The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1884-12-25
A. Thanksgiving Party.

which had become ghabtiy from re-
peated scrubbings.
The brass knobs on the dresser
and even the pendulum Of the loud
ticking old clock shone like bur
.nished gold, rejecting the beams Of
freight which brlghted the dnsky
room.
The tea kettle sang merrlly, and
Aunt Esther passed to and fro,
preparing the evening meal, and
watching for the return of her hus-
band from the woodlot.
A little girl stood by the western
window, trying to read by the fast
fading light. Her delicate, long,
shining scurls and dainty apparel
formed a bright contrast to the
plain room.
what are you looking for in the
almanac, my child? You'll injure
your eyes
as.g am trying to find when
THANKSGIVING is; but can't see any
longer
'sYou'll'be more apt to find it in
the last paper, Lucy; bat can tell
you; it is a week from next Thurs-
day"
SOh, goodyl So soon? Wen
have one of those big turkeys, and
jolly time, won't weY'
"Pm afraid not, dear; what put
that INTO your little head2'
"Why, auntie, you told me when
first came that those turkeys
were for Thanksgiving. I've
thought of it ever since.a
ooh, yes, did tell you so, Lucy,
but l neant that we raise them to
sell for Thanksgiving We have
not kept the day since we we're mar
ried; your uncle doesn't care for
such things. / missed it sadly at
first, for we always kept the holt
days when was a girl at home,
but I've got used to it now, after all
these years"
81 don't think could" ventured
the child, looking solemnly
through the twilight at the turkeys,
comfortably settled for night on the
bare limbs Of an old apple tree.
"Well, don't shed any tears yet,
Lucy; if you can get Uncle Jerry to
consent, I'll do my part. Better not
speak of it till after supper she
added in a whisper, as che heard
her husbands footsteps at the door.
So, with what patience she could
command, Lucy waited till the sup
per was cleared away, and they
gathered around the cracking
wood fire, Aunt Esther with her
knitting and Uncle Jerry with his
paper.
Lucy was his only sisters child.
She was spending several months
with him, while her parents travel
ed IN the south, hoping to benefit
her mothers health. Two brothers
and one sister were at college, and
we're to spend their Christmas holt
days at the farm house This was
the first time Lucy had been 80
long from home, and occasionally
she suffered from home sickness;
and now, with the fear that the
loved holiday was to be sighted, an
attack of that dread malady was
certainly imminent. She felt her
courage ebblng away, and hopeless
" sat still, looking straight into
the fire, till all the curling, wriJhing
flames melted into one broad sheet
of bright mistiness, and then
there were two big tears on her
rosy cheeks.
Uncle Jerry, who, underneath his
hard exterior, had really kind
heart, was watching her over his
paper, ana saw the tears, tho sly,
quick brush of two little white
hands, and brave effort to keep
back a sob which WAS struggling to
escape. "Homesick - he thought;
'and no wonder, with two dull old
folks ike u.s." and for a msment he
wanted to take her in his arms and
soothe her as her own father would;
but he had so long repressed al
tender ways, that he could not man
ifest his sympathy. But something
must be done. Rising abruptly, he
took a pan from the dresser and
started for the cellar, saying: "Es-
ther, hold the light for me, l want
some O. them fall apples; they won't
keep long"
By the time share of the fruit
had disappeared, Lucy had regain
ed her good spirits, and, with new
courage, exclaimed: "Uncle Jerry,
can't we have Thanksgiving this
year? I'd like to-
Nonsense, child. What would
it amount to?"
"Why, we'd have Jelly time.
We always do at home
Yes; big dinner one day and |
the doctor the next"
ct never made me sick-never in
the world"
sBut what's the good anyhow"
Mama thinks it's good, and she's
always right. Just last year papa
thought we'd better not have a din
her, for mamma wasn't strong, and /
we're so disappointed-I was, any
mamma put her arms
around Ime and said: Well all
lelg and do the best we can, for we
mustn't miss keeping a holiday.
When my boys and girls have left
Tome and gone out into the world,
want them to have the happy re-
nembrsnce of happy childhood
md a pleasant home to help them
lveF the hard places they viii find.
t will make them better men and |
romen, I'm sure; so order the tur-
icy, papa i remember it all, I'm
lie Jerry, cause l thought mamma
Tould cry, her voice trembled so, end
believe should havs cried my
elf if she hadn't SAID turkey"
"She never had many good times
. remember" said Uncle Jerry,
linking of their hard, orphaned
fe.