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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 3, 1901)
crsr 1 HM&MMNG Tlio snow upon the hlllsldo lay, And thatched the cottage roof, Tlio web of vines by the Pilgrim's door Was tilled with Icy woof. Tho boughs were leafless on tlio trees, Across the barren plain The north wind swept despnlrlngly And moaned like ono In pain. (If whimpered like some hungry child That clnsps Its parent's hand And pleads for bread when there Is nono Jn nil tho drenry land.) Above the little Plymouth town, Circling with ompty maw. Mocking their hunRer, flew tho crow, Shrieking his "huw, haw, haw." Patlenccr a blue-eyed maiden, (Her eyes with tears were dim), Prom hunger feeble, trembling knelt And raised her voice to I Urn. "Dear Dod," sho said In pleading tones, Tender, plalntlvo and sweet, "We's almost 'tarved, an' won't 'oo please Send down some rings to cat?" Then all day long her watchful eyes Gazed down tho village street, Not doubting but sho soon would sco Some ono with "lings to eat." And, lol before tho sun had set, With wild fowl laden down, Four hunters from the forest drear Camo marching Into town. And (as In answer to the prayer), To add to nil tho cheor, And banish famine from tho place, Came Indians with deer, Tho Joyous villagers rushed out Tho ladencd ones to meet, But Patience knelt and said: "Fanks, Dod, For Eendln' rings to eat." "Trust in tho Lord with all thy heart Ho shall direct thy path." Old Martha Brent, murmuring tnatchea of her day's verses, little real ized that a chal.engo to her fnlth was closo at hand. Sho was dusting somo hooks on n sho'.f In her sitting xozm, and juBt then ghe accidentally knocked ono of them to tlio lloor. Tho books had belonged to Martha's ACCIDENTALLY KNOCKED ONE TO THE FLOOR, ausband. Sho dusted them daily, but ho never had opened them slnco Ills leath, ten years b?fore. Abovo tho oook shelf hung a bronzo medal her ausband had won for bravery in battlo. Stooping to get tho fallen book, Mar tha also picked up a paper that had jumbled out of It. It was a deed con: fcrrlng a small pleco of property below ho town to ono Frederick Willis. "Well, now, to think; I nover know James deeded that away!" thought Martha. She had Just laid tho paper aside when the door burst open and a little ooy camo Hying in. "Granny!" ho whispered, hurriedly, "you won't let him tako mo from you will you?" "Why, Jacky!" said Martha. Tho boy's beautiful, flushed face .as upturned to hers full of eager en treat. "Promise, you won't, Granny! " "iVo, no, Jacky," sho said, patting his bead; "you never shall loavo Gran ny Jjcwilllngly." "Morning, Martha," said a largo, I "HE SHALL DIR.ECT I THY PATH." I 0 A Tlitn.nksaivlna' Story -a I , ji t If m rather determined-looking man, np pcarlng In tho doorway. Ho was Stephen Dutts, a rclatlvo o' tho man who had married Martha't only daughter, who, with her husband now was dead. Ho presently stated tho object of hit visit. Ho had como to town from hit ranch, wishing to tako Jacky back witl him. Ho and his wife would bo glad to adopt tho boy, ho said. "No, Butts," Martha replied, with t touch of asperity, "I shouldn't feel o bit relieved to bo rid of Jacky." "And I must stay to tako caro of Granny," chimed in tho child, slipping his firm, pink hand into tho wrinkled, brown one. Butts argued tho matter awhile. He wanted tho boy. Finally ho went away, saying that ho would not accopl Martha's decision ns final. Ho would bo in town again for Thanksgiv ing. That afteinoon Martha went to tho ofllco of her lawyer, Mr. Croll. Mr. Croll greeted her cordially. "I'm glad you called In today, Mrs. Brent," ho said, giving her a chair. "I wanted to seo you." "No good news!" ho said. "I've hoard from Mr. Ford, but I'm sorry to bo obliged to tell you that ho writes ho docs not sco much uso of continuing your pension cnd2. Ho cannot discover any ono who knew Sergeant William Clay n James Brent" James Bront hnd retaken his truo