
answer to Agnes, tbe doctor who made
all the succeeding arrangements, deciding
that Maddy would not be wholly strong
until the very day fixed upon by Agnes
for her departure for Saratoga. For this
Guy was sorry. It would have been an
easy matter for him to have ridden down
to the cottage, and seen the girl in
whom he was beginning to feel so much
interest that in his last letter to Lucy
he had mentioned her as about to become
his sister's governess ; but he did not cars
to see her there. It seemed to him that
the surroundings of that slanting roofed
house did not belong to her, and he would
rather meet her in his own more luxuri- j
ous home. But the doctor's word was j
law, and so, on the first day of August, i
he followed Agnes and her three huge i
traveling trunks to the carriage, and was
driven from the house to which Maddy
was coming that afternoon.
(To be continued.)
Filling; at Tire with Sand.
A party of tourists who found them
selves quite a few miles from nowhere
with a tube well beyond repair and
nothing to take Its place hit upon an
expedient, which If not deserving to be
highly recommended to others who find J
themselves In a similar predicament at j
least served Its purpose of avoiding a j
badly rim cut shoe as well as a j
bent rim. With a tube that was little
more than scrap rubber and no spare
at hand It was either a question of j
driving on the rim or not at all. The
road was rough and uneven with more
or loss rock so that even a few miles :
would mean the end of the rim. It wns
down In Southern New Jersey, where
sand and pine trees abound, and the
shoe wns carefully packed full of the
former material all the way round and i
carefully replaced on the rim so as to
permit none of It to escape. As a sub- ;
stltute for compressed air It had the j
disadvantage of bulk, weight and stiff
ness, but It served the end desired by
preventing the shoe from flattening and
rim cutting and the rim Itself rrom be
ing ruined. Motor World.
Suspicions.
"Don't you think, my dear," remark
ed the American self-made millionaire
to his heiress daughter, "that the
young Englishman who Is coming here
has rather free and easy manners for
tbe nobility?"
"Oh, but, pa, that's his tact. While
he's over here he drops much of the
native hauteur of the aristocracy."
"Ye but does he Lave to drop his
'n'n too?" Baltimore American.
Jnst Possible.
"A little learning Is a dangerous
thing," quoted the morallzer.
"Yea," rejoined the demoralizer, "and
too ntKh la wore ao"
THANES FOB EARTH'S BOUNTIES.
Through the gray dawn in the meadtwa we
Heard tuo reapers slmnns:
The song of men' who conquer and who
Know tnelr triumph s worth ;
Like the hare blades of an army the keen,
swift scythes went swinging.
And golden In their wake lay piled the
goodly spoils or earth.
And I said : "Give thanks. O heart of mine,
I as conquerors may do
I With sound of acclamation when the bat
iiuuc is inrousn.
To II lm who gave us strength and skill to
lorre the stubhorn soli.
For glory of the gaining and the triumphing
or toil."
At full noon in the orchard wa heard the
maidens' lauahter
Dare-armed among the laden trees they
milled the branches low :
Home at twilight went the wains, with us
to follow after.
Light of step aad gay of voice, as merry
ennaren go.
And I said: "Give thanks, O Tleart of
mine, with very mirth for meed
To Him who gaTe us knowledge of the
cunning of the seed,
For beauty of the growing and the Joy of
Dlossomlng
And granting of the harvest from the prom
ise of the Spring."
The praise of words for things of earth, O
tender Heart of mine,
But never yet gave mouth of man meet
thanks for gifts divine ;
Nor mirth nor acclamation but to Him who
granted love
The great, glad tears of gratitude and si
lences thereof.
Theodoala Garrison, in Harper's Weekly.
Thanksgiving at
Lonesome Hollow
"Seems awfully forlorn to eat a
Thanksgiving dinner all alone," said Mll
ly soberly, looking over at the young fel
low who sat mending a harness strap be
side the blazing hearth. "I haven't the
heart to get up a big dinner for just us
two."
