Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-11-22
ing the little drifts of snow that sifted in
upon her coverlet between the shingles
of the roof, nor the storm without.

OF the rOOI, NOT TUG stoIH "i'hVu''
As if he felt the need of unusual vigil
lance, old Bose lay down on the mat be-
fore the door, and pussy had the warm
hearth all to herself. If any late wan
derer had looked in at midnight, he would
have seen the fire blazing up again, and
in the cheerful glow the old cat blinking
her yellow eyes, as she sat bolt upright
beside the spinning wheel, like some sort
of household goblin, guarding the children
while they slept.
When they woke, like early birds, it
still showed. but up the little Bassetts
jumped, broke the ice in their jugs, and
went down with cheeks glowing like win
ter APPLES, after brisk scrub and scram-
BILE into their clothes. Eph was of to
the barn, and lilly soon had q great ket-
tie of mush ready, which, with milk warm
from the cows, made wholesome break
fast for the seven hearty children.
Now about dinner said the young
housekeeper, as the pewter spoons stopped
Gathering. and the earthen bowls stood
empty.
Ma said, have what We liked, but
she didn't expect US to have real
Thanksgiving dinner, because she wont
be here 10 cook it, and we don't know
how" began Prue, doubtfully.
81 can roast a turkey and make
pudding as well as anybody, | guess.
The pies are all ready, and if we can't
boil vegetables and so on, we don; de
serve any dinner" cried lilly, burning to
distinguish herself. and bound to enjoy
to the utmost her brief authority.
Yes. yes !" cried all the boys, lets
have dinner anyway; Ma wont care,
and the good victuals will spoil if they
amt eaten right up
PA is coming tonight, so we won't
have dinner till late; that will be real
genteel and give US plenty Of time adj
ded lilly, suddenly realizing the novelty
Of the task she had undertaken.
"Did you ever roast a turkey y asked
Roxy, with an air of deep interest.
Should you darst to try" said Rhody
in an awe.stricken tone.
"You will see what ! can do. Ma
said | was to use my judgment about
things, and I'm going to. All you chill
dren have got to do is to keep out OF the
way, and let Prue and me work. Eph, |
wish you'd put fire in the best room, so
the little ones can play in there. We
shall want the set,in room for the table,
and wont have them pickin' round
when we get things fixed" commanded
lilly, bound to make her short reign a
brilliant one.
Il don't know about that. Ma did not
tell US to" began cautious Eph, who felt
that this invasion Of the sacred best parlor
was daring step.
Don't we always do it Sundays and
Thanksgivings: Wouldn't Ma wish the
children kept safe and warm anyh :
Can get up nice dinner with four ras-
Gals under my feet all the time /, Come,
now, if you want roast turkey aud on
ions, plum puddin' and mince-pie you will
have to do as l tell you, and be lively
about il"
lilly spoke with such spirit, and her
last suggestion was so irresistible. that
Eph gave in, and, laughing good-natured-
ly, tramped away to heat up the best
room, devoutly hoping that nothing Sc
rious would happen to punish such au-
dacity.
The young folks delightedly trooped
away to destroy the order of that prim
apartment with housekeeping under the
black horse-hair sofa, horseback riders
on the arms of the best rocking chair, and
an Indian war-dance all over the we'll
waxed furniture. Eph, finding the soci-
ETY. of peaceful sheep and cows more to
his mind than that of two excited sisters,
fingered over the chores in the barn as
long as possible, and left the girls in
peace.
Now lilly and Prue were in their
glory, and as soon as the breakfast-things
were out of the way, they prepared for
grand cooking time. They were handy
girls, though they had never heard of a
cooking school, never touched piano,
and knew nothing of embroidery beyond
the samplers which hung framed in the
parlor; one ornamented with pink
mourner under blue weeping willow,
the other with this pleasing verse, each
word being done in different color,
which gave the effect Of distracted
rainbow:
| .This sampler neat was worked by me.