n' r i i i J iilifiMli TliiT II i i .ttt 4V
THE
MASKERS
A NEW YORK
THANKSGIVING DAY STORY
mT WAS notatyplcal Thanks
giving day, being so warm
that no llako of snow was
poaslblo. Over all New
York, from tho Battery to
Bronx, and bpyond,- tho lu
minous pearl-gray mist
hung, a ragged canopy,
which In spots reached'
down to tho moist street
level.
When Carolyn Martin
luoiied ouc, alio of necessity lookqd up,
and as tho only opening In her tiny apart
ment wag toward tho sky, bIio saw
nothing but a mass of gray fog. As
oho &lood wjh her hand on tho pulloy
cf her skylight, a cnorus of children's
voices, now In laughter, now In enatch
of song, carao faintly from tho streot
below.
As Carolyn know that tho lodger who
occupied tho tbP iloot front had gono
She Stole to One of Ills Windows.
out, sho stole to one of hla windows.
,It was ll o'clock, and tho mounted' po
lice, as is their wont, had cleared
Wost Seventy-second street of all traf
fic vehicles, to mako ready for tho
carriages that later on throng this
boulevard, i Carolyn had risen lato.
The .demands of tho stomach aro not
as peremptory when ono Is quiet, and
sh had faced tho fact, tho night be
fore, that sho stood possessed of ex
actly 18, cents.
It was still oarly for pleasure driv
ing, so. that tho boulevard, for" tho mo
ment, .was given over to companies of
gayly garbed maskers, who wero ring
ing door-bells, and, in merry Imperti
nence, accosting passers by. Through
tho silvery; silken mist they went
caracoling, a broken tangle of bright
color, as far as Carolyn could sco,
and sho wondered, as many another
nowcomer to Now York has done,
as to this odd Thanksgiving day cus
tom, which . has a history that It la
not tho purpose of this narrative to re
late Tho savor of tho Thanksgiving din
ner, in courso of "preparation below
etalra, which vas exclusive to tho keep
er of tho houso and .her family, float
ed upward. As Carolyn stood looking
out, tho appetizing odora beat at tho
loor of her demanding young stomach
with tantalizing insistence.
Tho carriages wore now beginning
to pass, and, from ono of them, sho saw
a shower of coin flung to a group of
singing maskers. With quick rosolve,
she turned, wont to her room, took tho
patrttB with which aho eked out tho
littio. allowanco hor old undo was ablo
to Bend her, and in a few minutes hnd
finished a dainty masque. She was a
fragile little thing, and when sho had
Aoanetf a costume wolch sho had worn
at a fancy dress affair ono never-to-be-forgotten
evening when DIcjc had told
hor of his love, and tlod about tho
loosonpd curls of her dark hair a fillet
of gpld-colorcd ribbon, she looked no
moro han a child.
Sho slipped softly down tho stairs,
and reached the outer door of tho
ground floor unobserved. A company
of maskers wont scurrying down tho
street like bright, wind-swept autumn
loaves. Quickly sho stopped in among
them, and, seized with tho abandon of
tho moment, sho began to sing that
rollicking littio bird sopg, "Tho Robin."
A passer halted and thrust a coin Into
her hand, remurking to his compan
ion: . '
"That child has a wonderful VcHce."
Tho half dollar Insured a warm din
ner, but what tho man Bald of her
volco was far moro to hor than a din
ner, much as sho wanted one) Hor
volco was now her hope, a hope which
was leading her to strugglo alone In a
big city that has no time to succor
(hoso. who fall, and whero only the At
test survive.
An automobile drew up to tho curb,
and a young man sprang to tho walk.
Carolyn quickly rained her hand to ad
Just her masque, bringing Into view an
antlquo moonstone ring, on which was
cut. In intaglio, a quaint and singular
ly beautiful head As tho man Baw It
ho exclaimed:
"Carrol, It la you. What does this
mean?"
"What right bavo you to ask?" Hor
words wero. bravo, but hor volco trem
bled. "No right now, Carrol, savo that of
an rid friend who has been looking for
you everywhere, and la so glad to Ilnd
you that ho does not caro what any
thing means," ho said gently. They
walked on, leaving tho wandering
maskers, behind, to tho entrance of the
park.
."Lot us sit. hero for a few mlnutti,
Carrol, I have something I must say
to you." Sho glanced at her cos
tume. "Never mind," ho said, interpreting
her look. "Tho first tlmo I saw you
n that dress wo wero very happy, and
why did you leave mo, Carrol, with
only the littio messago that I was
free?" Sho raised her eyes, limpid
with unshod tears, and sho answered;
"I did not want you to find mo. Why
did you look for mo?"
"Because I love you, Carrol, and life
18 not worth living without you, but
She Beoan to Step;.
tell mo, why dldyou go away as you
did?" Sho hesitated a little, and then
said, steadily;
"When tho bank failed, and I had
nothing, your aunt camo and told me
that If you married mo It would ruin
your career, ns sho would disinherit
you. ' Sho said what you should do was
to marry AUco Gurry, and that she
was sure you would, but for a notion
that you wore bound In honor to me."
