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The Exeter Advocate, 1919-10-16, Page 2Thanksgiving Lost and Found Through the deep eilenee of autumn; but something always broke • up my dusk, the wagon, overflowing with its! plans. I'm tired of it all!" - load of iewly;plueked corn, rumbled 1 "But this year our crops are the up the rand toward the house whose best in the neighborhood, and yeti whiteness stoed out strongly. against; knoll that everything else had turned the blackness of the grove that lay; out better than we expected," she beyond: The Ioad was heavy and the : gently insisted. incline abrupt. The driver, a well -i That's no credit to anybody but built young man, dressed in overalls: ourselves. Each time we climbed -a ae.d faded blue shirt with a red hand- little way out cf the ditch, we were • kerellief knotted a -out the collar,` pushed right back again. But I'll make stared moodily ovee `the long streteh it yet, in spite of all! - Only don't ex - of corn lieldl to the -west, where only beet me to be thankful! I deserved all the rosy after,elow told of another day the luck that came niy way!" A hint that had passed into t r effacing of the desperation that had haunted oblivion' of time. e the nun during tho e lean years rang John Farrar loved this season of the out in his voice. year. The haunting thin rustle of the • "Billy -11e wants it so," murmured evening wind through the ragged, tile mother timidly. ranks of the yellow cornstalks filled • `'I say no." erred the man impatient - him with a sense of quietness, with lee "I'm going to husk corn to -mor - the peacefulness of nature. It seemed. row." Even as he spoke, he looked to be the living voice of the twilight. un and saw a flash of hate in the eyes The breeze, moaning through the of his shall sore The man turned weeds at the roadside, was keen and away uneasily and frowned. Dilly had made the blood tingle with a sense of no right to look at him that way. life. 7 "And 14 hat's more, I don't intend to Sell, he rebelled, tried to shake off Pamper Billy in a darn fool senti- the spree of 'beauty that came to him. mental belief. Life is PM and fancies The earth had been too urkin91 to i=* fancies, and this being thankful on him. he word not be Weed by it. He Thanksgiving Day for what's no call had been hurt, and it had teetered i11 of being thankful for is plain out his mob afterwards, making him fan, c•," rou lrl;• suspicions. The distrust hal ."You have •said thet for o long." in flue course of time extended to its mad tan man listened, he alight have encs+are, nein. been strr.ck by a trace of mockery In the direction of the house a dooran his w fe's tone, However, he made slammed. A moment later, the yard- no answer, but get up and abruptly left the room. gate . l s d as it swung closed. »tiexe Interning" at five oesioelk, before" • -S4y. dad, may I Ugh the lantern tLiwn had even metehed the el:y, T' ar-i 1t lane yore nalaadin'?" The voice rar was at work. with the farm chore$.' leas 'I.:19y ish. By ten o'e oek he Tina made three Farrar did net turn his head. "No,"; rounds and neared the roadside once' he replied briefly. "I'll ten.: to it." . more. Stopping to make a turn, he' There followed a short silenee. The saw a carriage drawn by sleek horses' boy climbed up the fror•t of the wagon coming from the north. Ah, they were' and watched the shovel eat into the the Stanleys. Depend upon them to; cord. The dimness of the light could be first when they saw a chance to' not hide the wistful expression of his get away from the farm. 