IIIIUIHIIUM^^; 
;3Swv 
NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 21, i89i 
PRICK, KIV CKNTS 
$2.00 PKR YKAR. 
THANKSGIVING AT GRANDMA FARMER’S. 
How Tom Came Home. 
Heats nil whnt 11 time thoy hint 
Down to Grandma Karmcr’s! My I 
Hut It makes 1110 Jtiin|>l 11 ’ glad 
Though, I swan, I Imil tocry 
At tho look on Grandma's fnco, 
Mowed my nose and coughed I’m blessed 
IF I didn't net tho pace, 
With my kcrehlof for this rout. 
(Jot itn Invito for to out 
My Thank*iclvlng dinner there; 
Polks don’t of lentlmoH repeal 
Invitation* llko that’ore, 
’Hpcolully when Uuth’H around 
lluok from tonohln’ HChool I Idle. 
Kho’s tho only thlOK I’ve found 
That can hurt my appetite. 
When her none goes up In ulr 
Hope crawl* to my boot* -kur (lump 
Whon her eye* laugh 1 declare 
Hplrlts got amazin' hump. 
Itookonod mo, 1111’ I wurn’tHlow 
(lotting whoro Mho was say* Mho, 
.Second tuhle, .Sum; you go 
Talk to (Irundmu wait for mo ! ” 
I wiih al way h i| 11 1 to a hand 
With old folkM; I lovo to hoar 
What thoy nay I undorMtund 
Why tliolr simple past Im dear. 
Sol pulled my chair’longHldo 
Orundmu’M; ’twiiM tho room you know 
That Hho’d entered iim a bride 
Half a century ago. 
Wo could moo the table full, 
l/nclo William at the head 
While tho baby tried to pull 
Stuff off at tho foot —they Maid 
Youngimt child niUMt al wuyM Mtuy 
At tho foot -all looked at mo, 
Whon old Uncle William’* gray 
Kyobrow curled In wluk May* he ; 
I dunno who’ll nil that place 
Next year If Huth don’t I " nay* he. 
Kuth got turkey-rod in facet 
ItoMt haw hawed an’ winked atino! 
You May Tom wont had ? No I No I 
I’m hlM mother— on my knee 
11 c Iiuh fold mo mothorH know, 
Kor their baby’* moiiI then moo. 
He’ll come homo for peace an’ ro*t. 
Homo day lie’ll come back to cheer, 
Ho knowH mother’* homo 1 m IiomI, 
lie’ll find mothor’M welcome hero.” 
AlruOMt made my eye* run wot 
Hearing Orandmu talk that way, 
All tho folk* remembered yet 
How one cold ThunkHglvIng Day 
(Irandpa kotehed young Tom at Homo 
MlMohlof—no one know what ’twuH, 
Onlered him away from home, 
Dreadful Mot man, (Jrundpu wiih. 
Torn wuh proudor than a prince, 
Looked the old man In tho eye, 
’No re them all an’ didn’t wince, 
Then ho turned an’ Maid “ Hood bye ! ” 
To lit* mother klHMod her fair 
On both cheek* an’ walked away; 
Kolk* had lot* of food to spare, 
Dlnnor fulled, I’m told that day. 
IlcutHUll how th’old homcMtcad rung 
With tho Mound* of mirth and play, 
Heat* all what old MongM wo MUng ; 
What’* tho day for anyway 
If It ain’t for glvln’ thank* 
Right plumb from a lovin’ heart? 
If If ain’t for pluyln’ prank* 
And for workln’out your part 
At the table? I done that 
Ki|ual to the boat one there. 
Kolk* nay* : ” Ham, you’re gottln’ fat 
’Nough to kill an’ *omo to spare!” 
Old hoiiMo pretty near give way 
All u* people stuffed It mo. 
There wa* Uncle William, gray 
Am a badger; sorter alow 
On hlMgamo leg, but. usqulck 
Am an arrer with hi* Joke ; 
War’n’t no humbug but he’d stick 
Hole* all through It till It broke. 
Cocked an’ ptlmcd with tale* of war 
Uncle Nathan filled hi* chair. 
Pour long year* of light ho *aw, 
Left hi* good right arm down there. 