"Just as I thought. But how could
you go away, Carrol, without seoJng
me; without hearlug' what I hud to
say?"
"Dick, do you think I could spot
your llfo? What sort of lovo woul
that be? And I knew I might grow solflsl
and weak, if I saw you."
"You darling," ho said, and pressed
tho slender fingers of tho hand 01
which was the old moonstone ring un
til sho winced. "Did you kuow," hi
continued, "that Mrs. Dempsey la no'
my aunt?"
"Not your aunt? Why, Dick, wha!
do you mean?"
"Just thiB: sho. was adopted, but no'
legally, by my grandparents. When mj
mother died, Bhortly after ,1 was born
sho and her husband managed, by i
series of clever frauds, to got hold o!
the property. No ono knew about 1'
-but old Candes. Mrs. Dempsoy pal
her to keep mum, but when sho kneM
sho was going to die, money did no;
count, and sho sent for mo and told mi
tho whole story.
"When, tho truth camo out aboui
Aunt Dell I made up my mind sho hac
something tb do with your going, ant
I set out to find you. I knew yot
wero somewhere In New York, froir
Mabel your uncle told her that, bui
said you lold him not to glvo your ad
dress to anyone, ' so I made up mj
mind to just hunt till I found you. But
"How Could You Go Away. Carrol ? "
tell mo, littio girl, why you were prank'
lng with tho maskers? Waa It Jusv a
lark?"
"No, Dick, It wasn't; I wanted some
money. I waa hungry for a warm
dinner."
"Great Scott, Carrol, you don't mean
to Bay you aro in want? To think oi
your being hungry."
"It isn't so bad, Dick. It's only this
Mr. Ferguson, the cashier where I sell
the menu cards and other things I do
was away yesterday, and what Uncle
v.aarles sends mo did not get hero as
usual. I had a few cents for rolls,
but ii Is Thanksgiving day, and I did
want something else."
"Poor little song bird! Come, gel
off those togs, quick, and as soon as
the auto can get us'to tho Holland we'll
have a bang-up Thanksgiving dinner."
And such a dinner as they had, Carolyn
declared she had never tasted any
tblng as good, and that never before
had she been so truly thankful for a
Thanksgiving dinner.' Dick started oul
by saying they would bo married In a
month, which Carolyn thought was too
soon, but when tho dessert was brought
in he had shortened tho time to tea
days.
When their dinner was over, they
wont out on Fifth avenue, vivid with
light and life, and, crossing ovor to
Twenty-ninth street, walked on past the
quaint little church of tho Transfigura
tlon, where, as a college 'friend of Dlck'i
was ono of tho assisting clergymen,
they decided to. be married,
It was a quiet, pretty high-noon
wedding, and Dick's friend who ofll
cluicd, and who performs a largo pro
portion of the many marriages soleinn
ized p.t this far-famed "Little Church
Around tho Corner," had ho not be
longed to tho order of "Whlto Friars,'1
would have envied . his old college
chum hla pretty, winsome littio bride.
ANTOINETTE VAN HOESEN.
Thanksgiving Day
HANKSOIVING DAY is aa
(I II. . 1,.. I -t I . . A
I America ns is tho turkey,
solubly connected with due
commemoration of the sea
son. A dinner In that day
without tho gobbler or Its
mato would bo no feast at
all, though a hundred oth
er viands woro lncludod
In the menu.
ThatiKsgivlng day, known nowhere
else than In tho United States, as a
national Institution, Is of decided mod
ern Invention. President Lincoln, Just
40 year3 ago, waa moved by tho great
vlctorlea of Gettysburg, VIcksburg,
and other points, theso coming thick
and fast after so many previous disas
ters, to designato a day in which tho
people of tho entire nation might meet
and render thanks to God. This first
national Thanksgiving day was designed
to be distinctly religious In Its character,
and the Intent of the president was un
derstood and carried out by tho people.
Tho churches of tho cities and towns
and villages wero filled that day with
fathers and mothers and sisters who
offered grateful prayers to God for tho
vlctorlea won and for tho preservation
of their loved ones who moved dally
amid scenes of imminent danger.
Truo, tho Thanksgiving day Idea
dates back of this. Tho andful of
Pllgrlraa In Ma8sachusetts, !n tho year
following their landing at Plymouth,
met in their church In obedience to
the governpr'8 proclamation to return
thanks for a generous harvest. In
termittently thereafter for many years,
and then regularly each year, tho day
was commemorated, spreading through
out the New England states. It did
not reach New York state until 1821,
and was regarded Indifferently by many
states until Lincoln gave It national
standing.
Washington did mako two Thanks
giving proclamations, but only at tho
suggestion of tho congress. Two sub
sequent presidents flatly declined to Is
sue such proclamations, Insisting that
tho sllcnco of tho constitution as to re
ligion forbade any such exerclso of
power by tho chief executive.
