The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-11-24
Robbie.s Thanksgiving.

1t was the day before Thanksgiving,
and Robbie was in high glee, for grand
ma, and Uncle Henry, and Aunt Susie
were coming over to dinner, and it
seemed to Robbie that there was no end
to the cousins, ysung and old, who were
expected. He had helped Edie in the
parlor with the dusting, and setting
things to rights. He had helped lay the
fires by carefully pulling out the ashes
and cinders all over the clean hearth,
while Edie's back was turned then, to
clear the table ne set Edie's favorite vase
on the carpet just where her dress pulled
it over, only just escaping breaking 1t
into pieces. and spilling the water over
one of the best mats. This piece of bus
mess made Edie's face so long that Rob-
bic thought perhaps it would be safer
for him in the kitchen with his mother
and Ann. So he took himself off down
the stairs while Edie carefully wiped up
the water from the carpet, and re ar
ranged the hndlings in the CRATE. When
Robbie's chubby legs had brought him
safely down the stairs, he pounded on
the kitchen door with both fists, and
called Justify for admittance
"Let me In! Let me in Let me
in :" he screamed. "Oh, Ann, let me
in and I'll tell you somefn'! Open the
door, quick I" and as Robbie's fists con-
tinued to beat a tattoo on the door, and
mamma knew that the rather-dark hall
was terrible bugbear to Robbie, who
never could see the door closed upon
him without just such q racket, it was not
long till the busy little man was looking
about for something upon which to ex-
ercise his ingenuity in the kitchen.
Mamma was busy making mince pies,
and could not be troubled with him.
He strayed into the pantry where the
rows of goodies looked 80 tempting that
Robbie was just debating in his mind
whether Thanksgiving to-day wouldn't
be nicer than tomorrow, when Aun
settled the question for him by hurrying
him out of the pantry and depositing
him in a chair ben nd the stove, with q
cookie in one hand and bunch of rails
ms in the other, so he concluded it was
best to be thankful for what he had,
leaving to- morrow to take care of itself.
Very quietly he sat there for at least five
minutes; then, as his cookie disap-
peared, he thrust the raisins into his
pocket for future use--for his fertile
brain had not been idle during the fivs
minutes in which the fat legs and arms
and wriggling body had rested--then he
began to besiege mamma with questions
about the expected guests.
Grandma and cousin Kate lived three
miles away, and SO far as Robbie was
concerned, il they only came on the
morrow, is would matter little whether
any one else came ar not, for they were
his favorites among all the hosts of rela
tives.
mamma, say, mamma what time il
Cousin Kate comingl Amt she coming
till mornings"
"No, my dear, guess not. Perhap
Cousin Will will bring her in his new
sleigh. Won't that be nice 2"
But Robbie looked as if he didn'
think it so very nice. To have to wal
all the afternoon and all night, whel
Cousin Kate was coming, was more thar
the little fellow thought he could endure
Mamma, I'm going for her my owl
self this afternoon, with my sled. Can
IL Fix me up quick, so 1 can go !"
Mamma knew that run in the clear
bracing air, cold az it was, would d
Robbie no harm, as he was used to il
and whenever the snow was on tn
ground he would take his little sled on
behind the house, and ride down tn
hill for an hour at a time, with no oihe
companion than, "Old Maj.," til
faithful Newfoundland, who woul
bound along by his side and bark as
he entered into the sport as heartily q
Robbie himself.
So mamma bundled him up warm, tie
the little wooden tippet over his ears
drew on the mittens which grandma ha
given him only the week before, on hi
birthday (; then, never dreaming tha
Robbie contemplated going further tina
the hill, kissed him tondly, and watche
him tru3ge away with his sled, Will
Major boun led en1 fris&ed along by hi
side. She then returned TO her pies wit
rather u feeling of satisfaction that ther
would be no more interruptions for a
hour at least.