Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-11-24
Written for the Vermont Waterman.
Thanksgiving at the Gardners'.

80 +NN-'
I'm sick of tatoes and fried pork, wish
we could have pies and buildings every
noon like they do down to Mr.. Palmer's,"
grumbled little Mac Gardner over his din
ner one day.
"They're rich but Thanksgivine's most
here and then we shall have chicken pie and
a nice pudding, with lots of raisins in it,
and Mrs Date and Mrs. Hepsyll be invited
to eat dinner with us and twill be Just jolly"
cheerily chirped Eva, and she looked over
to her mother as if expecting she would con-
firm this statement. But Mrs. Gardner did
no such thing. She mashed her potatoes in
silence, with face expressing anything but
an assent. Donald, the eldest Of the three
children, who understood the finances of the
family better than the others, finally ven
tured to remark.
"Pm afraid nobody'll ask Mrs. Date and
Miss Hepsy if we don't"
They'll feel dreadful disappointed if we
don't ask EN-" piped up Eva, who had al
ready informed the old ladies they were to
be invited and had also told them.what they
might expect for dinner.
at won't cost so very much," began Don
aid again, "we've got the two chickens for a
pie, you know, mother"
Yes, but we haven't the money to spare
for the other things, and don't see how we
can make Thanksgiving this year, and be-
sides | don't feel very much like it with
your father away out there on the prairies,
with no body to take care of him if he gets
sick"
"Oh, but he won't get sick the doctor said
a change of climate would be good for him.
and then you know he's going to send for us
in the spring." confidently affirmed Donald
eyes, hope So" said Mrs. Gardner, in
tone that belied her words.
In truth, Mrs. Gardner was in dismal
state of mind that day, and, poor soul, she
had some occasion for it. Everything had
gone amiss with them that year their COW
died in the spring; then hail.storm in
iured their crops greatly; and, last of all,
their house burned down. So they had sold
their few acres of land, and Mr.. Gardner
mad gone west and taken up government
and, and was going to build house, and in
he spring send for his family. Meantime
Mrs. Gardner and the children were prac-
icing the closest economy in a stumble
Town sort of a house, not far from where
heir old one had stood, and very near Mrs.
Date and her sister Hepzibah, two kind
hearted, simple old bodies who were partly
by the town. The Gardners had
heretofore invited them to Thanksgiving
Inner, but now it really did seem as If they
couldn't afford the extra expense.
Mother" said Donald, as he finished his
Inner, show much would the things for a
budding cost 2"
"Oh, | don't know. Half pound of rice
would do, that wouldn't be more than five
,ents, and half pound of raisins, guess,
would be eight, which max
Thirteen" said Donald, who was quick
1t figures.
"Then we should want two quarts of milk,
which would be ten cents, certain"
"And that makes twenty-three," said
Donald.
"Then there's the sugar, and eggs, and
'pices,-well, l guess thirty cents would
cover all the expense of the pudding, but we
amt spare even that just now But see, it's
nearly one o'clock, and if you are going to
work for Mr.. Palmer this afternoon you
must be off,"
That evening when the family were to-
yether again, the chores all done and Mrs.
Gardner had taken her knitting, Donald
aid:
Mrs. Palmer says their apples are rotting
swfully, and she wondered if you'd like to
AXE some to dry on shares"
Well-no-I don't see how | can, I've
promised to go over and help her clean house
,ext week, and these mittens and socks for
Mrs. Lane must be finished, and that will
AXE all my time evenings"
81 WISH" said Donald to Eva, "that you
md l could pare enough to sell and so buy
he things at the store for Thanksgiving"
ave can" was Evas prompt reply.
"Do you think we could, mother2" asked
Donald.
I" 1t would take good many apples and
we've no pairing machine, and then you
couldn't work any on the apples when you
could get anything else to do, for you know
you want to earn money enough to buy you
, pair of boots this fall"
The children were in no wise disheartened
by this discouraging answer of their mother,
but with one accord, (even little Mac, who
never earned penny in his life) declared
hey wouldn't work on the apples single
minute when they could be earning money
elsewhere.
Early the next morning Donald went
down to negotiate with Mrs. Palmer, and
succeeded in making very good bargain
for himself, and Mrs. Palmer kindly offered
the loan of their pairing machine and frames
On which to dry the apples. So Donald took
them home, with bushel of apples on a
and presently the three chill
iren were at work as busy as bees. The
apples were all pared by noon, but there
were a good many left for Eva to quarter
and core in the afternoon while Donald went
10 one of the neighbors to work. By work.
ing an evening now and then, Donald found
he had time to pare the apples about as fast
as they dried, and by the Monday before
they had flour bag full, all
nicely pared and cored, and thoroughly dried,
which Donald and Eva carried TO the store
with hilarious delight.
If there's any left over" said Eva we'll
get some cranberries; Jennie Palmer says
they are going to have some"
am very glad to say there was enough
left over for a pint of cranberries, and
two cents beside.
Juat anouoh for t,yo st;,Ls of .a,j,,p