The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-23
Thanksgiving without Mother.

NATE Epson ClofK
Thanksgiving without Mother.
Jay Allison. in Youths Companion.
II must go, children. I'm sorry to leave you
to get dinner alone but sister is SICK and it can
be helped. She needs me most. I'm very sorry
papa didn't get home"
MAY we have a pie mother-a whole mince
pie-for our dinnerP
Eyes, certainly. mince pie and pumpkin
pie, too. But eat your turkey and potatoes
first Keep the oven as hot as it is now, and the
turkey will be done at o'clock. Thicken the
gravy in the pan. You know how do that,
don't you2 You'll have to give up having any
pudding. don't believe you could make 1t II
stopped to tell you how. And can't do that.
There's my train coming now. Be as happy and
as thankful as you can. Goodbye"
Goodbye! Goodbye! Goodyear called the
little girls, running after her to the top of the
hill. From there they could see the cars stop at
the station, and their mother getting in, and, as
little Neil said, shear em sniff" as they started
again
When she was really gone they ran back to the
house to see to things. Mamie and Serena felt
rather doleful at the idea of Thanksgiving Day
without mother They lounged on the sofa and
lamented But little Nellie got the broom and
began to sweep the kitchen
''Tum, dirls," said She bravely and cheerily,
don't be lazy to til l dess we tan dit Fanks-
dlvin' dinner if we tryi"
Nellie was backward about talking but she
was wise little maid for all that Mamie and
Serena laughed, and reused themselves.
II believe can make pFum-pudding Come;
Serena let's try Mother won't care. It's only
just to roll a lot of crackers, and stir EN- into
milk, with sweetening and spice azd-saleratus
Ieuess. You roll the crackers and I'll pick over
the raisins"
81 must beat up some eggs too, said Serena,
Mother puts in eggs, l knowI"
$50 she does. Put plenty of sugar init We
like it sweet"
Il Will" ana Serena scooped the sugar in with
liberal hands
'sHow much saleratus?" she asked. 1T don't
know. / guess about a teaspoonful," said Nan
ME. So the teaspoonful of saleratus went in.
The plums were ready now. They were liberal
with those, you may be sure
There! believe it's all ready. A little nut
meg on top. SOP
1T won't go in the oven," said Mamie, in dis
may, having carefully borne the brinming dish
to the stove. ''What's to be done, nowp
''1t1l go upon the CRATE, l guess" suggested
Serena. They put the CRATE in place and found
1t would go on it.
I'VE ought to get the potatoes next, Isuppose"
said Serena
20, hate getting potatoes. want to play a
little while now" said Mamie. Lets go out in
the barn and have game of hide-ands seek"
But we must take care of the turkey and the
pudding"
''We'l stuff the stove full Of wood and then
it'Il keep right on cooking" said Mamie
Serena thought that would do. So they filed
There is something about ''hide-and-seek,"
and some other games, that makes two hours
seem only as long as one, so the children staid
out longer than they thought.
When they came in the fire was ont
80 dear! our turkey! There isn't spark of
fire!n
'1ss done anyhow" said Serena, who was at
the oven door
$50 'ts!n said Mamie, joyfully. But the
puddings burned all todeath! 18eok at itw And
she drew it forward
1t was black enough on the top
Perhaps It'll be all right under that black
crust. Wecan take that of, suggested Serena
81 must build up Che fire again TO boil the po-
tatoes and thieken the gravy" But when the
fire WIS built, and the turkey was taken from
the oven there was no gravyt0 thicken. 1t had
all dried away.
81 don't care for potatoes if can't have any
gravy. Lets not wait for them. I'm awfully
hungry"
Nellie was'there with her little basket of pota-
toes all ready, for she had gone directly to the
cellar for them when they came in.
Mother said eat potatoes and turkey first"
she pleaded Nellie was conscientious. and al
ways obeyed her mother to the very letter if she
could
'.She wouldn't care, if she knew how it is, I
guess. I'm half starved ] can't wait" said
Mamie And she put the turkey ina platter
and carried it to the table,
But Nellie tugged out the little pot and put it
on the stove, and washed some potatoes, and put
them into it, and waited.
Mamie and Serena ate a wing apiece, and o
slice off the breast. But somehow the turkey
didn't taste half so good as usual. 1t seemed
dry.
II don't want any more. Lets try the pud-
ding"
SO they cut away the hard black crust and
underneath it was soft and full of plums II
guess it's all right" said Serena. But when she
tasted, she made wry face.
''Whats the matterl And why does it look so
queer and greenish, l wonderF
''Pshaww said Mamie, 'It must be good,
put in sugar and plpms enough, Pm sure"
''Well, taste it" said Serena.
Mamie tasted. She made a wry face, too
~ don't know what ails it. Pm sure! guess
the saleratus was too strong, tea spoonful is
too much. But we can pick out the plums"
So they picked plums from out the pudding,
and ate pie for dessert
They were all done before Nellie had her pota-
toes ready to eat But she was rewarded for
footstep was heard on the piazza, and glad,
hearty voice saying:
'eWel little girls Father did get home to
eat THANKSGIVING dinner with you after ALL"
How glad they were to see him. And he was
very hungry and couldn't have enjoyed his din
ner half so much without the potatoes. And he
looked into the dripping pan. and said the gravy
wasn't spoiled. II only needed some hot water
to make it all right So he and Nellie ate to-
gether and had a very nice dinner
with blessing to it." as Nellie remarked
Mamie and Serena sat at the table, and tried
to mako believe that they were eating too But
though they shared the blessing, and were
thankful, too, l hope they couldn't possibly
manage to dispose of second Thanksgiving
dinner
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