Ellsworth American., 1877-12-20
nd welcome which 10 acceptable to q

stranger.
'Dittie slipped away, but Tom forgot to
miss her. he was so well entertained. By
and by she came back in a smart gown,
with her hair curled; but somehow Tom
| could not think her as pretty as he used to.
The vision Of a shabby dressing gown and
rough locks was too recent to be for.
gotten.
"Well, supper appeared, and frst-
rate supper 1t was. Tom was glad to see
1t, for the journey had made him very hun
CRY. Nelly poured out the tea. It appear
ed she was q housekeeper; and she sat
there looking sweet enough to sweeten the
cups without sugar. Tom saw for the
first time what dear little face she had,
and how honest and true her brown eyes
were. Her teeth too. were like pearls,
and showed when she laughed, and that
was pretty often. for Dittie seemed sulky
and silent, and she was anxious to make up
for 1t. and have cousin Tom feel at home.
Next morning Ditto looked subdued
and abstracted, with none Of the lively
ways she had in New York. Tom found
afterward that her head was full of blue
silk gown which she had set her heart on
finishing for Thanksgiving.
soon after breakfast she went away to
work upon 1t, leaving Tom IN Nellie's
udubs. " uitH W ~ announcement, lot NtllS
had all sorts of things to do that day-ap-
pies to pare, and pumpkins to stew, and
pies TO bake, and don't know what all.
However. there was no help for it,
She made bright Gre in the keeping-room
and brought some books for Tom, and told
him she must leave him awhile. and If he
got lonely he must come out IN the kitch-
en-, for there she must he. Aud of course
Tom had no idea OF sitting alone; so he
soon came wandering after her. and spent
almost the whole day there helping aud
hindering; for though he pared some ap-
pies. and beat great many eggs, am
afraid his long legs and his conversation
We're good deal In the way.
However. Nellie didn't let him know il.
II they were. And It was so pleasant TO
watch her at work that he would have
been sorry enough to have been ordered
on She was the quickest, most skillful
little creature in all her ways. and yet 80
orderly and systematic. Whether whisk-
ing some dainty mixture with big spoon.
or welding the rolling pin, or touching
the oven door with n white knuckle, to see
If the heat was right. all she did seemed
graceful and charming. All, | can tell YOU
children, girl never looks half as well as
when she is doing plain, useful work in the
incest and pretttest wav. And when
those pies came out OF the oven" said
grandpapa, smacking his lips. you never
saw the like. They rescmbed snow-flakes
flied TO iich brown, only they were a
great deal better.
Not better than grandma's," broke in a
chorus OF indignant voices.
Well" said grandpa, looking wickedIy
about. 'grandma's pies, as it happens, are
the only ones eyer saw which were ex-
arflr fLa lv' nd t,ut
The dear Old lady blushed like a girl
Now. Thomas" She said. "you mustn't
tax such nonsense TO the children
OH cried Jack. the irrepressiblc;
"grandpapa's name is Thomas, amt it7
guess" But here somebody choked him
oil. aud grandpa went on very fast.
80 all the pies were baked and the
lnaves OF bread, and the Thanksgiving
cake. and the plum pudding mixed and put
over 10 salf-boil.' for ii wa. great bust
ness in those day. to get puddings boiled,
sDa by that time supl'cr-time was nearly
Twcuty-iour hours had done the work of a
month. and he had made up his mind once
tor all. that the pale, weary face IN the cor
per was the sweetest face in the world.
"wednesday was almost as busy as Tues
day. There were the last touches to be
given 10 the cooking, and the house TO be
brightended up and the red apples to wipe,
and arrange with autumn leaves. Cousin
Tom helped In everythlngi and when the
afternoon came. and he found that great
many of the pies were to be carried about
the neghborhood as gifts to poor people
depending upon this yearly remembrance
he insisted on going to carry the basket
and holding the umbrella. for II WAS snow
Ing little. need not tell you that Nelly
was the pie distributor. All the work-Ur
most all-of the house fell upon her. Dit
tie found an excuse for avoiding every
thing that was troublesome or inconyeni-
ent. and on this occa sion she wanted 10
bastc some facing on the blue dress.
We'll, they had splendid walk.
won't pretend 10 tell you all they talked
of: but they came home very rosy and
good humored. and hungry for supper.
Neither will venture to describe the
Thank sgiving dinner, or the good minis
trrs sermon in the morning. There were
not so many people 10 eat the dlhner, and
the sermon had seventeen heads TO it; 9TH
erwise they were both OF them very much
like those we enjoyed 10 day. Duie wore
the blue silk and looked beautiful IN it-as
was only fair when il had cost her so much
trable. But 10 Toms mind little Nelly,
In her gray gown and scarlet ribbon, look
I'd when compared to her sister. like some
geAtle home bird by the side of gay
tr pic songster-a thing To love and cher
isl and WOO, to live in your heart forever.
81 he felt that day-God bless her-and so
he feels now, and always will feel as long
as he feels anything"
There was little t-emble in grandpa's
! voice as he closed. and he blue his nose
rather loudly.
And did they get marriedi" asked lit
| Il. Nelly. on his knee.
40 be sure, my pet. What would be
the use OF love story that ended in any
other way? They were married after a
while. and lived for many years in New
/ York; and then, the house at Westfield be-
/ iIg left vacant, and sister Dittie gone 10 a
h,me Of her own. they added to it and add
ed to it, that their boys and girls might
have room TO be comfortable. And they
a'e old people now, and live there still /;
/ ard every year the sons and daughters
| with their boys and girls, come back and
keep Thanksgiving in the old home with
the folks. And that's the end of my story.
The auDts and uncles all smiled at one
smother, and in an excited chorus called
out, Grandpa, grandpa, tell us-ain't
you cousin Tom?'
Grandpa only laughed Il am afraid
| Nelly will ecod II | tell, he said.
Little Nelly, grandma,s nsmesake.
looked up with wonder in her blue eyes !;
but the older ones. with the savory re-
membrance of grandma's tarts fresh in
their minds, raised an enthusiastic cheer.
and preciptated themselves upon her in a
| body, kissing the soft old hands and the
| dear withered face wherever An opening
could be found.
How pretty grandma must have been
when she was young" whispered Edith to
Hal.
'tH-u.m," answered Harry diplomati-
cally; Eyes, grandpa was lucky man to
secure good looks and good pie-crust all at
once-wasn't he, Dittie?"
And Edith, grandma's pupil, whose
genius for domestic affairs had made her
rather famous among the cousinhood,
blushed her prettiest.
"And now," said grandpa, ''come away.