namo when ho got his discharge from tho army threo years boforo his death, and camo to llvo In this western town, and now It seemed impossiblo to provo that ho and Sergeant Clny wero tho sanio man. His widow mortgaged tho homo to Lawyer Ford, tho pension attorney, who seeing no ehanco of winning tho caso demanded payment of tho mort gage. Croll told of Ford's demands-. Mnrtha started. Sho grow very white. Sho had a poor head for busi ness matters, and sho had not fully realized, when sho mortgaged her proporty to meet tho expenses of em ploying tho Washington lawyer, that sho must loso it if sho did not get hor pension. In tho latter event tho ten years' arrears duo her would easily have paid up tho mortgage. "I hop' we may bo able to Bavo tho placo scr.io way," said Mr. Croll, ob serving her dlstross. "How about sell ing that land on tho river?" "Oh, sir, I cannot sell that; it" Martha, half extending tho deed from undor her shawl, drew It sharply back into hiding. A flerco flood of terror sot every norvo in her old body trembling. "What did you say, sir?" she asked, weakly. Mr. Crell explained that It would bo wlso to sell tho land. "I'm suro your husband would approve," ho snld. Martha roso from hor chair abruptly. "Yes, I bollovo James would want mo to sell It," sho doclarod; "he'd want anything rather than Jacky and I'd be without a homo!" Sho wont awny quickly. Martha did not work well that after noon. Hero mind was distracted. Sho kept slipping her hand into her pocket to feel tho deed. It's possession con fused her actions. Unnblo to stand tho strain any long er sho started to Crell's ofllco to toll tho story. But on tho way sho met Jacky returning from school. "Como, you'ro tired. Let's hurry home," said Jacky. "Why, that's not tho way homo, Granny I You'ro start ing uptown. Sec, It's well I camo to fetch you. Tako my shoulder; I'm pretty big now." Marthn's determination wiltod weak ly away. Sho went homo with her boy, It was not until thoy were seated at supper that hor sonso of right put in a claim again. "1'vo taken tho second wrong step, nnd l'vo got to stop here!" Sho pulled hersolf up. Sho know that if tho worst camo to tho worst sho might go to tho poor houso, nnd tried to pursundo him to go to Butts'. Jncky's faco clouded; ho flung hlm Golf back in his chair. "Now, Granny," ho cried, with tears, "you'ro talking ns though you wanted mo to go and you said you didn't; you promised that I might always Btay with you." Martha's fnco fell from tho wheed ling expression It had assumed. Slio gnvo up tho effort to persuado tho child to wish to loavo hor as boyonrt hor strength. Sho rose abruptly after a fow minutes nnd walked to tho otov. Sho lifted n lid and snatched tho dectl from her pocket. "Why, what are you doing now!" Jacky asked, surprised at tho nervoai intensity of her actions. Maltha stopped hcrsel; Bhortly nt fits question. "I was going to burn this paper, but maybo I'd better not," sho muttered. Sho sat down again, quite spent from tho day's perplexities. Sho did not coherently plan what she should do. Sho lot matters drift for tho next few dnys. Then ono morning Mr. Crell camo to hor house with a notary and a deed all drawn up for her to sign. He gavo hor tho deed to sign. Eho trembled and before sho could write her nnmo tho pen fell to tho floor. She would not pick it up. "I won't sell tho land," sho snld. "Let this placo go If it will, and Jacky nnd I uro going to llvo on tho shack on tho river land." Nothing tho perplexed lawyer could sny would alter this decision, nnd at Inst ho took tho notary away. However, sincerely desirous of sav ing tho old woman from tho conso .quenccs of what seemed n strnngo yngary, Mr. Crell enmo to her another dny, saying Hint ho had arranged by telograph to postpone tho time of pny tug tho mortgage But Martha stubbornly refused to altor hor plans. Sho put a llttlo furni turo into tho two-roomed log shack on tho river property, and moved thero with Jacky. "Thero