Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-11-30
MISS CROCKETT'S CHICKEN PIE.
A Thanksgiving Story.

oven. sWhat beautiful brown it is, to
be sure! After all, about as much de-
ponds on the baking as anything else;
do despise these white, sticky-lookin' pies
that give one the dyspepsia jestto look at.
Therer' taking it out and setting it on
blue-edge plate, on her clean window-sill,
to cool, " if that amt good enough for the
Parson, I'll never call myself a cook
againl Jest to think how pleased the
tired little woman will be with such a
nice dinner, and how piously the good
man will spread out his hands and say:
For what we see before us make US
thankful, and how hungry those six boys
will be, even down to the baby. / wonder
what does make minister's boys always so
much hungrier than other folkses! But |
am thankful that the Lord has so blest me
that | can invite them all over, and make
this real Thanksgiving, too, with no
sham in my heart. All, me! it's been
many long year since | made anything
of the day thought / never could
againl" continued the little spinster in
her musing, while an unwclcome tear
drop rolled slowly down the faded cheek
What, Susan Crockett, you crying? l
declare if | amt ashamed of you to set
there and cry Jest because things hain't
turned out just as you wanted them to.
when you ought to feel thankful that the
Lord has given you bread to eat and
place to lay your head!''
And then little Miss Crockett drew her
rocking chair up to the stove, and took
out her knitting and knit as though her
life depended upon getting to the heel that
day.
BUT all the while her thoughts would
go back to that other beautiful Thanks
giving Day, when her eyes were brighter
hnr hai oh ha1 do
a great chicken pie Just like the one cool
ing in the window, and had put the same
blue saucer under the crust at the top, to
make it look rounded, and keep the but
ter from soaking IN. 1t was one of her
own pretty set, all covered with blue vio-
lets, that she had bNlght at Pendleton,
and was just the color of her eyes, Eben
said
And Eben came to dinner and tried to
cut the pie, and cut a little nick right in
the edge of the saucer, and how sorry he
was, and went all over PendletOn to match
it, but there wasn't another sett like it
anywhere. they told him.
And after the dinner was eaten and the
things cleared away, what beautiful
time, it was!
She remembered how the two chairs
somehow got close together before the old
fire place, and Eben said something about
the next Thanksgiving, that made her
cheeks as red as the Goals on the hearth.
And then they talked of the three little
rooms over the shop that Susan was max
ing pretty chintz curtains and chair COW
erings for.
For Eben was a shoemaker, and was a
good, industrious workman, and he and
Susan were engaged. and were to be mar
ried long before another Thanksgiving
Day, and there was so much to talk about,
and plan for, and be happy over
But all me! things do get so strangely
awry in this great world That Thanks
giving Day came and went, and twenty
more had come and gone, and here she
was Miss Susan Crockett still
And the pretty chintz curtains had been
folded in the box up stairs, and the blue
china had lain covered over with a towel,
on the top shelf of the cupboard all these
years, and the three little rooms over the
shop were filled with Irish children. and
the shOemaker.had been gone for so long
that few remembered even his name, and
the old house that Susan's father and
mother had left her when they died, was
burned down long ago and she had taken
her money and bought a little farm in the
great town where we find her, and where
she lived a quiet and lonely, but kind and
peaceful life
For EbeneZer Prindle was only very
human and faulty man, although he did
love Miss Susan dearly; but he was sus-
picious and secretive 20 a fault, and sc
when gossiping Jane BuzzG1l, who had
been in love with him all her life-aS
everybody knew-told him that Susan
told her that she loved the handsome
schoolmaster better than she did him, he
never thought of doubling it, but went
around glum and silent, and moody fol
days, and made Susan miserable. and
when later an anonymous note came, tell
ing him that the schoolmaster was going
counting Susan Crockett that evening,
and to watch, and signed only ca friend
who pities your instead of throwing il
into the fire as he ought, he did 90 tC
watch; and he looked into the window
and sure enough the schoolmaster was
there, and it was ten o'clock before he
came out, and Eben, under the rose
bushes, saw him kiss SusanS hand, and
heard him say 'my heart is breaking
but bless you all the same dear Miss
SUSAN"
And the next afternoon old Mrs Peekel
came in, and told Susan that Ebenezel
Prindle and Jane Buzzell were married
that morning and had gone to Pendleton
on . tower" and that was the end.
And now all this tide of remembrance
is interrupted by a sudden rap at the
door. Now Miss Crockett was very hos
pitable, but she had a great horror Of the
bad boys in the neighborhood, who had
nearly troubled her life out of her by
stealing her watermelOns and robbing her
nests, and desecrating her orchard, and
SO the cordial look quite died out of heI
face, when she opened the door and saw
sly, demure- looking boy standing there
with dirty face and brimless hat set or
one side of shock of yellow hair
Please, marin, may l come in and
get warm ?" he asked.
Il don't believe you're cold, and CAM
you get warm somewhere else ~ queried
Miss Susan, sharply.
sob, yes, marm!" IN deprecating
tone, . but | thought you wou DIN t grud ge
poor orphan who haiG't neither father
nor mother nor grandmother nor nothin'
seat by your fire fora minute"
Miss Susan began to soften little; il
was such dreadful thing to be all alone
IN the world, she knew that, and it was d
dreadful thing to let poor boy so colo
and shivering 60 from her door, wher
there was such a wealth of warmth and
freight inside; and so she told him he
might come in and get warm, inwardly
resolving TO keep one eye on him, how.
ever, for she was quite determined never
to be taken in AGAIN.
"A pretty cold day, marm!' began the
boy, holding his dirty hands before the
blaze. ~
Very cold,'' assented Miss Susan. put.
ing another big stick into the stove.