l, but I
tell her that there shan't no mouse hurt her while I'm around; and I
mean it, too, for the sight of Laura a-tremblin' makes me as strong as
one of Father's steers. 'What kind of apples do you like best, Ezry?'
asks Laura, 'russets or greenin's or crow-eggs or bellflowers or
Baldwins or pippins?' 'I like the Baldwins best,' says I, ''coz they
got red cheeks just like yours.' 'Why, Ezry Thompson! how you talk!'
says Laura. 'You oughter be ashamed of yourself!' But when I get the
dish filled up with apples there ain't a Baldwin in all the lot that
can compare with the bright red of Laura's cheeks. An' Laura knows it,
too, an' she sees the mouse again, an' screams, and then the candle
goes out, and we are in a dreadful stew. But I, bein' almost a man,
contrive to bear up under it, and knowin' she is an orph'n, I comfort
an' encourage Laura the best I know how, and we are almost upstairs
when Mother comes to the door and wants to know what has kep' us so
long. Jest as if Mother doesn't know! Of course she does; an' when
Mother kisses Laura good-bye that night there is in the act a
tenderness that speaks more sweetly than even Mother's words.

"It is so like Mother," mused Ezra; "so like her with her gentleness
an' clingin' love. Hers is the sweetest picture of all, and hers the
best love."

Dream on, Ezra; dream of the old home with its dear ones, its holy
influences, and its precious inspiration!--Mother. Dream on in the
faraway firelight; and as the angel hand of memory unfolds these
sacred visions, with thee and them shall abide, like a Divine
Comforter, the spirit of Thanksgiving.

CHIP'S THANKSGIVING[22]

BY ANNIE HAMILTON DONNELL.

Chip had plenty of nuts on Thanksgiving Day. The little lady
called Heart's Delight saw to that. Can you guess who Chip
was?

They had got "way through," as Terry said, to the nuts. It had been a
beautiful Thanksgiving dinner "so far." Grandmother's sweet face
beamed down the length of the great table, over all the little crinkly
grandheads, at grandfather's face. Everybody felt very thankful.

[Footnote 22: From the _Youth's Companion_, November 26, 1903.]

"I wish all the children this side o' the north pole had had some
turkey, too, and squash and cram'bry--and things," said Silence
quietly. Silence was always wishing beautiful things like that.

"An' some nuts," added Terry, setting his small white teeth into the
meat of a big fat walnut. "It w