won't bo any crimo in Just borrowing tho lnnd while I live," sho told herself. Ono evening, when thoy had boon in tho shack somo weeks, ns ho snt studying tho depressed lines that ha1 como into hor face, an Idea occurred to Jncky. "Grnnny," ho broke out, "tho reason wo'ro not very cheerful hero is Just becauso wo haven't enough honor nblcncES." Then, as Martha caught her breath, sho glanced at hhn sharply. "Wo ought to havo grandfather's mcdnl hanging up ns it was at tho cottago," ho explained. "You see, Grnnny, wo'ro always so proud and, happy when wo look nt It and remem ber what a bravo soldier ho was. It makes us Vlsh to bo all honornblo and' right ourselves. Why Granny!" ' Mnrthn had suddenly dropped hor! faco in her hnnds, and wns swaying, her poor old body to and fro. "Jacky! Jncky!" sho cried out, "Go get tho medal, quickly!" Ho flew for It, quite distracted nt, tho remarkablo effect of his words. Ho! had merely repeated things sho had' often snld to hint. Martha had controlled her agitation; when ho camo back to her Bide after; n few minutes. Sho wns sitting up' very straight and calm, and thero was n brightness In her eyes, ns if tho, spirit behind them was working; strongly. Her mouth had dropped from the sot look it had recently worn., It trembled slightly. "Jacky; sho said, "stand beforo mo.J my man. Jacky, you say that think-. Ing of grandfather ought to mako us, bravo and honorable. Do you moan ur "Oh, yes, Grnnny." "And if ho was ready to do his duty In his way, wo must do ours in our way ns bravely?" "Yc-es, Granny." "Then, Jncky, wo shall. I'll do mlno and you'll do yours, llttlo lad, oven though It's tho hardest trial that could como for us to bo parted." Tho next morning Mnrtha carried tho deed to Mr. Crell and told him tho story of how sho hnd found It nnd of her rcsolvo to restoro tho land to Willis. "Oh, Mrs. Brent!" ho exclaimed when ho was through reading It, springing up to grasp her hand. "How glad wo arc you brought mo this at last! You say you wnro not nblo to road nil of It? Well, Frederick Willis "HOW GLAD WE ARE." was n soldier serving with your hus band, and tho land Is loft him in grat itude for once saving Bront's life. It Id mentioned hero that Bront sorved undor the assumed namo of Clay, Now all to do is to find Willis, and through him provo Brent's Identity, nnd wo shull get your ponlon!" Thanksgiving Day. hcn Stephen Butts drove In from hi nnch, Mnrthn was back In her cotuco. Ho looked at her pleasantly as sbo opened tho door for him. "I haven't com to rr you to let us hnvo the boy, Martha," ho said kindly. "Jenny snld I shouldn't, slnco you'ro so set by onoh other," Ho hud his ratron loaded with pumpkins nnd butter nd eggs nnd other good thing! produced on his ranch. Ho stored them uway Jn Mar tha's chair, "Ho shall direct thy r.tths," sho murmured, with new fervor. THE PUMPKIN. Oh, greenly and fair In tho lands of tho sun, Tho vines of tho gourd and the rich mel on run. And tho rock and tho trco nnd tho cot tago enfold. With broad leaves all greenness anu blos soms all gold, Llko that which o'er Nineveh's prophet once grew, While we waited to know that his warn ing was true, And longed for tho storm-cloud, nnd listened In vain For tho rush of tho whirlwind and red flre-ialn. On tho banks of tho Xcnll, tho dark Spanish maiden Comes up with tho fruit of tho tangled vino laden; And tho Cruolo of Cuba laughs out to be hold Through tho orange leaves shtnlng tho broad spheres of gold; Vet with dearer delight from his homo In the north, On the fields of his harvest tho Yankee looks forth, Whoro tho croak-necks aro colling and yellow fruit shines, And the sun of September melts down on his Vines. Ah! on Thanksgiving Day, when from cast and from west, From north and from south como tho pil grim and guest, When tho gray-hnlred Now-Englandcr sees round his hoard The old broken links of affection restor ed, When the care-wearlcd man seeks his mother onco more, And tho worn matron