The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-11-28

IN haste. But the Captain was in no
hurry. He counted carefully, examin-
ing every piece, holding it to the light
as though he could see through it, and
in the meanwhile growing very red in
the face from suppressed laughter,
while Miss Budd glared at him, and
seemed to be ready to- spring upon him.
All this gave the Captain SO much
pleasure that he asked Miss Budd if ii
would be convenient to pay him once a
month. She made no reply, but
snatched her receipt and went out like
a rocket.
On the first of the month. Miss
Budd appeared with a receipt in these
words: Cynthia Budd to M. Silas
Enormously called Captain), DR.. y
The Captain remarked that, as he was
short of money, it would be an accom-
mediation if she would pay every
week. The next receipt came in these
scorching words: "Cynthia Budd ode
ceived) to NJ. Silas (short of money,
miscalled Captain, mean, stingy, and
otherwise despicable) Dr." Thus the
battle went on, the space between
Cynthia Budd and "Debtor y
growing wider with every receipt, and
filled with greater variety of epithets
and imaginary characteristics Of the
Captain, until the week before Thanks
giving (this was last Year, the receipt
was worded after this manner: 'Cyn-
thia Budd Indignant and basely de-
ceiyeO to Monster Silas Claims to be
Captain, and ordered the spanke1
boom hauled in and the center board
reefed, as they did on his ship amid the
raging pillows, always short of money
every weeks supposed to lose at
cards and to be ON the way to the aims
house-smokes dirty pipe, pugh!-
disreputable every way; awful
mean, sti-n-gy old thing. UghD
Dr."
The grocer, baker and butcher man
recognized the state of siege, and gov
erned themselves by it. It is said that
if one, or all of them, had a package
for each side of the double house, he
went in on one side, deposited the
bundle and then came out for the other,
not crossing the hall chalk line, and
keeping the bundles as far apart as
possible. But all this unpleasantness
came to a pleasant termination by
means of Thanksgiving turkey, as
the conclusion of this true and vera
cious tale shows.
Miss Budd was supported and kept in
the flesh by a legacy, but it was so slen-
der that it allowed her only the neces-
sites of life. At anniversary times,
such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and
New Years, some of her better-to-do
friends left at her door fat turkey,
goose or plump brace Of chickens. This
was not a regular custom on the part
OF her friends, but it happened so often
that she always waited until the last
minute before feast days, hoping that
the generosity OF friend would save
her the trouble of going to market with
her scant purse. What was Cynthia
delight late on the afternoon of the day
before Thanksgiving to note the arrival
OF rumbling wagon at the front door,
and directly afterward package was
placed on her table in her chalked hall
Removing it into her kitchen, she found
it contained large turkey, yellow and
rich from accumulated fairness. When
Miss Budd had no outside offerings, she
dined alone; but on this occasion, as on
others similar, she invited her intimate
and similarly conditioned friend Miss
Sparks. Therefore she put on her
shawl and bonnet and hurried away to
inform Miss Sparks and to bring her
back with her to share in the labors of
preparation. By twelve o'clock that
night, after seven hours deliberation
and discussion, they came to a decis-
ion in regard to the manner of cooking,
basting and serving.
The Captain had made preparations
for full Thanksgiving dinner. He or
dered a underground turkey on Wednes-
day morning, and then went away to
Boston, telling his housekeeper that he
had urgent business and that he should
return by the noon train on Thursday,
with friend whom he had invited to
dine with him. The Captains house
keeper was a widow, with a ''disposi-
ton like a cross-cut saw" and a uni
versal suffrager, who had driven her
husband into an early grave, which was
the first quiet place he found after his
marriage day. If no wood was brought
into the kitchen, there was no fire. If
the Captain neglected to white shay
ings to start the morning fire, there was
no breakfast, as he found out on several
occasions. She would slave for no man,
she said, and the Captain was heard to
remark that she would starve before
she would help herself. She was ''pow-
erful strong" in meeting of suffrage
cranks, and could stick more pins into
a defenseless man when his back was
turned, than any other debater.
Therefore, as the time wore on, Thurs
day morning, and no turkey came fo1
the entertainment of the Captains appe-
tite at noon, she was not troubled in
the least She sat by the fire in an easy
chair, quietly knitting, with an air Of
Indifference that said I'm not a-goin'
to race aroun' fer a turkey; eff he wants
a dinner he must get it; l can't cook
what | haven't got. He'll hev ter go to
the hotel; it'll save me a heap of trou-
bic, " and adopting this solution of the
no dinner problem, prepared no pud-
ding, and did nothing but rock and knit
in her easy-going chair. About one
o'clock she was very much surprised to
receive visit from Miss Budd, whom
the housekeeper held IN adherence as
an "abiect critter." Miss Budd was
pale, tremulous, and had been in tears,
evidently.
1.-The truth is, Mrs. Gaff," said Miss
Budd, ''a great blunder has been made.
The regular butcher boy went away to
Thanksgiving dinner and hired
another boy to work in his stead. A
turkey was left on my table last night
and supposed it was for me, and the
boy has just been in to tell me that he
made mistake and the turkey was for
Captain Slas. Now" continued Miss
Budd, ''the turkey is nearly done, and
when the Captain comes will bring ii
in"
"Lor, sakes," exclaimed Mrs. Calf,
who appeared to be very much disap-
pointed that turkey had been discov-
cred, 81 hain't no puddin' nor nothin'
cooked, cause as there want no turkey,
| didn't cook nothin'. Why didn't he
find it out soonerP 1t will give me a