"I don't see what else we can do. No
neighbors to invite except old Pete Sprat,
and he wouldn't come. We might send
him something by way of being neigh
borly." "And be turned away for our pains,"
the woman laughed.
"You can't even go out on the "high
ways . and hedges' and gather in strag
glers like the ancient host of Bible fame.
Maybe it is just as well not to have all
the work of getting up a Thanksgiving
dinner, for it seems to me that you look
tired, Milly. What's the matter?"
"Nothing, Jim ; I guess I need a little
outing. I'll take a run across the Hollow
and be back before supper."
Milly put on her cloak and went out
into the crisp autumn afternoon. The
woods were bare except for a few torch
like flames of red which marked the .pres
ence of an occasional gum tree. The sky
was clear, cold and pallid, tinged with a
greenish glow where the dark forests rim
med the far horizon. Not a sign of hu
man habitation was visible, and not a
sound broke the vast stillness save the
steady tap-tap of a woodpecker. The
loneliness oppressed Milly strangely. For
two years she had endured it in cheerful
silence, working patiently at whatever
her hand found to do in the rough little
shack which bad gradually assumed a
cozy, homelike appearance. They had
left the busy, grinding East in quest of
health for her young husband, who was
slowly regaining his lost strength and
vigor in the bracing climate of Colorado,
which alone kept Milly's heart light and
hopeful, but in spite of that joyful fact
she could not dispel a shiver of loneliness
when she thought of the long, dreary win
ter before them. t
"I'm getting morbid simply for the
want of a little company," she said, as
she walked down the untraveled road in
the face of the crisp north wind. "That
will never do wou you, Milly Bennet. For
Jim's sake you mustn't give way to such
foolishness."
Suddenly Milly's ear caught the sound
of chopping which seemed to come from
the Hollow beyond the divide. She turn
ed and made her way easily through the
leafless thicket, walking briskly over the
hill and down the opposite descent until
she distinctly heard voices. Further on,
at the edge of a natural clearing, she
came upon a party of travelers camped
beside a newly kindled fire, where a lean,
gaunt appearing fellow busied himself
with preparationa for the evening meal.
They were eight in all, a rough, unkempt
lot in leathern jackets and rusty boots.
Beside" the cook lay a bag of flour, a
rasher of bacon and two jugs stopped with
corncobs.
Milly stopped abruptly when she found
herself observed by the curious eyes of
eight strangers, then changed her mind
and crossed the icy little brook and made
her way toward the fire. ,
A big, black-whiskered man dropped
his armful of horse feed and looked at her
piercingly. "Lost?" he asked brusquely.
"No. I live two miles up the divide. I
happened to hear you chopping, and stop
ped out of curiosity."
The man's insistant gaze annoyed her,
but the forlorn, gaunt appearance of the
little group incited a little throb of pity
and made her think gratofally of her own
cozy," cheerful little shack, with Jim wait
ing for her beside the glowing hearth.
"I suppose you are simply camping here
for the night," she ventured, looking about
at the meager comforts of the camp.
"Well, no," answered the black-browed
man who impressed her at once as being
spokesman of the party. "We came down
to prospect a bit. There's talk of gold
in this claim, and if It's worth our while
wa may set up for a week or two."
'Oh then you'll be here over Thanks
giving,' won't you? I'd like to have you
all take dinner with us to-morrow."
The man looked at his fellows with a
curious smile, half questioning, half cred
ulous. "It's rather unexpected," he re
marked humorously.
"Oh, we're all neighbors out here, you
know," Milly explained cordially. "My
husband would be very glad to have you
with us. We are from the East, and
we're used to having company for Thanks
giving." "Your husband la a prospector, too, I
take It?"
"Oh, no. Ha came out her,e for his
health two years ago, when he was all
run down with overwork. We expect to
atay here ' until he't quite well." ,
"We didn't notice any houses as we
massed alowp. Where do you lirar
"Tw aaflea Wear hare, en the Buarlae
road, not on the trail. Will you come
over to-morrow?"
