The Worthington advance., 1878-11-28
eiv;n' after travelin' three mortal. days

and nights.'" SSs.5E5SsSs!s3aa~ n
:. And the plump l,ttls@nSsama chang b
her voice in the last clause in droll
nasal imitation Of kef sister, which made
the children laugh. II u 7
"What wonld you like, my dears1n
II can smell all sorts of goodieA"! said
Mary, shifting until her little pert nose
grew rcd, ''and I should like pumpkin
pie, if its agreeable" " .'''''
"Chicken for me, put in Johnny,
promptly. p,
"AIihco pie" said quiet Janc.,
"Pudding, cake, cookies, apples, nuts,
popcorn balls, roast beef, roast pork,
spare ribs, quail, ham, ducks; most any
thing you ;; have in the ihonse," cried
Charlie uproariously-whilo they all
laughed, and little Hat shouted, "Goo,
goo" and made her little fat hands fly in
u patty cake, patty cake, bakers man.
The three or four passengers in the far
end of the car looked: up from their
books and papers and smiled at the mer
ry little group. -
Meanwhile Aunt Harriet, in the great
old ark of a farm house by herself, talked
to the dog and the cat. She had loaded
the hired man off home ato his fathers
with big basket packed full Of Thanks
givin' tixin's. III see,n she said as she
put in the last mince pie and loaf Of cake
'if can't have just as thankful. q heart
as could if the house was full of good
lea. I mean to try it for once, and eat
pudden' and milk, as have so often
wished I could, and see if I don't enjoy
it just as WELL"
So she sifted a great quantity of corn
meal of the. kind that southern people
call hominy and New England folks call
samp, and putting on the big dinner. pot,
proceeded to make pudding. It re-
quired good deal of stirring and skim.
ming, and kept her pretty busy for two
OF three hours. The meal swelled and
swelled until the kettle was nearly full.
II declar for't," said she to the cat, II
don't know what possessed me to make
such a lot Of puddin'. But if don't
want it all myself the hogs will; 'twont
be wasted" and, fetching bowl Of milk
from the pantry, she sat down in the
split-bottomed rocking chair, set her felt
slippered feet on the fore-piece of the
stove and proceeded to eat her supper.
IL declar fort" said she to thee dog,
who lay on the rug at her feet, II feel ex-
actly as if sumbudy was dead, or as if
ev'rybudy was dead, and was left on
airth alone to keep iarvern. should
like little bite of sunthin' to top off
with, but wouldn't own it to anybudy
that could talk; but you won't tell no
tales. I'm as ashamed as whipped dog,
and feel as cheap as dirt every time I
think what day it is, and how we've been
prospcrcd in every way through ,he year,
and yet here be, no comp'ny in the
house and none likely to coalc, and nuth-
in cooked up, and no Thanksgivin' smell
about the house, and, worst of all,
father'n mother sent off out from uqder
their own ruff. Harriet, you're q SOUR,
selfish, Grabbed old maid, nd I'm
ashamed on yc. Take the Bible and see if
yc can't find sumthin' to git ye inter a
better state o. mind.
So she str.de into ''mother's ROOM
after the family Bible, and behold it was
gone. "They've taken it with 'em to
Johns, aud all the Thanksgivin' feeliu'
along with it," She took look at the
made-up bed, with its pieced-up quilt. and
said again, ut seemo as if ev'rybudy was
dead" and went out and shut the door
softly behind her. -:
"What if sumbudy should come, she
soliloquizcd next, taking up the CT, ."hut
there won't. There amt nobody to
come, only what's invited to Johns ex-
cepting Sister Susan, p~or dear, precl-
Gus child, away off there in the wilds;
she'll never come home again, presume ~
and Harriet laid her head on his knees
and thought of the day Susan was born,
and of the day she was married, and cried
little. and then dropped of into q nap,
from which she was aroused by sub
dued hustle near the back door.
Gettin up and lifting corner If the
curtain she peeped out, and saw, by the
light OF the tull moon, wagon driving
out Of the yard, a trunk-or baskct-a
tallish boy, shortish girl. two more
children coming up the walk, and a
plump, little woman. with baby in her
arms, just stepping upon the doorstone.
"Susan," gaspco Harriet, quickly un-
butto1ing and opening the door, and
catching the surprised, rosy little woman
in Der arms. They both cried little,
but Harr'ct meanwhile put Susan into
the sniint- botto,nca chair, took Of her
,,onnct, and smooi;ied Der hair. Then
E!1e Dllcd her eyes, kissed the children,
took OF their things, luak;ug mental
o2';ui..ti;. O.: how .:;c should manage &c
set tisoln ell dressed before Sunday.
Il knew We should find you ul,'' said
Su.an, locking arounl the familiar hitch
| t.4 },cr hn-,r We >,J,
to drag the night BEFORE" and she gave q
little sniff. Smelling nothing suggestive
Of fancy cookery, she said che believed
sha had managed to take little cold in
some way. At this the children, each ia
turn. shifted and looked curiously al
each other. -.
We won't let anyone know that you
have come uutil morning." said Harriet
in her decided way, "and then we vii
have general surprise at breakfast"
"They are all well-father ano
mother?" asked Susan, unxiously.
"Never bctterl Now what will yot
have for suppcr?" That was just wha
had been said in their play, in the car
and the chiidron prjcked up their cars.
| 'Oh, a cup Of tea for me, and plenty o.
milk and bread for the Children. said
the plump and rosy mamma, carrying OF
her part Of the play according to pro
Cramme. But Aunt Harriet, instead o.
asking them what they would like, seized
upon the idea Of milk, and exclaimed:
"Yes, yes, milk for the children, to bt
sure; of course it will be the very best
thing for them after their journey. Yor
used to be fond Of samp, Susan"
II should think 50, end l have ncve1
seen any since I went away"
The children locked disappointed, bu
they enjoyed their supper, and though
and said they had never tasted anything
so delicious as that first meal at grand
pas.
"You see," said Aunt Harriet, as sh.
was preceding them up to bed Just a.
the clock struck eleven, tit is good ap
petite and thankful heart that makes ,
Thanksgivin' supper, after ALL"