'yet?. ` Bella, John! Gain' to work a spell; Fin t',y the wagon was empty. The this mornin'? Better go home and bty °II f "ytened the tugs and swung get ready for dinner." This was fel-. them ever the barks of the horses lowed by a laugh in which Farrar with a flourish. *bought he detected a trace of derision. "Just kine me the hitching -straps,' "No," he replied sourly, "I'II work' Pad, and I'll pump water for them. out the morning—and the afternoon,' You just wait a minute here—nothin' too." Angrily he turned to his' for you t' do. I tended to the chores horses. "Get along!" didn't 'mount t' nothin'." In spite of the erispnees of the air,€ "You go into the house, Billy, ane' the wagon did not till up with the stop trying to do work you can't usual rapidity. Once Farrar stopped; handle." The voice was brusque, but to strike the horse severely with the. net unkind. • slack of the reins because they had, The boy did not follow this injunr- broken out of the path in order to tion, but lagged behind the horses as reaeh tempting nubbins of corn just' his father led them to the water outside their reach. At the farther' trough. Here he was accorded the side of the field, happening to glance privilege of pumping. The horses toward the distant road, Farrar caughtt were thirsty after their work in the a glimpse of a horse and buggy just field, and the pump -handle reached too disappearing behind a grove; high for the stubby figure of the boy He straightened. It had certainty to get a full stroke. Before the horses looked like Rob, the only horse he; had their fill, his breath came in had left in the stable that morning,' gas'p's. and the buggy seemed familiar too. After the team had been unharness- For a long time he stood as one hyp-i ed, they walked through the darkness notized, staring into the distance. It - to the house, the boy reaching eagerly couldn't have been them! It simply i for the calloused hand of the man, showed that he was allowing that ab - who ,iassively accepted the comrade - surd situation of the preceding even - ship. ing to bother him. As the door opened the light from But it was with a sense of repug- the hanging -lamp revealed a small' nance that Farrar looked over the room with a table in the centre set yellow field of cornstalks that shiver - for the evening meal. Over the stove ed with a thin murmur in the morn - leaned a young woman who turned ing breeze. With a growing unease quickly as they entered. She had dark iness, he felt that his wife and boy hair and wide appealing eyes like a had really asked a small thing of boy's, but the soft rounded cheeks and sensitive mouth were entirely feminine. "Get a goad load, John?" she asked with an anxious smile. "Oh, fair," he grunted over his task Arriving there, he tied the team to of unlacing his heavy shoes. The wo- the hitching post and went into the man turned her attention to the stove Lhouse. Inside, all was dim, with the once more, while the man drew off curtaius down. He called out once. his boots and tossed them into a No answer returned to him. ` The sil- corner. The meal was a silent one at first. encs of the empty rooms seemed to The boy, in spite of his evident ap- petite, fidgeted about in his chair. Finally he burst out excitedly, speak- ing to his father. "Say folks, d'you know what day it is to-morro'? Why, it's 'Phanks-- givin'—an' I was first to find it out sof the whole fam'ly! There's goin' to be great times at everybody's houses, I bet. Why, y'oaght t' seen folks drive past s.ohool this afternoon. They was etreakin' int t' town for stuff t' eat— cranberries, apples, an' peanuts, most everythin' they got in the stores. And him and that he had played the part of a senseless tyrant. Oh well, he would drive home when he had com- pleted the row. No use working this way. stifle him with a sense of loss. The man stood stock -stili in the centre of the room for a long time. Then he strode out of doors. He hurried to the stable. Rob's place at the manger was empty! ' With a haste that made his fingers fumble,.he placed the single harness upon the back of the young horse he had hurried to bring in from the pas- ture. Then he hitched it to the old buggy and turned out of the driveway into the road that stretched away, undulating, southward to town. At the village, Farrar tied the colt what d'you know, Ma," he turned to to a. hitching -post and then hesitated his mother, "The Stanleys are fixiin'4 for a moment. Suddenly, from the up t' have a turkey! A ten pounder,1 little white church a short distance up Harry says!" the street, came the sound of slow, "That's natural," grunted the man measured singing, mellow and pleas heavily, (`they're the most shiftless of ing in the quiet air. A strange ex - all the .neighbors." pression flitted across the man's face. "An' Teacher told us all about T`halrksgivin', too!" ' cried Billy, re- gardless 'of his father'•s interruption. "An' say, mayn't we have .Thanks- g;ivin', too? All the fello's are goin' t' have it!" The boy, his face flushed and earnest, pleading for a Thanks- that strained through the leaded win- givin', brought a happy light into the. dows, Farrar looked about him. Far eyes of his mother. - 1 ahead he saw the Stanleys, the entire "Let's celebrate to -morrow for the family wedged into a small pew, look firsts �tixne since we were .married,• ing decidedly comfortable and happy: John. pier tone wa's vibrant with; Pe' arr could not help feelingthat feeling. "We have so much to bethere were some pleasant aspects to thankful for." bei be' Pshiftlees like ly "Much to 1,e thankful furl" The Past the Stanley , Ns searched man repeated the wards with bitter -I every pew. Finally they rested in a nes s. I can't see .where that. comes : corner of the churchopposite from in, his words t'umbied out violently his Intense relief came into his'facc. "`There's a let of things'I can feel: There they were, wife and boy, and at unthankful for, ,ori mean. For five, the eager gle.dne~•s in their' eyes, the year's after we were mined every -; man turned hie face away. A great thing went to pieces en niy hands. The, humiliation and t'laane possessed him. crops failed, , the hogs died of the . But he could net withhold his gaze for cholera, we :last three horses in ea lo;lf . What :1 ;mfr., dreaming look. eunaway and not once was it my fault!' lee ; ,; cye ! >:3e noticed A wanted to make thin,^,a` ni:'e for yea, i:....1 ,cee and, in its Swiftly he strode up the street. Inside the church, the minister had just announced the sermon, so Farrar slipped into one of the seats in the rear where it was dim. Once accustomed to the shaded Dight place, was devotion and rest. Beside her snuggled the boy., his eyes roving over the congregation, apparently not listening at all. Regular boy, Billy was, trying to count how Many of his school -mates were present. Then John Farrar drew back and lowered his head, for Billy's eyes might find him out. He remembered that the boy's eyes had shown hate for him the evening before. The than felt lonely. Marjorie and 13illy were not his family. They be- longed together and he was an out- sider, alone. But now the minister's voice broke in on Farrar's thoughts. The words rang out clearly. John Farrar bent forward. "To -day a whole nation gets down on its knees to thank God for its many blessings. All of humanity=.except those individuals too petty and mean to realize their benefits. They. should be glad at least that they are alive and well, with the"power of going on." Then the minister changed his tone and Farrar listened as he told the meaning of Thanksgiving for them, of their untroubled prosperity, their simple friendships, and of their faintly life. The gray-haired leader of his flock spoke to them as they talked with each other, and as he finished, a gleam of terror came into the eyes of the man who sat alone in the rear of the church. Was he petty and mean? What if he lost Marjorie— the boy i A sob clutched at his throat. But he hadn't! and that was a great reason for being thankful. Rather timidly, he joined in the last, hymn. A hush, while the simple bene- diction was uttered upon them. At the side of the church, where Rob and the new buggy stood, John Farrar waited. At last he saw theta coning and such a dread seized him that he would have liked to run from the place. But he remained, with eyes downcast. Ile waited a long time. Then he looked up and sawn Marjorie regarding him with steady wondering eyes, while Billy clutched her hand in evident distrust of his father. Farrar stared up through the leafless branch- es of the trees about them. "I got to thinking that maybe my family was worth more to me than my corn crop, and I'm pretty sure of it now. Marjorie, if you could forget,, if—if you won't care—" he stumbled' badly but his eyes were humble and; pleading. She answerd him with the I old, sunny smile and he needed no words to tell him that