The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1883-12-28
Mrs. DatfydOwn's Dinner.

. DlL LIIdD . " IN AAS w w "
Dafydown, as she pinched her rather
meaere pocket book and cast a longing
look at a plump, fat turkey in the village
store.
"To-morrow's Christmas day, to be
sure. but | reckon I'll hey to get along
with chicken this time, fur must git
sugar an currants fur the mince pie, an
cranberries fur sauce. Thank goodness,
I've got potatoes and t%urnips, anyhow,
and thatll do fur me and Gilly."
Gill wasa neighbours little girl, who
STAYED with the widow to help co the
chores, etc.
81 would ask Samantha Jane 10 din
ner," pursued Mrs. Daffydown, as she
trudged home with her purchases, son.
" she'd sniff at hevin' chicken fur din
ner; but goodness knows, Pm thankful
to get that"
The chicken was duly inspected by
Gilly, who soon got over her disapoint-
ment at not having Il real turkey, and
the widow was busily seasoning her
] mince-meat, preparatory to making her
pies, when Farmer Mu2ford hitched his
sorrel team at the front gate and came
in.
GIVE brung ye'a letter, Mrs. Daily
down." he explained, fuubllng in the
pockets Of his butterIut overcoat.
THAR! Mebbe it's from some O. yer
folks in the city" and hcstrode off.
Mrs. Daffydown broke the seal in sur
prise. " ~,
from my Aunt Marian 10 st. LOUIS. L
want Won to come an sDsnd CAristmas
With me-, she saws. Sence the bank
busted ND with my moley in it, l halnt
seen hide nor taller ofmy kin folks, an
/ feel kind of Lonesome like. | wunt
| promise o turkey .ur dinner; but eft
YOU kin take pot luck come along. I've
asked Samantha Jant, too
"Will you go?' asled Giily.
"Cnnrsc I will! "a I'll take the roast
chjckjn ant mincepies along an q bone
I o. H1ht bread toe Goodness knows
don't want TO b no expense to Aunt
Marian. I'll bGrow Mrs. Mugford's
split basket to cfry 'em In. Poor Aunt
Mariarl | reckon she does want to see
some of her own kin, an I'll 90, ii she
did git mad ashops at me fur marryin'
Tomins cad O Cousin Bartholomew Dill
dock. IIl show her Pm willin' to let
bygones be bygones, end make up
friends a'giEi
And while Gilly ran oTer to borrow
the covered basketthe widows thoughts
few overthe by-gone days.
"I migit have married Cousin Bar
tholomeW, and been happier than /
was WITH him, too, If / hadn't made him
iealons jus for fun, al then got too
spunky to ,wn up. Well, well! what's
done cant be helped nolT,'' and the
widow sighd as she turned to haste the
browning hicken, and showed O taky-
crusted pie nto the oven. ;.
She was agood looking woman still.
with plump rosy cheeks, and eyes as
black as sloa.
II wonder now, il Samantha Jane Ill
go2" she soloquized. Reckon I'll jest
run over an take her that sage she
wanted fur sasoning an find eutif she's
s-goin'.p
Samantha n was the widows cou-
sin.
"No!" she mapped, biting q raisin in
two as il she vas comforting o favor on
it. 81 amt agoin a step. Aunt Mariar
never Ike, reito see her kin-iolks when
she was weii5ff, and now 4 she's poor
LN6F UOH L hGI W sec ACIs AL ~ Ay
part addedsamantha Jane, II shan't
never forgiygier, anyhow, fur maxim
trouble a.twen me an Cousin Barthol-
1mew. If it adn't a. heen fur her we
might a-marrYd long ago."
Theswidow cheeks grew redder than
Usual at this l%ssertion, for she knew
Cousin Bartholomew had been her lover.
but when Snuntha Jane took . notion
III her head, "a the kings men" couldn't
get that idea ot again.
Samantha Ms undeniably an old
maid, but the idow had serious doubts
as to whether unit Maria had any hand
in shaping herdverse destiny.
Christmas rurning dawned bright
and clear, bufcold as blue blazes,, as
Farmer Mugfoil said, as he hitched Ills
sorre's &C ~tietettage gate once more,
and went in toFarm his hands and wait
Tor the widowwho was to ride TO the
station with hi.
"yVant this ere split basket tuck
along?" he aske good na!uredly, while
Mrs. Dafydownettled her beau catch
ers' and addes q little starch TO her
face to hide tf faint traces OF crows
feet that lurke at the corners OF her
eyes.
ia, yesp' furned the widow and
tripped out to II wagon, while her es-
cort followed VIII the basket.
An old lady in neat and faded dress
sat looking eagay from the window o.
q tenement hOusin ST. Louis.
81 do womb if tbev'll Gomez" she
muttered unease to herself. IL think
Samantha will. sbe allus seemed fond
of me; but Fela had a temper OF her
own. and as fulephew Bartholomew,