"Well, being as you're so kind as to
take the trouble to invite us we'll be glad
to 'accept your hospitality, and thank
you."
"Very well. I shall expect you prompt
ly at 12. There are eight of you, aren't
there? I want you all, remember. Now,
I'll go, for the walk is rather long. Yon
cross the hill and go straight south till
you reach the Sunrise wngon road, which
will take you directly to our shack, going
west. Good-night."
Milly returned in great jpood spirits.
Jhn looked dubious at first, but he was
loth to damp the ardor of his good little
helpmeet by voicing his doubts as to the
M'isdoin of inviting eight strangers to
their home.
"You don't mind, do you, Jim?" Milly
asked, anxipusly.
"Not a bit. If It pleases you let's have
them by all means."
"You should have seen them! Great,
gaunt, hungry looking fellows who prob
ably haven't had a good dinner for a year.
I do believe Providence sent me across
their path expressly to give them a
treat."
"I hope we have enough stuff on hand,"
taid cautious Jim. "It will take heaps
to satisfy eight hungry men, you know."
"Of course we have plenty. We'll kill
both turkeys and I'll make four pies in
stead of one, and two boiled puddings be
sides. We'll have potatoes and turnips
and the canned corn I put up myself, and
as much cider as they can drink. For
dessert we'll have real good coffee and
iced cake. Oh, we'll have enough, you
may be sure. Jim, you must rig up a
table big enough to seat them all."
They worked till bedtime that night,
peeling apples, seeding raisins and picking
the turkeys. The next morning Milly rose
long before dawn and set about her bak
ing and brewing, while Jim put up a big
deal table that stretched almost the length
of the room, and by noon it was set with
all the luscious viands of an eastern
Thanksgiving dinner, set with homely
platters and dishes, fo be sure, but not
rougher in appearance than the men who
finally seated themselves about the steam
ing board. Jim beamed hospitably from
his place at the head of the table and
HIS FORTUNE.
ried dutifuliy to "act as if the company
lelonged there," as Milly had said. The
nV hlnck-whiskered fellow whom the oth
ers addressed as Blaisedale had the place
nf honor because he seemed to be the lead
er of the gang by natural selection, as the
rest all deferred to him. lie wntclieu Miuy
ith a curious intentness which nrougnt
flush to her cheek and made her slight
ly uncomfortable.
"You're m izhtv comfortably fixed for
these diggings," said he presently, look-
about the wails with their nomeiy
prints and ornaments.
"Yes, we are rather eomioriaDie, inarms
Milly's ingenuity," Jim answered, with
o-lnnv nf affectionate nrlde.
to
"You're lucky to be able to afford snch
uxuries, for all those fancy fixing are
uxuries in Colorado," Blaisedale remark
ed significantly.
'Yes, I count mysell one or tne lucaiesi
men in the world. I owe everything to
ill ven mv life. I was a poor law
student when we were married, and when
my health broke down she simply took all
the responsibility into her own hands. It
as her money that enabled me to come
here. It's her bit of money that we re nv-
g on now. All that she has in the
nrlit Is in the little bank at Sunrise,
where she goes once a month to draw the
necessary sum for our provisions. But
now that I ve got to wont were mnK-ng
r way along without much help from the
nk I tell you I "hated to use that
money bad enough, but if it hadn't been
for that the Lord only knows what would
vp become of me."
Milly blushed deeply and becomingly.
"Why, it doesn't amount to, that," said
she, with a snap of her brown fingers.
"All the money in the world would be
worthless to me if I didn't have Jim."
"I've heard a saying about a 'good
wife being a treasure,' " Blaisedale re
marked. "Your wife proves the truth
of it."
