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I Thanksgiving at ! Lonesome Hollow; t By FRANCIS A. MILLER \ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ *i' EE.MS awfully forlorn to eat a Thanksgiving dinner all alone." V. S said Milly soberly, looking over at the young fellow who sat mending a harness strap beside the blazing heartb. "I haven't the heart to get up a big dinner for just us two." "I don't see what else we eau do. No neighbors to invite except old fete Sprat, and lie wouldn't come. We might send tiiui something by way of being neighborly." ; "And be turned away for our pains," the woman laughed. "Von can t even go out on the 'highways and (ledges' and gather iu stragglers like the ancient host of Bible fame .\Juybe it is just as well not to have all the work of getting tip a Thanksgiving dinner, for it seems to nie that you look tired. Miliy. What's the mutter?" "Nothing. .Mm: I guess I need a little outing. I'll take a run across the liollow and be back before supper." Milly put on her cloak and went out Into tlm crisp autumn afternoon. The woods were bare except for a few torclilike tiaines of red which marked the presence of an occasional gum tree. The sky wa.s clear, cold and pallid, tinged with a greenish glow where the dark forests rimmed the far horizon. Not a sign of human habitation was visible, and not a sound broke the vast stillness save the steady tap-tap of a woodpecker. The loneliness oppiossed Milly strangely, for two years she liad endured it in cheerful silence, working patiently at whatever her hand found to do in the rough little shack, which had gradually assumed ( ^ I b >#S "I'D LIKE TO HAVE VOT* AETj TAKE DTKSt'.H WITH rs TOMOltllOW." a cozy. homelike si ppen ranee. Tliey 11:111 iiifr tin* Inisv. nritiilim: east in quest of health for her young liiisliutul. who was slowly regaining his lost strength ait.I vigor ia the bracing climate of Colorado, which alone kept Milly's lioart light and hopeful, hut in spite of that joyful fact she could not dispel a shiver of loneliness when she thought of the luti;:. dreary winter hefore them "I'm getting umrhid simply for flu want of a little company." she said as she wanted down the nntraveled rum' in the hue of the crisp north wind "That will never do for you. .Mill.v Hen net. For .litn's sake, you iiiustu't give way to such foo!i>hness." Sudden iy .Milly's ear c-misrlit the sound of chopping, which seemed tc come from the hollow beyond the di vide. She turned and made her way easily through the lea Hess thicket, walking hriskl.v over the hill and down the op|Misite deseent until she distinctly heard voices. Farther on. at tile edge of a natural clearing, she caiue upon a party of travelers camped he side a newly kindled tire, where a lean, gaunt appearing fellow htisied himself *>1111 | IM'| ?.l I ?l I II ?ll> I ' ' I I III* Ol'Illll^ 1111.11. . They were eipht in all?a rouph. unkempt lot. in leathern jackets and rusty hoots. Hostile the rook lay a bap of Hour, a side of bacon and two jups stoppered with corncobs. Milly stopped abruptly when she found herself observed by the curious eyes of the eipht stranpers. then changed her uiind and crossed the icy little brook aud made her way toward the tire. A biff, black whiskered man dropped bis aruiful of liorse_feed and looked at 1 her piercingly. 'Lost?" he aske< brusquely. "No. 1 live two miles up the divide 1 happened to hear .vqu chopping un< stopped out of curiosity." The man's insistent gaze annoyed hei but the forlorn, gaunt appearance o the little group Incited a little throb o pity and made her think gratefully o' her own cozy, cheerful little shack with Jim waiting for her beside thi glowing hearth. "I suppose you are simply campinj here for the night." she ventured, look ing about at the meager comforts o | the camp "Well, no." answered the blncl browed man. who impressed her u! I once as being spokesman of the party [ "We came down to prospect a bit There's talk of gold in this claim, am if it's wortli our while we may sei ' up for a week or two." ' "Oli, then, you'll be here nvei j Thanksgiving, won't you? I'd like t< j have you all take dinner with us to i morrow." I T." - i 1 1 I.ic iviHi f j lit' man in mil n ...... . curion^ smile. half ijuestioiiing. Lull incrcdii. mis. "It's rather unuxput-ted,' he remarked humorously. "Oh. we're all. neighbors out here you know." Milly explained cordially "M.v husband would he very glad t< l have .Vou with us. We are from llu east, and we're used to having eOin pany for Thanksgiving" ) "Your husband is a prospector, too. I ! take it?" i "Oh. no He eante out here for hit health two years ago. when he was al run dowp with overwork. We ex peel to stay here until he's unite well " I "We didn't notice any houses as \v< passed along. Where do you