Hence, It Is within reason and right
to say that Thanksgiving day, as a na
tional festival, began In 18G3, and was
instituted by President Lincoln.
But by a rapid process of evolution
tho religious feature, that which gave
TA1R Autumn has painted the fringe of the wlldwood,
The rivers are clear as they sine to the sea,
And back from the vistas of golden-orbed childhood
Come laughterand song that are boundless and free;
The feastlngs of old every heart doth remember,
For the tides of the years have an echoing flow,
And again the soft skies and the frosts of November
Recall the Thanksgivings we kept lone ago.
flHEY fade not. no matter how swift Is Time's river,
V We cherish them all for the loves that they hold,
And dearer they grow. May they linger forever,
Framed by Affection m Memory's gold I
Again In the gloaming of russet November
The tides of another Thanksgiving doth flow,
Repeating the days we rejoice to remember
The feasts and the smllqs of the dear long go.
CHE chorus Is heard from the far-away plnelands
To the aureate shores of the Occident sea;
It echoes anew In the depths of the vine lands,
And quivers the bloom of the fair orange tree ;
The Nation rejoices, for Peace crowns Its banner,
The rivers of plenty through all the land flow,
And hunger 's unknown In the cot and the manor,
And spanned Is the sky by the Thanksgiving bow.
r a
rise to tho day, has been diminished.
In larger cities but a llrhltcd ntimber
of churches open their doors for serv
ices, while In tho smaller ones a slngls
houso of worship will conduct what la
termed "union service" for all denom
inations. Usually there aro many va
cant pows.in those churches that aro
opened.
Tho day has developed into "homo"
day, ono In which the loved ones meqt
with glad hearts, and doubtless thank
ful ones, too, and fellcltato ono an
other that it is aa well with them aa
it is. Those who livo at n distance,
and thoso who aro traveling upon tho
road, turn their faces towards tho
homo roof In advance of tho coming,
of Thanksgiving day, that they of ono
'blood may bo together on that day,
and spend tho hours in recalling tho
past, so much of It aa is pleasant. Or
they engage In Joyful songo, or Inno
cent pastimes, all filled and thrilled
with tho goodness of life.
Whether or not tho people aro lesa
religious than formerly does not enter
Into this discussion. Thero are 52 days
in tho year set apart for Sunday
church observance, and the peoplo by
a sort of common consent havo seen
fit to spend this, tho ono day of tno
year, under their own vino and fig
tree, undisturbed by callers, folding
communion with thoso who aro bono of
their bono and flesh of their fiesh.
Surely thero can bo nothing in con
travention of religion in tho home sen
timent, that is so marked a feature of
Thanksgiving day. Tho homo Is the
safety of the stato. It is hero that
youth receives its influences for good
or ill. It ia here that men aro mado
J or unmade. Can thero bo higher tribute
to tho beneficent influences of homo
lifo and tho happiness o it than the
modern universal practice in these
states of evory man and woman, with
their children, making a "home day"
of Thanksgiving? May not the' happy
hearts and glad faces of theso homo
gatherers bo a pleasanter sight In
God's eyes than the spectacle of long
and solemn-faced couples going to
church to ping solemn psalms. In any
event ono'niay not' sacrifice any spirit
of gratitude to tho good God for His
mercies bocause his heart Is glad and
warm in tho surroundings of a loved,
and lovable home.
Yot blessed Is that nation whoso
God Is the Lord, and It waa a happy
suggestlqn that camo to the great Lln
clon to nationalize ono day of the year
in which to pralso tho Lord because Ho
Is God, and to give thanks to Hl3 holy
name for mercies that enduro from
generation to generation.
WILLIAM ROSSER COBCE.
CHEY will notdesert us and Memory traces
With love and affection the days of the past.
We hear tho sweet songs and we see the fair faces
That charmed theThanksglvlng;s. too happy to last!
How often we looked at the fields In the morning
And saw on the corn the first flurry of snow. .
With the sun In the east all the landscape adorning:
To welcome Thanksgivings we loved long ago.
771 E kneel as people, for great Is the Nation
W Whose banners are waving from sea unto sea;
Cur power Is boundless and lofty ourtatlon,
For this Is the land of the brave and the free;
The bells of Thanksgiving aro tunefully ringing.
They call to the chancel the high and tho low.
And millions to-day are In gratitude singing
'The songs that their forefathers sang long aeo.
PRAISE Cod for His goodness I He keptusa Nation
When darkness and trials o'ershadowed the land ;
His love and His care were the Pilgrims' salvation
Who planted their faith on the wave-beaten strand;
O bells of Thanksgiving ! ring out In the morning,
Wo 've planted In' love, and we reap as we sow ;
The sun of Cod's love Is the landscape adorning,
And Freedom remembers her birth lorg ago.
T. C. Harbauoh,