Utide(Jcorge and Uncle Jay, 
Aunt Matlldy an’ Aunt Jane, 
Old folkM, woury, Mtlff an’ gray, 
All came troopin’ home again. 
Children and grandchildren, too, 
Had folk*, merry, healthy, Mick. 
Pilled tho hoUMe now I tell you! 
Made a feller’* heart beat quick. 
Por a lot of bygone thing* 
Came In with that company, 
Moni’ry feathered out her wing*, 
And wont Ilyin’ Mtrulght an’ free 
Hack to childhood ; don’t you know 
How Morno old lOfig’M gentle pain 
Thrill* the heart till eye* Ju*t flow 
Am tho pa*t come* back again ? 
1 could moo those gruy old folk* 
When tho twilight came along, 
Droppln’ all their fun an’ Joke* 
Por a Mlloneo, deep an’ strong. 
’TwiimuT all unhappInoMM, 
Or regret for chance* lost, 
Por a streak of tbunkfulnos* 
Am they figured up the cost, 
Seemed to run Into their lives— 
I muw how the mon-folk* turned 
Somehow tenderer to their wit cm, 
Kyo* Just brightened up—cheek* burned, 
An’ a rough hand stole once more 
With a *oft old time curcMM, 
Lovo, when youth’s best fire I* o’er, 
That’s the best of all, I guoMM. 
(Irundmu watched us from her chair 
With a sweet smile on her face 
Smooth and peaceful - a* though care 
Was ashamed to leave a trace 
Of hi* cruel work you know 
How those old folks live way back 
In the past, before the snow 
Of tho long yours hides tho track. 
Men may grow from childhood’s ways, 
Hut the gray haired mother can 
Never leave the sweet old days 
Or believe her boy a man. 
If our younger hearts could know 
How close old age Is to youth, 
Thero’d be fewer of us go, 
Htruyln’ from the paths of truth. 
Though they pulled the table out 
TUI It ached there wasn’t room 
Por all hands. I felt a stout 
Nudge, uii’ saw Huth with a broom; 
" -I- 3 ? -_ 
“ With hla head laid on her lap like some tired little boy I ” 
’Oept Ills wife; she kinder thought 
Ruth fi/lt had, an’ so she blamed 
Him. Hald “’Hposed I had ye taught 
Hatter manners alnt ye ’shamed ? ” 
Pleasant sight it was, 1 swan ; 
Uncle Nathan bowed Ills head 
With a thought of days long gone 
As a simple grace he said. 
Uncle William peeled Ids e.oat 
Sharpened up his knife to carve ; 
Uncle (leorge Just cleared his throat, 
Licked Ids chops by way of salve. 
All hands called for chicken pie ; 
Aunt Matlldy’* handsome niece 
Dished It out -she kotehed my eye 
An’ saved me a gizzard piece. 
Ilaby pounded with his spoon, 
While his little brother Ned 
Cut a routin’ big half-moon 
In a piece of buttered bread. 
Uncle Jay made bold to state 
As he let out on Ills vest, 
That lie’ll lower that dinner’s weight; 
Give them table legs a rest. 
Grandma’s thought* were soon away, 
“ Whoro’* my baby,Tom ?” Mays she! 
■Twon’l seem like Thanksgiving Day 
If hu don’t come back lo me.” 
Tom’s my boy,” she says again, 
“ lie’s my blue-eyed baby boy, 
Pure an’ sweet an’ free from stain 
Haby always brings me Joy. 
Never heard of Tom again ; 
Home folks thought he lost Ills way 
In the storm of wind and rain, 
Grandpa failed an’ got as gray 
As a rat; yet never moved 
Lips lo mention poor Tom’s name. 
Htern old feller, yet he loved 
Ills lost boy— It came the same 
Hummer that the wells run dry. 
One day In the harvest field 
Grandpa gave one feeble cry, 
Hands up (o Ills head, an’ keeled 
Right plumb over paralysed 
Doctors said, an’ there he lay 
Like a dummy a good sized 
Part of live years then one day 
He spoke voice all thick an’ dim : 
” Tom 1 my fault! forgive !” lie said. 
Then, before they got to him, 
Poor old Grandpa laid there dead. 
