Show the daae hen chool on the desolate expanse ot the wilderness the long eared and no less longwinded long winded jick rabbit made its festive gambala among the and cactuses that adorned the as yet unbroken primitive landscape the wasatch moan bains looked down with mien boon the slightly enow created plains through which ogden and weber rivera slowly and almost reluctantly luct antly winding their ice fettered sluggish streams A dull leaden sky hung overhead with the son looking down aa it in doubt whether thia part 0 the orld was really worth while spending any rays upon the wind commenced mailing in the withered branches of the few cottonwood trees that had grown by spontaneous growth and the dry leaves in their russet orange and gold hues were tremulously flitting through the air languidly drop pins upon a ground afroz n by the cold preceding nix lito but the B iroe wind also whirled up the smoke from hie lowly chimley of a plain adobe cabin where one rude door and two windows with oiled paper lights admitted all the ventilation and illumination save that which entered through the crevices of the wall and the cracks of the log belling cel ling yet a cheerful fire was within those rough walls and a happy spirit was benignly hovering over the group of contented mortals there had then assembled ma piped a sweet though shrill voice when is becoming home pretty soon my dear answered the melodious voice of the matronly woman w ho was holding a babo on her lap reveling on tho fountain if life while the little boy waa standing by her knees and looking through the pictured leavas of the old bible their only library and the only hellom from their home in the old country 1 I wish pa would come home he will darling dont fret he will be here soon the wind continued howling and increased its dismal lion lings around eliat poor but abode where peace and contentment had been living on bread and milk such as they could get often the bolt creaked a nd tho crude chatters cracked in their ime worn binges the nursing babe had ceased drawing its lacteal nourishment from that hollest holiest oi all fountains the little boy had sunk down ou tha congh hoor pillow and an old army blanket his coverlet the bothar eat there ans ing thinking reflecting on the good old days of plenty on the happy hours of gitl bood and early womanhood the experiences of motherhood and the sorrows and joys of family life it was thanksgiving day far from any other human habitation was the but in which her husband had located bis while he was working hard on the mountain to tell the trees that fringed its rugged side and to turn lhnn into logs for the sawmill away up la the cany on where a river ran over boulders and through impassable declivities they had bean young and tender their love had been as fragrant and as w hita as the flower of the hawthorn bash lie was poor but strong slie vaa poor but true both were aik oik era honert and industrious both hail come to the with pure im poises and intentions A boy was the farat fruit 0 their love a little bihy girl dimpled and en ailing as oaly the peor worl cine ott earing are atila losing and ing had to cupply them with 11 ll the necessaries 0 lifo and content in their mutual affections they bad put up with many hardships with many confident in th future and the promised prom isea apon which the little boy was now bleeding bleeping Ble io the sweet of innocence it was thanksgiving day the first since they bad moud up into that wilderness to secure a livelihood pay dy had been on monday and liia was thursday evening when he would come from the camp an l bring a turkey rare turkey for the tea and and a little nic knack tor the lad and a biffi biffs or the babe and an embrace for the wife and mother she went on dreaming and dozing in enert and soft anticipations of what next spring would braag 0 course it would be a hard winter they would liae to live alone and lonely no and no conveniences would cheer their solitude but love and affection would lighten their room and their burden all among and in spring husband donld bate saved enough to go down into lie beautiful valley with ita fruitful fields aad orchards and be could invest in a modest but sunny and happy home and there ho and he and the boy and the baby and may be more might be eer eo blessed ever so pleased and live ai in parolise pa ralise and thank abe good lord w ho had brought them to this goodly land did yon hear the crackling of the cozy fire in the pretty sitting room of the neat cottage the lowing ot abe cows and the bleating 0 the limba in the pasture the crowing of the rooster and abe cackling of the chickens in the hennery the grunting 0 well fed swine in the pig sty and the weighing neighing neigh ing of the dear boys colt in tho yard and the barking of hover thare he is rover barks savagely and all alie dreams of vino alaj cottage pretty pasturage ell stocked yard garden and umbrageous br ageous orchard vanish at one stout voice tremor throbs through the mothers the cifes frame terror seizes her soul aishe hears the tread of many feit fe it outside and abe voices 0 many men they appear as with a sensa of sorrow and the weight of a grief tap tap at the door with sli aking fiands under the fearful presentiment of something horrible she draws the bolt and in step a number of men slowly with uncovered leada carrying a load which to the terrified gaze of the nn fortunate tort woman at once reveals as the form of her beloved husband her one and all the father ol 01 her children the of her past and the hope of her future one cry one inarticulate exclamation and she falls sa dead upon the beloved chape cl aping it with a clutch such aa only conjugal love can impart to comans womans arms the men stand by in bloomy and Cal silence they dare not speak to break rudely in upon the an fal affliction of the berca ed woman who on the first awakening of her agonized sabon perceives parce ives the ghastly bleeding wound that bendi clotted gore over the face of one on whom she used to gaza with maidenly blush of unconscious expectancy and the batis oed amile of conscious love oh tell me tell me 1 what is the matter the strange unwonted loisca have awakened the little boy who first ecea the toy that among other things for the has been brought in beside the dead mans bidy on the bier and grasps it ia childish glea the cooing babe also arouses and its dimpled hands are clutching it the mother u bo alas I 1 is just learnine the fearful fate that haa befallen her husband him al BO brave honest sober andua irions and careful after hia thanksgiving purchases at the batore ever so big a turkey a pumpkin pie a bag of bogar coffae and tea a bilk necktie for mother a gaudily painted hobby horse for sonny and a lace bib or baby the boys ot the camp induced him to join them he never had joined them before he had always been cautious about the aud temptations of a lumber camp lt thought of his dear wife aal aftret little ones he remembered that this WAS their first thanksgiving in the wild and how pleasant how ever humble would it be 1 efow be reveled in anticipation of the blessings of that glad evening A whole years hardships privation labors and troubles would be wiped out by ft few hours mirthful enjoyment with wife and babes alakl the tempter the tion triumphed basl one alj man before you go donn to your old home on the rough road I 1 it will warm you up and he fell oat from tha snowy cold atmosphere into the berca ly heated air of tha bar room his head eoon wh aled have another old man come on dont go betita timo enough yet let the old woman walt tor once ita thanksgiving only once a year right but em up again heres to you what do you say go now not much aou shant and thua entreaty was followed by injunction co minand hy threat and dispute by quarrel till finally you d d scoundrels cant kap roe from my family and rob me too what did you say 7 frenzied by heat remorse shame anger and liquor he hakea the next chair hurls it a alie bojt vociferous ring leader of tha gang and what a shot and a fall and a dead man thanksgiving L II 11 nov 2 |