y and night." Arvilly begun to be powerful agitated and I
spoke up quick, for I knew how hash she wuz when she got to goin', and
I didn't want this beautiful day marred by hashness even if it wuz
deserved.

Sez I, "We all know how much good the church has done in the past. And
now that the churches are beginning to band themselves together, and
vote as they pray, this enormous force of righteousness is going to be
victorious over sin and darkness, and the Saloon and the Canteen, the
licensed houses of shame, monument of woman's degradation, the unjust
monopoly, the high fence separating the few enormously rich from the
masses of the suffering, starving poor, will all have to fall. Christ
did not die in vain," sez I, "nor the blood of the martyrs has not
been in vain. The Lord has promised and he will fulfill."

"God speed that day!" sez Elder Cross shettin' his eyes and claspin'
his hands.

"Amen!" sez I.

But I hearn Arvilly behind me mutter, "You'll have to open your old
eyes, Elder, and go to work, or you won't have much hand in it."

But I guess he didn't hear her.

Well, goin' home that night, my heart sung for joy a anthem, more than
a ordinary sam tune. The bright moonlight rested on the democrat and
my pardner, and gilded the way in front of us, and further off we
could see it lay on the lake, and it seemed to make a silver path on
it. Life seemed worth livin', the cold waves of death seemed lit up
with a heavenly glow, the hosts of evil seemed to back off before the
Angel of Deliverance.

I don't spoze that from Maine to Florida, or from Jonesville to San
Francisco there wuz a happier Thanksgivin' party than we had. Havin'
such sights and sights of things to be thankful for, I laid out as I
say to begin to be thankful before candle light in the mornin' and
keep it up all day long till bed time, and so I did.

It wuz a lovely day, the sun shone into our bedroom winder through the
beautiful knit fringe, made by my own hands, and rested on me lovin'ly
as I combed my hair in front of the lookin'-glass. There had been a
fall of snow the night before, as if nater had done her best for the
occasion and spread her white ermine down for the feet of the angel,
Thanksgivin'.

Philury got breakfast most ready by candle light, and I'd been bein'
thankful ever since she put the tea kettle over.

"Josiah," sez I, "do you realize what a glorious day this is and how
much, how much we have to be thankful for?"

He