The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-02-12
selected story.
Thanksgiving in Cricket
Country. -
A STORY FOR THE CHILDREN.
BY LUCIA CHASE BELL,

BY LUCIA CHASE BELL. ~ 9-a
There thew went, Gown the frozen road, on
the way to Uncle Johns Thanksgiving din.
ner. There were Johnny, and Caleb, and
Suse, AMI Mark, and Hattie, all nesting
down In the warm straw, and you could Just
see toer bright hoods and comforters, and
rosy faces, peeping over the sides of the old
farm wagon. There was Kitty's mother, too
propped up in great chair, with Comforts
Hld straw packed all around her, 1for all the
world as if she was d fine chany pitcher
Kltty's father said and there be sat, away up
on the board, in front, with the big dIab over
coat IN, that had been worn in the old Revo.
luton, and was good enough to last through
ever so many Revolutions 10 come. 1t seemeo
as i even the steady old horses looked Ia11ea
and sleeker on Thanksgiving than any o'iet
day.
out Kitty didn'. go; neither did the paoy,
because baby was so cross, anu IL was sucn
long, cold, jolly ride; ana besides, "Klttys
mother was sick, and tired, and worn out
and ought TO have one long resting SPELL
without the baby TO bother her." lsiS
Baby loved Kitty, for she tueged him about
all cay long in her little, stout arms. and She
never was one bit cross to him, or out of pa.
thence with him. So there thew were. ali
alone, in the old kitchen, and Kitty held
baby in her arms by the window, till the
wagon had crossed the bridge and gone
over the hill out of sight. The sky had
SPRAYING, stretching clouds in it, like
huge plrds, With long, black wings. Far
away where the fields looked hazy and blue,
Kitty could see clusters of hay stacks, and
she thought they looked, in the dim distance,
IKE Indian wigwams. Even the brown
shocks OF corn near by,you could fancy were
some strange, savage weapons, stacked up
together. 1t was marveIlousy still in the old
kitchen, since the hustle and hurry was over,
and the boys, and Susie and Hattie, and all
Of them were gone. Father had got up
great fire OF logs, that would burn all day, SO
that Kitty and baby would be sure to be as
VAIN as little birds in nest.
On the white-scoured kitchen table was
hltty's dinner, all ready for her when she
got ready to eat, and it was magnificent
dinner, for little girl, any day but when you
Want 10 be at your uncles, or your grand
mothers house, and have on your red merino
and your new shoes, and see all your cousins
and your new uncle that married your auntie
ana when you want to romp in the yard and
sing songs, anG show your Uncle Tom how
wen you can speak pieces. So, if Kitty did
have pumpkin pies, and cold chicken and
olSed apples and cream, and dainty bread
and butter and honey, for her dinner, she
couldn't help feeling little lonesome. Out
in The deadening, just beyond her fathers
barn, the crows went wheeling among the
dead tree tops, calling drearily to each other
about the grim weather. Now and then q
faint CLEAN of sunshine rested on the far
away haystacks that looked like Indian wig.
vans, and shone on the dry cornstalks out
10 'ne held wbeIe the cattle were fed, till
trey looked like jointed stats of gold. thrown
upon the ground. Sometimes 1T lovingly
to Iched Kttys forehead, as if it were think
lag B esssd little Kitty! - blessed little Kitty
by and by baby wanted TO go to sleep. So
Kitty turned away from the window, and sat
down in her mothers little green rocking
chair, and then she cuddled him -up close il.
her arms, and rocked and sung till baby,s
golden locks rested on his cheeks. He would
u be tucked away in bed though, if he aoas
asleep He alEays woke up in hurry when
ever Kitty tried that. So there she sat. Soft
" rocking and rocking, and the freight shone
dtowsily over her honest little lace, and out
Ia the old deadening the crows seemed to be
calling fainter and fainter as though they
We're all going on their way to some great
crow Thanksgiving dinner, and would be
soon be out OF sight and hearing. fsH ao7 4,
Down in the hearth the crickets were
enlrping their old sweet tune, and Kitty won
dered how they looked when they sang, II
seemed as u they might be little, wee moth
ers, with soft, shining hair, and viii e robes.
rocking, and singing their babies to sleep
suddenly Kitty heard sweet, clear voice,
that sounded just like cricket, down on the
hearth before the fire, and it said 9whoa!'
just as plain as could be. Itwasn't as fine as
the voice OF cfickets when they sing. So
Kitty looked, and saw little bit OF an old
farm wagon, about as long as a darning
needle, VITA two little fat old horses. And a
portly old cricket, with red mittens on. was
Just climbing out of the wagon. The straw
in this little mite OF an old wagon elistened
IN the red freight, and there was a wee
sphht-oottome1 arm chair in it, whose arms
were polished till they glistened, too. Then
there was board up in front for old Mr..