live?" I "Two utiles -below here on the Sun ! rise road, not on the trail. Will yon | come over tomorrow?" | "Well, being as voo'te so kind as tr i take the tloilhle to incite us. we'll h< j glad to accept your hospitality ntu 1 thank you." j "Very well. I shall expect yoi 1 promptly at 12 There are eight ol I .vol1, aren't there? I want you all, re member. Now I'll go. for the wall is rather long. You cross the Itlll tine go straight south till you reach tin Sunrise wagon road, which will take you directly to our shack, going west Good night." MiJI.v returned in great good spirits Jim looked dubious at li-st. but he w.'U loath to dampen the ardor of his goo' little helpmeet by voicing bis doubt! as to the wisdom uJ^nviting elgh strangers to their ho!*^ -s "I hope we'have enough stuff or hand." said cautious .Iim "It will tal;< heaps to satisfy eight hungry men. yoi know." "Of course we have plenty. We'l kill both turkeys, and I'll make foui pies instead of one and two boiled pud dings besides. We'll have potatoes ant turnips and the canned corn I put u| myself and as much cider as they car drink. For dessert we'll have real goof coffee and iced cake Oh, we'll havt I enough, you may be sure. Jim. yoi | must rig up a table big enough to seal 41.. ... ..II ' UH'iii mi. They worked till bedtime tliat night i peeling apples. seeding raisins and j picking the turkeys Tin* next morn ing .Milly rose long before dawn and I set about Iter baking ami brewing 1 while .litu ftut up a big deal table thai j stretched almost the length of thi I room, and by neon it was set with al i the luscious viands of an easterr Thanksgiving dinnW. set with homel.t platters and dishes, to be sure, but nol I rougher in appearance than the met who finally seated themselves about the steaming board. Jim beamed bos pitnbly from bis place at the head ol the table and tried dutifully to "ael as if the company belonged theft*." a* Mil'v bad said. The big. black whisk et'ed fellow whom 'lie others addressed as Pleised >lc watched Milly with ti etirions Mitent'iess which made her un eo'isf ?rt::ble. "You're lai'-'htv comfortably tixetl f<u these !! g:t: :s." <:ti I he presently, look in.r about i!:? walls with llieir liomoh prints and ernainents "Yes. we are rather comfortable i thanks t:> Miily s ingenuity." Jim an j swereti. with a glow cf a.'feetion.ati | pride. "You're lucky to be nb'e to afford such luxuries, for all those fancy fix ings are luxuries in Colorado." itlaise dale remarked significantly. "Yes. I count myself one of tin* luck lost men lti tne worm i i?vc e? <-i.? thins to M illy, even my life. I was r poor law student when we were mar ried. and when my health broke dowr she simply took all responsibility intc her own hands. It was her money thai enabled me to come here. It's her bit of money that we're living on now. Al that she has in the world is in the lit tie bank at Sunrise, where she goes once a month to draw the necessarj sum for our provisions. Hut now thai I've got to work we're making oui way along without much help from the bank. I fell you I hated to use thai money bad enough, but if it hadn'1 been for that the I.ord only knows what would have become of me." M Illy blushed deeply atul becomingly "Why. it doesn't amount to that." sahl she, with a snap of her brown lingers 3 worthless to me If I didn't have Jim." "I've heard n saying about 'a good !. wife being a treasure."* Blaisedale rej t marked. "Your wife proves the truth of It." The dinner was a great success, f Rlaisedale. who seemed to exert a mysf terlons Influence over his fellows, grew f verv talkative and entertaining. He . told stories of queer places and queerer e people, which savored of familiarity with lawlessness and lawbreakers, but z which kept J!in breathlessly Interested j utiiii the eight strange guests made f their adieus Rlaisedale. who was last 1 to go. turned to the threshold and held : out lii? hand to Mill.v t "You remind me of some one I once . [ knew." he said simply, "and for her sake I'd like to shake hands with you j ' Thank you for your hospitnlity. You . I won't regret your kindness." I Thai night when Jim and Mill.v sat . j talking heside their eheerfnl hearth a , | sera(? of white paper crept mysterious. ! ly under the door eo[iing. Jim rose j luirriedlv and threw hack the door, hut . i no one was in sight and not a sound f i hroke the deep stillness of the icy . night. Milly read the note over Ills shoulder, and this Is what It said: Sumo i-iuiiius wmm prom pit* me 10 ten ' you Unit u was our intention to break into arul rble the little eggshell hank at ) i Sunrise before quilling these diggings, hut ? for tiie sake of M lily's "bit of money" It shall go unharmed Thanking you for a pleasant hour. BI.AISEDALE. i j The ilScrap Book Ore Favsr He Craved. Augustus Tliojsas in his recollections i of rredcrie Remington relates the following: "thie Sunday morning in those i later days I went N \vi:h liim In lib I I i?..!i*i'bf an esteo i " wlni was treatyf(M7] i I IK him. The lis i . J ' ""i'-ath was a ' j 3,v | (' jiTT intrtmi. lying lace '! A \]/y N Pijv downward on the "i I? 1 \ H I' 'derating table. 