smiles whero tho girl smiled before, What moistens tho lip and what bright ens tho eye? What calls back tho past, llko the rich pumpkln-plo? Oh, fruit loved of boyhoodl tho old days' recalling; When wood-grapes woro purpling nnd brown nuts wero falling! When wild, ugly faces wo carved In Us skin, Glaring out through tho dark with n candlo within! HANKSGMNG Tho good peoplo of tho church nt Elmvlllo had decided that something must bo done, nnd at onco. Tho treasurer, a young man, who had re cently como to tho vlllago, had mado a financial statement that Octobor Sunday morning, upon which cortaln persons folt very much scnndnllzcd. Such a thing had never boon dona bq forc not oven thought of; thon It re vealed tho fact that tho Rovorond Wes ley Norwood had recolvod but $51.75 for six months of faithful service. "I don't bollovo in bringing up such mnttert in tho religious services of tho church," growled Brother Cook, who alwnys protested that It was a wasto of money to pay tho minister so much salary. "I quite agree with you," responded Mr. Barnes. Ho was not a member- of tho church, but attended becnuso it was a reapectablo thing to do gnvo you standing. "If theso things must como up every Sunday, I shall attend church elsewhere." Notwithstanding this, It wns gener ally agreed that it was a shamo, and something must bo done. But when things hail gono In a haphazard way so long It wns no easy matter to faco right nbout. After sovoral weeks of deliberation, tho necessary something seemed as far from accomplishment U3 over. "It is too bad that thoy do not col lect tho pastor's salary," remarkod Mrs. Hunter at tho Ladles' Aid meet ing. Who she meant by "they" was not entirely clear, Inasmuch ns sho war, one of tho officers. "If no ono 0I30 will do anything, wo must," rejoined Mrs. Allen; tho vari ous mombors nodded approval. It was soon planned. Tho pastor had recolvod $51.75; they would pay him $93.25 mako it oven f 150 and hnvo enough left in tho treasury for incidental matters. On Thursday ovonlng of noxt week, which was Thanksglvlng.thcy would Invito them solvos to tho parsonage, and hnvo a "WHAT SHALL WE DO?" good timo whllo making tho pnstor happy. It would bo eaBy to prcparo something extra whllo getting ready for Thanksgiving. It was to bo a grand secret; not a uoul but mombors of tho society should know n word of It. At tho closo of tho business meet ing of tho Young Pooplo's Longuo, tho president mndo a closo scrutiny to as sure himself that nil prosont woro members; ho thon proposod that, as "Thoy would not do anything," tho League tako up tho mnttor. "I understand that wo hnvo nearly sixty dollars in tho treasury; wo could pay tho pastor $I8.G0 bring tho sal ary up to ?100 and havo enough loft to pay all bills and begin tho now year out of debt. If wo do this I suggest that wo obscrvo tho utmost secrecy nnd mako It a complete surprlso." All readily ngrced to tho plan and pledged tho proper retlccnco in tho mattor. Four of tho most faithful mot nftor prayer mooting to discuss tho situa tion, and decldod thnt thoy must nt onco collect $248.26, tho bnlnnco noc csHary to pay tho six months' snlary duo. This thoy proceoded to do so quietly that no ono surmised n gon orn! canvass was bolng mndo. Boforo Sunday tho ontlro amount was sceurod. Friday, aftor school, tho Junior Leaguers met nnd docldcd that Inns much as tho grown up folks would not help in tho matter, thoy would do what thoy could; so thoy voted to pay over every bit thero was in tho treasury. Upon counting $23.25 was found to bo tho correct amount. "Oh, girls!" cried Lottlo Nowmnn, ns sho mndo somo figures In tho treas urer's book, "It will mako Just oven $75 and I hope wo can got enough to mako It a hundred." After tho choir had run ovor tho Sunday hymns, someone proposed that thoy pay tho proceeds of tho last con cert on tho salary. Tho sum of $30.25; after referring to tho margin of his nnthom book, tho chorister roportcd that It would mnko $82 