Grandma never seemed Just right 
After that went whisperin’ 
Htood at winder with the light 
Hhaded with her hano so thin, 
Lookin’! lookin’! down the road 
Por the boy that could not come, 
Prayin' he might dro|ghls load 
An’ find peace an’ rest at home. 
Keen Chair ridden now for years, 
Hllll the old time hope cropped out; 
Heart too full of hope for tears, 
Mother love too strong for doubt. 
Like a big, black shadow cast 
Over each ThnnksgD lug Day, 
Like a bad dream of the past, 
Our folks never liked to say 
Much about Tom tried to be 
Happy ; Just iim though the yearH 
Didn’t hide a memory 
That they’d like to bathe In tears. 
Loyal folks them Parmer* are, 
True an’ honest people, but— 
Trying to forget the Hoar 
That the old man’s words had cut. 
Messed Ifl knew what to say, 
Mossed If I knew whnt to do 
When poor Grandma talked that way. 
All at once she looked me through; 
Never saw such eyes before 
III a mortal person's head; 
Never want to any more. 
1 Jest melted when she said - 
Sorter low an’ yet so clear: 
" Tom’s come home I come home again I 
Htop him I Help him! Keep him here ! ” 
Then before a winder pane 
Htood a man’s face looking In ; 
Horter sad an’ wistfully ; 
Seemed so sick an’ pinched an' thin, 
Tell ye It appealed to me. 
Others saw him too—"Hen here,” 
Uncle Nathan said, " bring In 
That poor tramp an’ give him cheer, 
With our plenty Its a sin, 
If we let poor folks go by 
Gold an’ empty on this day, 
Maybe” here he give a sigh - 
“May be” here he choked complete. 
We knew what he meant to say 
Grandma started to her feet! 
Hadn’t walked In years before- 
Crutches since I don't know when ! 
Steadied up against, the door 
Gazin' at the man an’ then 
Made one rush nu’ one big cry, 
Give the winder sill a thump, 
Raised It up! We all stood by 
Thunder struck ! There come a lump 
In my throat, almost as big 
As your fist, I’ll bet my hat. 
M v nose run I had lo dig 
Por my 'kerchief -after that, 
When the blur got out my eyes, 
There sat Grandma In her chair, 
Pace Ilf up with glad surprise, 
An' the stranger kneeling there 
With Ills head laid on her tap, 
Like some tired little boy— 
Ain’t no happiness on lap 
ICqual to the holy Joy 
That lit up that woman's face. 
We Just tip toed one by one, 
Hoftfan’ silent from flic place, 
Left tin; mother with her son. 
Tell'ye we shook’hunds all ’round, 
Didn’t’Just know.whnt to say, 
Porltho lostonefhad been found. 
Uncle.George says " Let us pray!” 
No) lip service In lhat’prayer 
Thankful hearts'Just echoed It 
Life seemed mighty bright an' fair. 
Love 1 We.couldn’t measure It,! 
Hulh stepped out to put some wood 
In the stove. Hays she, “ You lug 
In au armful I ” Pelt so good 
That I Just did have to hug 
Homethlng saw her sorter blush 
An’ look kinder scared —the truth 
Is, 1 made one mighty rush 
An’ I lb rowed bolh arms ’round Ruth. 
Wood went sprawlin’on the floor 
Chump I ker thump ! ker chunk ! It went. 
Uncle William from the door 
Calls out " Ham ! You’ve cone your stent! ” 
Couldn’t help It then too late, 
Couldn’t back out If we tried, 
I, says I, “ You folks that wait, 
bring on dinner for the bride ! ” 
Made a lot of sport of us, 
Hut u kindly spirit lay 
Under their good-natured fuss, 
We don’t mind—we know their way. 
Hettled that up later on, 
In committee of us two, 
’Taint no use to dwe I upon 
What wo done ’(.won’t Inf rent you, 
Heats all how Thanksglvln’ time 
Hpurs a feller’s good ride up, 
Like a memory sublime. 
Like a drink from Heaven's cup. 
better make the most of It, 
While ye live Is what / say, 
Oh ! Don’t let hard reelin’* sit 
Top of you—Thanksgiving Day | 
