Granny Wetherbee's Thanksgiving

ChrUtlan at Work. It was a hard case certainly. Out since two o"clock this lamp November afternoon, Hessie gathering chestnuts and Ben hunting the old red cow, who had strayed off somewhere yesterday and could not be íouud; and now to come home at half past live, pretty well chilled through, and find the door locked and Granny Wetherbeenothome from the villaje. Pretty discouiaging at seven years old. "Never mind, Hessie." said Ben, in a comforting tone; '-we'11 sit here by the side of the house, out of the wind, and I teil you a story. Granny'll sood bc back, never fear." "What'll she when she liears you couldn't iind old Red?" asks Hessie", in rather an awe-st.ricken tone. "I dont know," Beu answered, seruffling up his curly red hair. "I've looked everywhere I could think of. I guess the old thing's jumped up to the moon." 'How funny,"said Hessie laughing.as she began to sing: "Hey diddle diddlo, the cat and the iiddle, The cow jumped over the moon! The little dog laughed to see the spore And the dieh ran away with. the spoou." Just then a light step brushed over the dry grass by the roadside, and a young lady cauie up to the twin. "Why, what are you doing out here this chilly evening, you little naidgets?" she said. "Granny locked us out, Miss Rosa," answered Ben. "Locked you out? What for?"' "She's afraid wc'll set ourselves on ñre." "Why, what an idea! just as if you were two babies. " "Wel1, Granny thinks so," said Ben, as if that settled ihe matter; "and we don't tnind, we can waittill she comes." "O, Miss Rosa," broke in Hessie, "do you know the old red cow's strayed away, and we can't find her anywhere! Granny will feel so bad. Do you think she can have jumped up to the moon?" "I shouldn't wonder if she had," roplied Miss Rosa, gravely. "Now tel) me what have you got in that basket?" "Chestmits," said Hessie, proudly; "four quarts. Granny said we rnight sell all we could gather in V.'estbrook, and she'd put by the monoy to help get Benny a pair of shoes." "Why, that will tako some time. So here's ten cents for you to begin with. The red cow will come home from the moon before long, I dare say." "I wish she'd 'bring some boots with her," said Ben. "And a real china dolly, with legs and arms," cried Hessie,eagcrly,whose home-made dolls were armless ladics, imd ended in a bunch of rags. "Perhaps she will," said Miss Rosa, laughing. "But good-night now; I must hurry home. There's your grandmothor coming down the road this minute. Good-bye." Sure enough there was Granny H etherbeo, who had taken care of the orphans ever since they could remember. Sho was a wearj , worrisome old lady, with a fretful voice, and a face mickered up in a hundred wrinkles; but then sho had had so much troublc. poor old soul. "Well, Benjamin, well llepsibah! you haven't found old Red?" she said," as she unlocked the door. "No, Granny. We got the chestnuts though; just look!" "O, don't talk to wc ibout chestnuts," cried Granny Wcthorbeo, u n doleful tone, Here' a peck of troubles for us. The cow lost; those stuck-up city foiks irono uway from Wostbrook, and aint paid me for the washing- ten dollars. You, Benny, without a shoe to voor foot, and toruorrow's Thanksgiving Day 1'ni sure I don't know wnat l've got to be thankful for! All the while she was lalking Granny was inaking tea from thesleaming ket tle on the stove, whilc 15en and Hessie trottcd busily about, setting the table with bread, apple-sauce, a bit of cold bacon, and somepotatoesthat had been put io bako in the oven before they went out. So it secmed as if there was Borne comfort left; butGrantiy wouldn't sec it." "Shall I nsk a blessing, (irauny?" said Hen, in a reverent tone, as they Bat down. "Ycs, 1 s'pose .so," she siglied, "though the Lord seenis to have withdrawn hisniereios from us," Foor little Hesaie looked very niueh inclined to cry at this difmal conclusión, but )ier brotber fought back the depresslng fcelings. and bravely prayed: "O Lord, bless our supper, and put it into tnc hearl of Mrs Willis to pay Granny. Amen." In the meantime Miss Rosa, who, you must know, was the minister's 'daughter, and the childrcn's Suudayschool teacher, had reached her iiomc, quito near to the yillage of Westbrook. Just as slie opeued the gate the "hircd man" for that is wbat they cali theni "Down Kast," came