The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-11-17
catching sight Of her, she cried out in

'IOOu uOCu uX. COuSl0s anu W0tTy
Thanksgiving to you"
Merry" repeated the old man in a
gruff, surly tone. "lt's very likely Ill
BE- merry with horde of my wife's re-
lations coming to eat up the last crumb
OF bread in the house. What's the use
OF Thanksgiving. anyway? There's
nothing to be thankful for that I can
see. l suppose you and Keziah will
have that Lynchfeld crowd down here
as you did last year? Well, everybody
to his taste, of course"
Poor Lavina!' sad Miss Debby,
TREMENDOUSLY. 81 do wish we could have
them down this Thanksgiving. But
we can't afford it. cousin. 1t would be
great pleasure. gerry great pleasure
to Us. of course. but we can't see our
way clear to do it," and Miss Debby's
mind wandered to the small pantry in
the c,ttage. where half loaf OF bread
and small piece of liver reposed in
state.
..Humphr' said the Squire, with q
grim smile spreading over his weather.
Dea,en features. "You ought to have
taken care OF your money while you
had it." and he was moving away as if
the conversation was at an end; when
Miss Dibby called to him to "wait q
moment"
swell. what is it?' asked the Squire,
impatiently.
Miss Debby was much too frightened
to answer tor mo nent. She had had
O purpose in coming out to meet him.
She had intended to ask him to help
them to a Thanksgiving dinner. They
had never asked him for aid before. and
had often said they never would; but
now. for Lavna's sake--and how dis.
appointed these children would be if
they didn't come to the cottage on
Thanksgiving!
This thou sht gave Miss Debby cour-
age.
"Kune," she said in faint, falter-
isg voice. I'VE would SO like to h I'VE
Lavina and the chi dren here on Thurs
day. Can: -wOn't-couldn't- her
voice d.ed away in an inarticulate MUIR
muir.
The Squire looked at his cousin a
moment as if he doubted her sanity.
"Iundersiand what you want to say
he said in a cold, hard tone. IL am
used to such appeals from people who
think I'm made of money. No:i can't,
l won't. couldu IT, and with another
of those grim. sarcastic smiles he walked
away down the road, leaving Miss
uebby covered with confusion, and
with her gentle eyes full of regretful
tears that she had Inundated herself for
nothing. ...
She went into the house and told
keA iah what she had done. She never
thought of Keeping her folly to herself.
Miss keziah was amazed at her sisters
! temer.ty. but she uttered no word of
| blame. She knew how earnestly Debby's
heart was set on having Il Thanksgiving
dinner for Lavina and the children, and
she hadn't the heart to scOld her for
what she had done.
They talked the matter over for some
| time. and then both sisters settled to
their work again. Their breai de-
pended upon their industry. and they
seldom wasted a minute through the
day.
Suddenly there came sounding
knock at the front door. Debby sprang
up. and looking from the window, saw
a grocer's wagon at the gate.
"keziah," she cried, there's Dug
by's wagon! What can he want here"'
The sisters. in a state of some excite
ment. hurried to the door and opened
it, There stood boy with basket
full OF packages OF every shape and
| size.
"Allen. ma am?' he inquired. "The
gentleman ordered 'em, aud said they
was to be left without delay"
"For us?" asked Miss keziah. "Who
was the gentieman?
MIR. Alien, ma am, he said his name
was. Where sha leave emp"
Bring them INTO the Kitchen" cried
Miss Debby, in transwort OF Joy.
The basket. which was very large
one. was soon uptied. and the kitchen
table heaped nigh with the parce 8.
The boy drove Off in his wagon, and
Miss Keziah picked up a receipted bill
which had t.ultered to the floor.
Eighteen dollars and ii ty-seven
cents. Debbyr' she exc aimed with
gasp OF aslonishment. 80, to think of
the Unjust ce we did him! He is not so
hard-hearted after all! How generous!
How kind"'
"How glad l am 1 spoke to him."
said Miss Debby, her eyes shining with
happy tears. 81 thou .ht he meant to
refuse me! Aud he went straight to
Dugby's and bought all these things for
us!''
II bought that half pound Of tea in
Dugbys yesterday" said Mss Keziah.
. He has been open only week. but
he seemed to be dom a pretty good
business. l wonder if Cousin. Kane
means to take his custom away from
Payson."
PAYS was a grocer who had done
business in Harco:e for twenty years,
and he had laughed scornfully when a
young fellow named Dugby had an-
nounced his intention of opening RI
val store. He thought himself on too
sure foundation to be shaken by any
new enterpr Sc.
As the sisters talked they opened the
packages with swift, but tremb ing
fingers. Their eyes sparkIed as lemons,
sugar, spices, IA sins. apples, coffee, tea.
bu ter, rice, eggs. pickles. cranberries,
Dire fruit. and other tn ngs 90 numer-
Gus to mention, were disclosed TO view. |
1--WE only need the turkey now to |
have complete dinner" cried Miss
Debby. "And. Keziah, that three dol
lars we were saving -
"We II use it. of course" interrupted
Miss Keziah," and get the biggest ,ur-
key we can find in Harcote While l
put on my bonnet and shawl, Debby,
you write 10 Lavina, and While I'm gone
you can be stoning raisns for the cake,
and measuring fort the pies"
Miss Debby fastened away to write |
her letter OF invitation, which Miss Ke-
ziah duly put into the post Office before |
she be IAN her search for the turkey.
How bus the two old ladies were all
that day and the next! And what de-
licious pies. cakes and o her dainties |
were made bv their skillful fingers, and |
the aid of their mothers old fashioned |
recipe-Look! k
Early Thursday morning John Drew's
big wagon, containing his wife and |
their eleven children, who ranged in
age from sixteen years to sixteen |
months. stepped at the gate of the cot
tage; and then what happy meeting
took place! Such laughter. such kiss.