A wave of discouragement came over me as I was walking
through the woods, and I gave up to it a bit. I remembered how
soon it will be Thanksgiving Day, and I'll so like to make it
happier for you and a few others that I love."
Patty could have given a shrewd guess as to the chief cause of
the heartache, but she forebore to ask any questions. "Cheer up,
Waity," she cried. "You never can tell; we may have a thankful
Thanksgiving, after all! Who knows what may happen? I'm 'strung
up' this afternoon and in a fighting mood. I've felt like a new
piece of snappy white elastic all day; it's the air, just like
wine, so cool and stinging and full of courage! Oh, yes, we won't
give up hope yet awhile, Waity, not until we're snowed in!"
"Put your arms round me and give me a good hug, Patty! Love me
hard, HARD, for, oh! I need it badly just now!"
And the two girls clung together for a moment and then went into
the house with hands close-locked and a kind of sad, desperate
courage in their young hearts. What would either of them have
done, each of them thought, had she been forced to endure alone
the life that went on day after day in Deacon Baxter's dreary
house?
XXIII
AUNT ABBY'S WINDOW
MRS.
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