the past years' were for' otten. They spoke no, word for a long time. Then Farrar looked speculatively at his son. "Now if I was only sure that Billy would help me," he began quiz- zically, "I really believe we could get something from the stores and fix up a fine Thanksgiving dinner. But--••-" Billy was too much of a boy to bold out against this. With a bound he was at his father's side, plucking ex- citedly at his sleeve. "Come on, Daddy!" he cried, "we can fix it. Why I man carry 'bout a hundred pounds." There was a sound of a stifled sob from the mother, but looking up, Far- rar saw that her eyes were glowing with eagerness. For her the light of romance was gilding the vista of the remaining years. With joyful hearts the little family turned to a nearby store window, a window that contain- ed cranberries and nuts and all the things that help to make people more thankful an Thanksgiving day. The New Harvest. Golden leaves from the trees down - drifting, Hazy sunlight through! branches sift- ing; Sweet scent of pine In the air, like wine, Silver mists from the valleys lifting. Reddening apple and ripening corn, In fields sun -kissed by the autumn morn; A blackbird's throat Sounds a happy note, Greeting the day from the wide haw- thorn. Over the meadow and through the lane The harvesters move in a merry train; .After long years Of grief and fears, Joyful the harvest they reap again. Autumn Days. The feathers of the willow Are half of them grown yellow Above the swelling stream; And ragged are the bushes, And rusty now the rushes, And wild the clouded gleam, The thistle now is older, His stalk begins to moulder, His head is white as snow; The branches all arebarer, The linnet's song is rarer, The robin pipette now. Cf.EEKrUL CiEg,Ur) geaws...-�^^x..-•..i^.am"+m...,.....•......+.pp.-,.....,.rtrr•tf•cy7 The world is Full of Tlovely things, ; see, them every Place. I look . And all my lire I fee,1 8..s if 'lin we }kin js. through pict .ire. hook. The Country Fair. It is'a place of memories, of happy. Mays gone by, Of frost-nipt`maples with their torch- like heads against the sky. Of Autumn clouds and chilly air, a hint, .perhaps, ,of snow— But what did anybody care at Rock ton, long ago? For I had washed the buggy, rubbed the harness bright as new, And polished up the old bay mare, and cleaned' the lap -rug, too; And Sarah Jane sat by my side --'the whole world seemed to glow, We were so happy, she and 1, at Rock - ton, long ago! We watched the speeding in the track, and saw the judge decide The merits of the sheep and cows, and then we bravely tried The charms of all the Midway, where we wandered to and fro, And smiled to see the world so gay, at Rockton, long ago! When all tire sights were over, and the pleasant day was done, - We turned our faces homeward at the sinking of the sun, The Great West Permanent T1i "Upside -Down" Day I Loan Company. • Toronto Office. 20 King St. West M i4% allowed an Sayings.. nterest computed quarterly, Withdrawable by Cheque. %z% on Debentdreo,, laterost payable haIY yearly, Paid tip Capital $2-,412,578. Every Thanksgiving Day since Elva could remember, Aunt Clara, a neigh- bor who, lived alone, had brought her a Thanksgiving surprise—a small pie, a salad, a dish of marshmallow ice cream, So when on Thanksgiving morning Aunt Clara left a pumpkin and a large apple on the table, Elva was disappointed. True, the pumpkin was trimmed with a green, fluffy paper hat and red roses on its yellow head. It had blue eyes, a red nose and a mouth drawn with crayon, and dough stuck on with pins for ears and teeth. Think of it! It had wavy strips of yellow paper under the hat for hair and a green, tangy paper collar pinned below its mouth. For arms it had twisted rolls of red paper, which were pinned where its shoulders should be, and at the end of each arm five paper fingers. "Why does she think I want a pump- kin? Ugly old thing! We have pump - And kissed each other shyly, as the kine and apples. And mother is sick, besides. If the pumpkin were set on a round, wooden body, with sticks stars began to show To crown the day's dear happiness, at Rockton, long ago! for legs, I'd have