Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-11-29
BEHIND THE CHIMNEY
A THANKSGIVING STORY.

II was Thanksgiving forenoon, and
can it be? Yes. il was thirty years
agol Lou Hampstead and | had visit.
ed the pantry to see the pies which
had been baked the day before in tn
big stone oven.
There's mince, apple, and pump
kim said Lou, in "A voice fun of relish.
And two little turnovcrs" | cN
claimed, quite sure in my own mind
who would eat them.
Then we came back in time TO watch
grandmother rs she turned the turkey
before the fire The fireplace was
built of great stones, and was 50 deep
and broad thai many a time hal sat
in one corner of il on n little stool
watching the logs burn and crumhle
into Goals But this lay the fire was
too big and hot, and the long crane
held three or four iron pots, all bub-
bling and stcaming, ready 10 cook the
vegetables for dinner There was a
tin baker" before the fire, and in that
lay the turkey in a pan, slowly brown
ing. and smelling $, good, we little girls
thought
Father and mother had gone to
meeting to hear the Thanksgiving ser
mon, and Aunt Ann was busy setting
the table in the keeping room"
Lou and I stood by the tire till our
checks grew too red and hot to bear it
any longer, and then we ran of to
play. There was tall chest Of
drawers in the keeping room, and in IL
was one little square drawer which
had lost its brass handle This had a
fascination for us because it was hard
70 open. and because it held odds and
ends After several trials we got IT
open. and rummagcd among the but
tons and spools and things, till we
came across a wooden ball, carved
with a jack knife, and inside it a
second ball partly done.
"Oh, how pretty" | cried. MAY |
have it, Aunt ANN"
She looked at the ball and shook her
heal
Put it back. Maidie." she said.
-Your grandmother thinks all the
world Of that. Giles tegan it before
he went to sea.
could remember my Uncle Giles. a
tall. strong boy Of seventeen when he
went TO sea That was more than
two years before, and they had not
heard from him for year. knew
grandmother felt anxious about him,
and that tears came into her eyes when
he was mentioned, hut ! was a
thoughtless child, and had not taken it
to heart myself.
when he comes home he can make
another" | said.
I'D put it right back, Maidie," said
Aunt Ann, as she turned away to get
out the best spoons.
But thought l would play with It
n little while first, and ! kept it in my
hand when we shut the drawer.
Then Lou and | went up garret to
end the kittens. There they were.
little heaps of fur. asleep in the dusty
sunshine. We reused them up for a
frolic, and made them beg and hold
out their paws. Then we wanted
something they could roll about, and !
put the little carved wooden ball down
on the floor, only meaning to leave it
there a minute till Lou got a spool out
Of her pocket.
But the kittens were so full Of play
they sprang at it as quick as fash,
and rolled It along the floor towards
the board partition. ran after them.
and caught them both, but l could not
find the ball
'1t's gone through that hole in the
boards" said Lou, when we had search.
81 behind boxes and barrels in vain.
Lets go around and get it," l re-
piled.
The board partition separated th'
great dark space which was nearly al
Oecupied by thc chimney. built Of hugs
rough stones. whose foundation rest
cd on the solid earth. far below, but
which, though lessening in size to