from the slableyard. "Why, jesttothink, Miss HiTriott." he said. "As I was drivin' the eoaws hum to-night, I camo across old Miss Wetherbee's red, away daown in the wood-lot, nigh on ten miles from hum; and I druv her in with ourn. Right bad she wanted to bcmilked, tew; must, ha' been gone over night, Shall I take her daown thcre naow? "O, l'm really glad of that, Lot," said Miss llosa. "No, keep her here till tomorrow morning. I've an idea about that. And Lot, saddle thiï pony for me at seven o'cloek, will you? 1 want to ride into Westbrook before breakfast." "All nght." said Lot, and he walked oft' ïuiminating on the "queer notions of wimmen folks." Cateh him taking a horseback ride afore breakfast, just for the fun of it. Bnght and elear tke sun rose nexl morning, and about the time Miss Rosa was starting on her morning canter Benny's bare feet stepped lightly down the ladder which led from the attic where he slept to the kitchen. The good little fellow had a a ni:e lire crackling in the stove, the kettle singing a cheery song, and the porridge on before Hessie and liis grandmother appeared. "Wel!. Benjamin," was Granuy's morning greeting, "there you air, a whistlin' away, like's if there was no troable in the worlu. liut yom' poor father was jest so - never could make him look on the serious side o'things." This was encouragiug to begin with; only stout little Ben wasn't to be 'diseüuraged easily. "O, I guess it will all come right, Granny, dear," he said, hugging the old woman aiïectionately. "Trust in the Lord, you know. Didn't Mr. Herriott teil us in his sermón last Sabbath about those poor folks out west, where they had the (loods, and how the Lord had stirred up people lo help'emf We aint so badly off as they were." "Ah, you're a good boy, lienny, but when you're as old as 1 am you'lï find there's a deal of trouble sent to sorue folks without much to help tliem out of it - 'less they can helptliemselves. Well, I, s'pose wemay as well have breakfasf; maybe we wont have anvthing to eat very long; old Recl's lost, and suthin else will happen soon." And with her face screwed up till she looked like one of those pen-wiper old women, üranny sat down to the table. All at onoe the door opened, and onc of the neighbors came in. '-(Jood day, Miss Wetherbee," ho said; "l was over to Westbrook early this morning; and here's a letter come for yon last night," and out ne walked again. "Why, who has l)e'n a writin' to ine? From 'Boston, too." She opened the letter, aiid a ten dollar bill droppëd out. "Why, land sakes! if it aint Miss Willis! Mighty perlite. too. She says shc went avvay and forgot about thü mocey for the washin' and wants to 'pologize to Miss Wetherbec for her negleet. Well, I allcrs did think a hoap of Miss Willits." "O, grauny! l'm so glad!" cried Ben and Hessie in a breath. "Wal, l'm thankful," begau tiranny Wetherbee for the tinie, "Land sakes children! what'was that noise?" '"Bowwow, wow. - ino-o-o-0-!" sounded out iu the yard, Up Jutnped (iranny and Ure open the door. Down went Benny's plate and Hessie's spoon aflor it, rolling and boonding over the floor, while they all three ran into the little yard. O Vonderful! thore in front of the slied stood old lied, a great paU oí milk bcside here. and a litUe dog, who looked wonderfullylike MissIlosa'sTippy, frisi:iag acd barking about herheels. " But -r hal were[those two small pareéis hanging to old Red's horns? Quick as a llash Ben had panted up to her and pulled them off. On e:ich parcel was written, "A present from the moon!" And when the papers werc untied, in oue was a pair lace-up boots, and in the other a realchitiadolly. '"O Red! dear old Red!" cried the children dancing about her," did you leally go to the moon? What fun! Who could have biought you back!" A queer sort of churekio [came from round the corner of the house, and a ligure very liko Lot's might have been seen going down the road; only nobody was ooking- they wee too nuieh astonished and delighted fór that. G"Well, well, I don't know what to makeofitall! sobbed üranny Welhcrbee, findicg her voice at last. "l've been a cross, ungrateful old oiiian, Beuny aud Hessie, my dears, but I'll try and have faith in the Lord af ter this. And we1 11 go to cLurch by and by, my dearies, to praise hini lor his goodness to us all this joyful ThanksgivingDay."