New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-12-25
SUSAN LANES CHRISTMAS.
A HOLIDAY STORY FOR TRIBUNE READERS.
BY BAYARD TAYLOR
lFrom ne SENT Weekly Tribuael


The old covered buggy was rolling away from tho
gate, as Lydia Maria Lane called, rather screamed
with rising shrillncss of voice. these parting direc-
tons. But Susan neither looked back nor an
swered on the contrary, the flourish Of a whip was
momentary visible, the horse started brisIy for
ward, and the buggy whircd into the main road.
! "Wcll, never y Lydia Maria exclaimed she
drew the shawl around her shoulders. and rested
her elbows on the gate-post; 81 don't believe she
half knows what she's about So fdgety all at once,
and her hands so hot Ihopc to goodness it isn't the
/ typhus."
1t was the day before Christmas. Susans biggest
turkey was to be caught aud killed that afternoon,
! and there various artices-cranberres being
not the least important among them-to be procured
/ at the village store The sky was uncertain, aud
| the pleasant brown landscape dappled with
| CLEANS Of struggling sunshine but there just
that touch Of healthy cold in the air which often
makes December, in Southern Pennsylvania, az
| lovely as any Autumn month. Lydia Maria. a tall
and wiry spinster Of-we we may allow forty
years. but not day overlooked into the garden
and noticed that tie sage and parsley still toll
erably fresh. As she pulled the best sprigs, with
view to the to-mOrrow's turkey faint, delicious
Odor surprised her n0strils. In that warm corner
which was sheltered by the clump of box
whole bed Of white volets had suddenly bloomedl
The perfume and the sight Of the flowers made her
think Of Susan again, and an unusual, softened ex-
preston came over her rigid face while she gath
cred enough to I'll a saucer.
Somehow. il was always Susan's turkey which
was taken for Christmas In fact, it was owing 20
Susan alone that Christmas had come 70 be COM
memorated in the Lane farmhouse. The people Of
the neigh6orhood were partly Of Quaker and partly
of Baptist descent with slight infusion Of the
ScotCh-Irsh Presbyterian element. They had never
been accustomed even TO n yearly Thanksgiving fes-
val and only few of them had inherited the habit
Of looking for any special good cheer no Christmas
time. But when young William Lane enlisted as
soldier Of the Union Susan. then girl of fourteen,
could hear of the turkeys and sausages and pies
sent to other sons and brothers in the regiment
camped on the hills beyond Washington without
fairly extorting from the family a ike gift for
| William. Her father and her older brother Jere-
miah Were Democrats; her mother was dead and
Lydia Maria. silently enduring what couutry-peo-
pie call a disappointment took bat a languid in
teres, IN the work 1t cost Suau much labor and
many tears; but she finally succeeded. More than
this, she offered up her only remaining turkey,
roasted it, set it on the table that very Christmas
Day, and comforted herself with the fancy that
William was enjoying at the same moment his
happy fl Of breast and side-bone.
The next Winter the brave young fellow was in
Libby Prison, and no one made objection TO the
large box forwarded 10 him. in the fond belief that
the Express Company delivered their packages
puuctually inside Of the Southern lines. Alas the
box never arrived; but they did not know of this
until months afterwards They ate Susan's turkey,
as usual, then and for years succeeding the first
directions prompted by old Gideon Lanes habit Of
selfdenyng economy, were gradually forgotten,
and thus Christmas Day las also at many Of the
~ IN he
festival, if rather sober Even Lydia Maria,
rs she walked toward the house with sage. parsley
and white volets in her hand, found herself think
ing of the morrow with a restful pleasure.
jeremiah, who had been at work in the wood->hed,
met her near the kitclcu-door. He looked at the
herbs she carried nodded slightly to himself as if to
say. IT'S about right" and then suddenly ex-
claimed See here! Isn't it tine tor somebody
else TO give the Christmas turkey?"
Gracious, Jerry I" exclaimed Lydia Maria, with
a start how came you to say what was passing IN
my own wmd!'
81 don't know how exactly I seemed to think OF
| it last year, and 50 10 kind o turned mp again.
well them said his sister, after pause Of re-
lection, "Su-au's either got something on her
mind. or IN her constitution It isn't that don't
believe she's thinking overly much OF turkeys to-
day. lis either a worry o some sort-)r the
/ typhus'
| "She did look flushed UP, as body might say,'
answered the brother. But that's neither here
nor there We've somehow got used 10 having a
turkey-and a better spread in general-on Christ
mas Day. and its been mostly her doings. think
should miss it myself if it was stopped of short;
and it amt hardly fair to take IT, every year, off her
share. Now, I've about made up my mind to give
one o. my best this tne.'
! "Oh, Jerry and so I'd about made mp my mind to
| give mine. Either way, whichever it is, kill one
por, say l. aud have it picked and drawn before she
| gets back"
| While the two are walking toward tho barn-yard,
! taking two or three of corn from tie crib on
I the way let us leave them to follow Susan, sho
! drives toward the village.