a pumpkin doll. I'll —Nina Moore Jamieson. call her Prinky Prim." Elva almost • - smiled. "I know! I'll take Prinky The Festival, to lame Sally. Mother likes me to Fair earth takes off her broadened robe take her something ---I don't want the Of flowers, and croons a melody; ugly thing, Then I won't need to take Ah! soon in Autumn's great abode her any of my paper dolls. She may She'll join in rare festivity. think its pretty, and her mother can make her Prinky pies." She sees the azure -vested sky felt crass because her mother Stare at her; and the pasting hours was sick and they could have no, Game with a deep astonished eye Thanksgiving dinner, To see her doff her gown of flowers. After the maid who prepared lunch -4 eon had gone away, Elva carefully Her maid, the morn, sings of the joy carried Prinky 'Mini three blocks to pumpkin over to the hospital children, who screamed with delight. • "Better'n turkey!" one boy said with a grin, as the girls distributed the gifts. Sally's mother afterwards made pies from the pumpkins, and such good pies they were,too! Thinking Elva would discover the luncheon anet note when she played with Prinky and ate the apple, Aunt' Clara had brought over Elva's Thanks- giving dinner because her mother \vas sick. ; "The day--everything--has been I full, but not of upsido•downs," Elva de. clared happily, after giving Sally the money for a theift stamp. Autumn. Apple -green west and an orange bxr, And the crystal eye of a lone, lone star And, "Child, take the she ars and cut what you will, Frost to-night—so clear and dead - still." • Then I sally forth, half cad, half proud, " And 1 conte to the vali"et, imperial " crowd, The wire -red, the gold, the ercnlson, the pied, The dahlias that reign by the garden - side. King Autumn gives tp earth each. Sally's door and gave her to SalIy's' year; mother, a washerwoman. "I'll not go No sounds t"}quiet e'er annoy, in," Elva deeided. "Sally is tire: sale; There none but priceless gowns • and asks so many questions!" appear. The afternoon was long and weari-i some. When the time came for Elva The heaven a royal. robe will don, to prepare her supper of 1 ennd tenth And moonbeams glisten on his milk, the telephone rang violently, breast, "Come over and heap me to e.it the The wind will silken garb have on, splendid Thanksgivistg dinner you: Rich purple asters on his vet<t, brought! I just discovered it. I'll Oh, what the threes she.'11 wear tom wait for you!" fishy cal:edl in an ex -1 night? ' cited, squeaky voice. A breath of fragrance near her "In -what do you mean? Merl, I'll: leans, ask mamma," Elva was going to acid,,, And 1whisperslight:butSll bad t dtlki The dahlias I might not touch till to -night! A gleam of the -shears in the fading light. And I gathered them all—the splenriid throng, And in one great eheaf 1 bore them along. In my garden of Life, with its all -late flowers I heed a .•nice in the shrinking hours; "`Frost to -night -'•so clear and dead- still." eadi- st ill. " II'alf a ad, half prowl, my arms I fill, n answers ler in a y ad s oppe talking. c "A gown made by the hands o' "What does Sally mean? I navel dream:." took her any lunch. Maybe her moth -,-G:....., The sunseter has baked Prinky into pies, To -day gates of gorgeous hue has been full of upside -downs. I'll Roll silent back and there is seen take Miss Apple Saucy and divide with Resplendent to our eager view Sally in the pumpkin lunch." Proud Autumn with the Earth Iris Wi El had h d queen. what do you think she found? Turkey, Earth Ion Elva 1a urrie to Sally,. The Empress. With gold my paths are paven, Purple is mine attire; My broad and billowy hill crests Are lit with •crimson fire. Mine is a tiiiumph music That sets the blood aglow; The marching pipe and tabor Before my footsteps go. My amber clad battalions Approach in gleaming line; No olden pomp or pageant Was mightier than mine. Tossed by the winds of morning,, My flags are far unfurled; I hold within my storehouse The treasure of the world. Far in the dila lost aeons I had my royal berth; Behold in me the Autumn, The Empress of the Earth! Fading -Leaf and Fallen -Leaf. Said Fallen -leaf to Fading -leaf: "A heavy foot went by an hour ago; Crushed into clay I s$ain the way; The loud wind calls me, and I cannot go!, Said Fading leaf to Fallen -leaf: "Death lessons Iife, a ghost is ever wise; Teach me a way to live till May Laughs fair with fragrant lips and loving eyes." Said Falleneleaf to Fading -leaf: "Hast loved fair eyes and lips of gentle breath? Fade then and fall --"thou hast had all That life can give. Ask somewhat now of death." A A Farmer's Thanksgiving. For forty wagon loads of wheat, And twenty tons of seed, And twenty blood -red yearlings, All good enough to breed; For corn' -•a thousand bushels, A hundred tons of hay, For hogs galore and then ,some mere—. We thank Thee, Lord, to -day.. "I know not what the future bath Of marvel or surprise; Assured alone that life and death His mercy underlies. . And so, beside the silent sea; I • wait --rhe muffled oar; No harm from Hint can come to me On ocean or on shore. I knoll not where His islands lift Their fronded palms in air; I only know I'cannat drift Beyond His love and care." sandwiches, tarts, two ripe peaches. and tiny mince pies inside of Pinky's wahbly, yellow head! It es -as from Aunt Clara, who had prepared it. "It has been the thankful`est day!" Sally cried joyfully. "How did yon think of it? Mother and I planned to take Prinky to the hospital for the children to look at; and when I was looking to see 'zactly how her hat and hair were made so I could tell the children, her hat fell off and I found the lunch." The top of the pumpkin had been cut off, as when jock -o' -lanterns are made, and the stem wrapped round with paper, over and round which the top elf the hat had been gathered. Paper had been pleated round the edge of the cut-off top, which had been carefully placed on the pumpkin again with two new wire hairpins stuck through to holt]. it in place. That was the rim of the hat, and it concealed the place where the top had been cut. After a jolly luncheon Elva was peeling the apple, when she ex,ciaimed, as a slice dropped From the bottom of the apple, where it had been cut, al- though it was held in place by bits of toothpicks that could hardly be seen, "Why, here's money and a note inside the apple! 'Look on the porch at six o'clock. Use money for two thrift stamps.' " Aunt Clara had placed them inside the apple, which had been scooped out, "It's six o'clock now!" And Elva rushed home to find a large tomato and another pumpkin decorated with flags. It did not take Elva long to find the cake and ice cream inside the pumpkin. "Patriotic Pumpkin ice cream! Enough for two mammas, Sally and me." • The inside of the tomato had been scooped out and filled with candy and nuts. The top of the tomato had been held in place by small flags, the staffs of -which had been sharpened at the end. Then such a hustle and "bustle! For think what Elva and Sally did! They cut out paper dolls and : dresses, pic- tures, stories; they made toys, such as paper windmills and email rag dolls, which theyy put inside of Prinky• --ailed her full; they popped corn, while 'Sally's mother made molasses candy. Then they cut eyes,.- nose, mouth, even ears, in Patriotic. Pump- kin, and filled it witte pop corn, candy. and hickory nuts, with a flag stuck down the centre,. for they left the top of the pumpkin off. Then: think! They put a ;stick of candy auto each. ear and eye, a pickle in its nose, and a sandwich into its mouth. How queer it looked! Then they carried the iN EVER`f STA r3LE�__ 8113hres Distemper Compound is the one indispensable remedy for contagious and infec- tious diseased among horses and mules. Its success as a preventive and cure for Distemper, 'rlvluenza, Pink Bye, Loughs and Colds for more than twenty-five years i the highest tribute to its merit as a medicine. 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It heals and hardens the gums and aids in restoring them to a natural, healthy condition. Compounded sci- entifically a f ter, years of expert- ,menting and re- search. R e c ommextded and used by. leading a1 e r1 - bens of the den- tal profession. sicCRlMt' OWS Vete tf tldlT1 '009 ltl rAdPDa FOR SALE BY LEADING DRUGGISTS