ull told. On Thanksgiving morning they would call at tho parsonage and surprlso tho pastor with a .check for this amount. Porhapa It would somewhat ntono for tho aln of whispering during tho Bor mon. Thnnksglvlng day was a trying timo for tho Norwoods. Tho baby was sick tho night boforo nnd kept them awako; and when thoy did get to rest, they overslept. What with rush ing to got breakfast ovor and mako ready for tho sorvlco at church, pray ers woro shortened nnd tho chapter omitted nltogother. "Oh, Wcsloy, I am so tlrod! Every thing has gono wrong today," said Mrs. Norwood that aftornoon. "Tho children never woro so naughty boforo, Whnt will peoplo say about Robblo fighting? Tho flour-barrol is ompty, tho potatoes aro all gone, and wo havo not n thing In tho house for breakfast, only bread and butter; and tho grocor Bent us word yesterday that wo could not havo unothor thing until wo paid him. What shall wo do?" Aftor which lengthy nnd somowhat Incoher ent speech, sho laid her head on his shouldor and found rofugo in tears. "Nover mind, Dear; tho Lord will provldo"; thon ho slowly ndded. as If in an afterthought, "somo way," A fow minutes lator Pastor Norwood was bowing to tho orgnnist, who slip ped a check In his hand nnd said prop erly, "With tho compliments of tho choir." Just ns thoy woro rented, tho door boll rang n:jaln, and this timo tlio Junior Lcaguo marched on mnBso nnd tho astonished minister stood speech less with n chock In olthor hand. Thon tho oldor Lcnguo camo, and pres ently tho Ladles' Aid, nnd Inst of nil tlio trustees, all nddlng their offerings and crowding tho Bmall rooms. Each party looked stlflly nsknnco nt tho others, wondorlng by what trickery tholr secret hnd becomo known. Aftor nn hour of dlscourso and Bong, tho troasurcr nroso nnd said: "A fow days slnco our pnstor hnd received but a moro pittanco for many months of faithful labor. Whllo ho had wrought oarncstly for tho church and Us societies, so that, for tho first timo in years, all wore in a prosperous condition, ho unBolflohly forgot his own needs. No, not Brothor Nor wood, you must permit mo to llnlBh. Then ono society nnd nnothor.by somo Btrnngo colncldonco, concolvod tho thought of giving tho pastor a pleas ant Thnnksglvlng surprise It Is noed lcss to sny that wo havo surprlsod each othor qulto as woll. But best of all, I And that in tho fow dnys of uncon scious co-oporatlon, wo havo lncronsod tho amount paid on salary to Just flvo hundred dollars. This shows what wo can do if wo all work together. I movo you as a congregation, that wo Incroaso our pastor's salary from six hundred to eight hundred dollars a year. It waB carrlod with a rush, ovon Brothor Cook assenting. Pastor Nor wood aroBo, and with tears of Joy trickling down his cheoks, thankod thorn simply. Somo said thoy sung tho doxology ns novor boforo; nt least thoro woro two voices that rang out with n now inspiration of faith. Whon they wero onco moro at homo, and tho children in bed, Wesley Nor- THEY READ TOGETHER, wood again took his wlfo In his arms and opening his Blblo at a placo much marked and worn, thoy rend together with tho guileless faith of. children, "And It shnll como to pass that boforo thoy call, I will ansvor; and whllo they aro yot spoaklng, I will hear." Centuries Old. Days of festival thanksgiving hnvo been colobrntod for many centuries. Undor tho old Mosaic law tho Hcbrows hold an annual harvest festival undor tho trees and In tonts of palm. Tho Gorman Protcstnnts hnvo nn nnnunl "Harvest Homo" fostlvnl, accompanied by religious sorvlcos, nnd this custom was brought to America by tho early Dutch Immigrants. Thanksgiving for us today Is a timo for rojolclng that 11 fo has boon spared to us and that wo hnvo escaped many dnnHors, ovcrconio many trials and en joyed many pleasures during tho last year. It is also a timo whon wo should remombor kindly thono who havo been less fortunate and should put forth somo special offort to mako them happlor, , .