The dinner was a great success. Blaise
dale, who seemed to exert a mysterious
influence over his fellows, grew very talk
ative and entertaining. He told stories
of queer places and queerer people which
savored of familiarity with lawlessness
and lawbreakers, but which kept Jim
breathlessly interested until the eight
strange guests made their adieus. When
the eompnny had filed out of the little
cabin door Blaisedale, who was last to
go, turned at the threshold and held out
his hand to Milly.
"You remind me of some one I once
knew," he said, simply, "and for her sake
I'd like to shake hands with you. Thank
you for your hospitality. You won't re
gret your kindness, by the way."
"Queer fellow, that one," Jim remark
ed, as he watched tbe gang recede down
the wintry road. "You may be sure he
has a strange history behind him."
That night when Jim and MM? t
talking bealda their cheerful hearth, a
scrap of white paper crept mysteriously
under the door. Jim rose hurriedly and
threw back the door, but no oue was la
sight, and not a sound broke the deep
stillness of the Icy night.
Milly read the note over his shoulder,
and this is what It said :
"Some curious whim prompts me to tell
you that it was our intention to break
into and rifle the little eggshell bank at
Sunrise before quitting these diggings,
but for the sake of Milly's "bit of money"
It shall go unharmed. Thanking you for
a pleasant hour. BLAISEDALE."
New York Times.
The Gamin's Thanksgiving Dinner.
The gamin sat there at the board
That groaned with things to eat.
Around him was a goodly hoard
Of bread and rakes and meat,
And as he viewed It all with grlna
He said : "I wlsht dat I wui twine."
He ate with growing appetite
And fed upon that store,
He put much food away from sight,
Then looked the table o'er,
And then with sundry sighs and grlna
He said : "I wlsbt dat I wux twins."
The viands vanished like a dream,
Tbe turkey soon was gone,
But then came cake and rich ice cream
And he ate on and on,
And atlll he wore those greedy grins
And said: "I wlsht dat I wua twins
On nuts and fruit he also fed,
And pie and randy, too.
He gloated on the sumptuous spread
That loomed before his view.
And fumed and sighed between his grins I
"Gee wuia, I wlsht dat I wui twins."
Hut by and by he had to stop,
For he could hold no more,
Ills knife and fork he had to drop
And then began to roar,
For all at once he lost his grins
And groaned : "I'm glad I ain't no twins."
Chicago Chronicle. ,
Thanksgiving Games.
An Interesting contest Is for each per
son at the Thanksgiving feast to tell the
story of some historical personage or
event connected with New England colo
nial history, and require the others to
name the person or place. A prize may
be given for the largest number of cor
rect answers. There Is no end of mate
rial for such stories. The names of Mas
sasoit, Roger Williams, Miles Standish,
King Philip, John Winthrop, Judge Sew
ell and others are at once in mind.
The hostess should warn her guests
that they may read up a little on colonial
history, and thus be prepared to contrib
ute their quota.
Or, she may write a little story of the
early coming of the Pilgrims, leaving
blanks for the guests to supply the names.
Thus:
"A colony of (pilgrims) consisting of
(101) persons arrived from (England)
and landed (December Ul ) at a place we
now call (Forefathers' Rock). They be
gan the first settlement in (New Eng
land), calling it (Plymouth) ; and so on.
These may be mimeographed, leaving the
part in parentheses blank, and tke guests
be asked to fill them in. A little prize
for the most correctly filled paper may
be given.
Whatever games are played should in
clude the whole family and should be sig
nificant of the day.
Nuts, apples, pocorn and cider should
be served in the evening.
And Thou, Itrntnni
Mother Gobbler What are you swear
ing for, Brutus?
Brutus Well, I Just heard a man say
he wanted a good turkey, and I want him
to understand that I'm as tough as they
make 'em.
Thanksgiving Time.
Colonel Kaintuck Rastua, you old
rascal, how did you eome by that tur
key? Uncle Rastus Dat am Jes' de trubblet
couldn't git by dat turkey nohow. Gunnel.