Cricket to sit on when he was driving. and
it had iunny old patchwork quilt thrown
over 1t Tor a cushion. 4 f1ei sisel
The good old cricket stopped moment TO
STIR up he straw into nice, SOFT nest. an a
set the chair steadIer, and then he looked at
Kitty, and said, "Come, Kitty; it's Thanks
giving, you know, and you're to come and
lake dinner with Grandma Cricket and me,
AMI the baby-bless his dear little fingers
ana toes-he's to come, too. Here, Just poke
him INTO this straw I've fixed for him. He
won't wake; if he does I'll sing him to sleep
again. i know more baby songs than you ev-
er heard Of" 'e' q lT7 $3.50 z
And would you believe it? The iolly old
cricket dumped baby down into the straw
ana covered him up warm; and he wasn't
DIT too big to go in, and he never woke up at
ALL And then he took kitty and swung her
clear over the sides OF the wagon, into the lit
lie Old arm chair, and Kitty felt Just as little.
you cam think! 1t quite took her breath
Wnen he swung her over. Teen old Mr..
Cricket got in and sad, cheeriIy, to his horses
eeI up tnere. And then they were to start,
but Kitty said, bashiully, sPIease. Mr.. Cricket
can't get down in the straw, by the baby %
MI. Cricket looked back at her and smiled
and said, to lie sure she might; and then Kit
y clmDed down from the old chair! and n as
t,ed IN the straw by the baby, with her cheek
close to his, and SO at last they started.
1t was long way to Cricket Country, and
quite rough at first. Some of the roads
through the chinks in the fireplace hearth,
frightened sometimes, but Mr.. Cricket ALWAYS
chlrped out, cheerily, mo dangerl no danger
at alp DE
And at last they reached Cricket Country.
1t was early winter there, too, The trees
were naked, and the fields brown. But fine
sunshine! They had the yeIlowest, cheerjest
sunshine; the very old dead leaves on the
trees cleaned in it like gold. lod - IL
gu see we make our sunshine said Mr.
Sricket, ana SO we have it steady, all the
year round. Each family has a loom. and tba
women and children weave it. We old oe,,
uemen help great deal, too. It's good for
me neaith, this weaving sunshine. Some few
lamlies nave refused to weave any. and IFS
astonishing to see how old, and shriveled and
miserable, they have become. altbonoh thau
have tue Tree use of all which is woven bv tba
rest OF US: Its wonderful, this weaving ones
own sunshine" 100, - # - - 'Ae
I'D like to weave some," said Kitty.
~ care say you would" answered old Mr.
Cricket. You look as it it might come bandv
tn GU. I'll ask Grandmother Cricket to 10,
you." 'oAe ~ ~ '.. ie'
atty was very busy thinking what wonder
~ looms they must have, and how beautiful
sue warm, golden sunshine was, when sud-
whitewashed gate, with dead holIybock staILs
on each side Oh ii. There was a clean swent
pain leading from the gate up to LITTLE inyv
nouse, with rose vines running over fine litcb.
en- WINDOW. On the clean, mossy doorsten
an OLD dog. about as big as ladybua sat II,
his bind legs wagging his tail ior ioy Int J he
was 100 old, and lazy, and comfortable. tn GET
up. 80 his tail just kept humping on the
step; Old Mr.. Cricket lifted Kitty out. and
put oapy INTO her arms, and then the door
opened, and Old Grandma Cricket came out.
She nad Wnlte cap on, with great, puffy ruff
ne TO lt, and blue gown, and white anron
and high -heeled slippers; and her breath
made you think ofcinnamon essence. and she
had tbs sweetest, lnotherlest little chirp of a
voice Kitty ever heard. She came hurryinq
down the path, and took baby in her arms
Now, you little dumpling," she said 10
nifty, Just trip into the house, and toast
aone: Toes by the fire a minute, while I take
up the dinner. Now Grandpa Cricket be
orlsK, because I've been waitin whole
nour. Ssems to me you hayn't drove as fast
MI. CIlcKeL promised to hurry and feed the