The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-11-15

ering for the lounge was also fashioned
from the same materials. Cornices for
her window she could not buy, and time
was not at her command in which to
manufacture them. But she consoled
herself for the yet bare look of the room
by remembering that it was much pleas
anter than the one Nell and Kathie then
occupied.
Grace intended surprise for the sis
tiers, and SO told them of a new board
ing house she had found, where they
could obtain better board than they had
mt present for a dollar week less They
were eager to make the change, but
Grace stubbornly refused to give them
further information, except that they
would have to share room with her,
and offered, if they wished, to engage
board for the ensuing week.
Planning to give them pleasant
Thanksgiving day, she laid in tiny
stock of groceries and turkey, deter
mined herself to roast it, and, though
grumbling at her work, she was now
thankful, for the first time in her life,
to the stern stepmother who had thor
oughly drilled her in all Household tasks.
Mrs. Williams volunteered to tell
their present landlady of the proposed
change, and she performed her work so
admirably that, instead of being offend
ed, the woman was pleased at Grace's in
dependence and generosity and promised
to send over a couple OF pies for start
in housekeeping.
Mr. and Mrs. Williams invited them
selves to partake of the first dinner I;
and when Nell and Kathie, having sent
their trunks over by an expressman,
rang the door-bell and introduced them
selves as thee Misses Gray, for whom
Miss Weir had engaged board, they
noticed queer smile fit over the face
of the girl who answered their ring,
as she told them to walk right up to
their room, third floor, front. Up they
went, and, opening the door, an odd
scene presented itself. Grace, the
queenly Grace, was kneeling in front of
the cook stove, with flushed face, en-
deavoring to basic refractory turkey
refractory, because she had not properly
trussed it, and one poor manned limb
was sticking out almost at right angles
from the body. Mrs. Williams was rest
ing on the lounge, while her husband
sat by the window reading his morning
paper.
Nell and Kathie were not the only
ones who were surprised. Grace found
low seat by the window, manufactured
from a shoe-box, neatly covered with a
remnant of the cambria she had left in
Mrs. Williams rooms; and also table
spread of brown rep, embroidered on
the hem with yellow worsted in snowy
pattern, and lambrequins of the same
material, exactly matching her curtains
in color.
Poor little Kathie almost dissolved in
tears, while brave Nell, who was too
proud to usually appear aught but in
different, laughed and cried by turns.
1t was cheerful party that gathered
around the table that day and, although
the turkey was not properly trussed,
and had severe black burn on one
thigh, and the squash was watery, they
all pronounced it the most delicious
dinner of which they had ever par
taken, voting the pies Mrs. Williams
brought over the very best that Mrs.
Klipp ever had made
1t is two years this month since the
first Thanksgiving dinner was eaten in
that little room, and the same three
girls yet occupy it. This year they in
tend to celebrate their anniversary by
the purchase of new Atwood carpet,
their joint savings. The old sofa is re-
placed by a comfortable bed-lounge, and
new dresses are even now being made
for the trio. Best of all, Kathie's cleeks
have grown rosy and plump, and they
call themselves the "three merry old
maids" Nell bids fair todevelop into a
first-class business woman; while Grace's
father, on his stolen visit to the city,
was informed that his daughter was
worth more to her employers than all
the male correspondents they ever had.
Chicago Cosmopolitan.