4ii). ' \ i presented a sky Ir . vti """" 1 p3__- Zi higher than I hat 1 ! '?a>B ,f "le <I I patient that the T.'ik i.ot-irf.i: iU^ryi' ...... , j n? A t'HAlin on th(* lei t iaek1 ed the angle of ! pressure neeessary to his treatment. 1 | The il ?: for. tlierefore. inonnted a elialr. | from which lie stepped to the table ' j and linally sat astride of Remington. r inpphing his lull weight to the nianlp" I iliatit'll which lie was giving to the ' ! spinal column. "I hope I'm not linrt' ! ing yon, .Mr. RemingtonV' said the doc1 lor. Rernitigfon answered. 'It's all ' i right, doctor, so long as yon don't use 1 i your sjidrs.' " t j The Ultimate Peace. There is a peace which no men know , ! Save those wlaJni suffering hath laid low? [ I III" | ?. .!' ( HI [J.I III j A strength which only enmrs t" those I i IVIio'vi' liurri.> ili feat?greater. Cjml knows. Than victory. [ | A happiness which curies at l ist. i j After nil happiness seems past? I The Joy of pi iter. . ? Author (Tnknown. ^ Gave It In Full. ] An old Scottish minister took it into t his lie-id U) sn.-trrv his housekeeper. i Ilis precentor I ohm i.i on the day ? ' when tl'o I urns writ' to he prorlaliiied. l ! tln? irir's'm', not ( i mrin.r t" i!i:d;o > _ ! t lie intimation r/*.?4\ , j liio sc'f. j.mtJitr f . \ ai". ...i with ! :< hot-.: | . | hoy t-. il it- | 'r?r&-;i. I j "Now." ho vai.!. li U j j | pJ "y.ni Jiwt i-'Moii! . . *$%[$$} ill a voii o. j V,-- i t V \ /, J *'7' .7 . -rro-.' on oj j fc\. 4 /; <}{< Ml : r r i :i f he iT'vTJ-:, <-? fi 1 , ' this parish :tnd I i .loan I .owe o" t ho .. 1 ,, . V.'IIA I> II .\r Tiiorit ! I I . same! II:;. ha! n.,.. laughed the tniriister as lie oonr-Iiided. "Wha'd hac; tliocht it!" .The Sabbath mine round and tin? congregation assembled. When the moment arrived the lad. who had | ( duly prepared himself, rose and called i ..Hi- I'riu-Pimotion nf m aria ire he-I , tween (lie Uev. Mr. Murray of this! , parisli ;ind Jean Lowe o' Hie same! , I In. In!" lie laughed. thinking1 this to j j he :i part of the proelanintion. "Wlia'il I line tiioolit it?" The etTect on the minister and the congregation can he iin, agined. A Lack of Foresight! f The primary teacher asked for vol-, unteers in story telling or singing, and | t one little girl finally offered her serv- j . ices. She came to the front of the room and after standing ipiietly for 11 moment, turned to the tencber and re- ( marked: 1 "(lee! I wish I hmi kepi etUl."-j < Ldstiae' Heme ./emmftl. 1 A Word to th As the name indicates, the MER( BANK has always given special business of Farmers. And the representative farmers shown < proof that all relations with t both pleasant and profitable. If YOl' are one of these, wi fidence and for your business, have you numbered among them plete banking service as it is pos Merchants & Fs CHERAW. W. F. STEVENSON President T. G. MATHESON D. S. MATH Cashier Vice-Pn Free Demoi Norris' Exqus i o;i just must try so:ne of > in order to aiipreciate how good ll On next Saturday we will tend and cordially invito you to visit our these delicious confections. x"?^JJ|yW_lgr^which we hay^ of America's Master candy-maker, i beyond any cand produced in Ami so beautiful that they offer a fea: forgotten Price, eighty cents and one dollar Ladd's Dru I..M LI !>lt ? -\l?I Cheraw, Thick werkfe 175.3= Sfrong locks @ Secure ||| Ijuarqnree pB3js L etus m \ take care, m j? ~ A Nw of your a \m Bank your money and pay } '? our bank. Then you will have a ""11 unniid m-lrl wllflt Villi SnPTwl it. much money FOOLISH Ll' then. WASTE is the one big folly t do so if you keep vour money ii YOUR POCKETS. You want to GET AHEAD, your money. Do YOUR banking We pay FOUR per tent interest The Fir^t Nat \ e Farmers .'HANTS AND FARMERS attention to the banking ever-increasing number of >n our books, is positive his institution have been e thank you for your con If not, we will be glad to assuring you of as comisible for you to obtain. irmers Bank S. 0. H. M. DUVALL Vice-Pree ESON J. H. WANNAMAKER js Sfls't. Cashier "WOKIM SMAOmU "YOUR.-UPS OVERT i&ration site Candy f OHMS' Exqusite Candies, hey are. . i !uct a free demonstration establishment and sample <">* ?n erica, it is packed in boxes f st for the eye3 not soon *1 per pound. > % ' *' .**? j g Store >TS s. c. rmr hills with checks on correct account of what for. You won't spend so 0 guard against; you will 1 OCR BANK instead of don't you? Then bank j with US. compounded quarterly.ional Bank / 1