Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1884-11-17
A TARDY THANKSGIVING.

ls'p0se you air g0ln' down TO Han
nah's to spend Thansgivin', Bis Muzzy27'
The old lady who asked the question
was seated in Mrs Muzzy's best hair
cloth rocking chair, which had been
brought for the occasion OFT of the par
lor. She had a mild. tiny-featured old
| face, wore false front of auburn hair,
and black lace cap decorated with pur-
pie ribbons, and was knitting putting
new heels into some blue yarn stockings
The answer she got to her quest on,
delivered in her prim, purring company
tone, made her jump nervously:
mo; / amt goin' step-not if
know what Pm about
The words shot ont of Mrs. Mnzzy's
mouth as if each one had had charge
of powder in the rear, and the speaker
went on jerking the stout thread vicious
~ through the seam she was sewing.
She was squarely built woman, com
pactly fleshy. There was a bright red
color on each of hcr firm round checks;
there was vague line in her whole face
her mouth opened and notwithstanding
~ and fairly; and she looked out of her
small brown eyes directly, with no CIR
camiocution.
'Mebbe you air goin' up to your
brother Andrews, then9" ventured the
old lady fcebly
No, Mis- Field, amt a-goin' to
Andrews. nuther. ! ain't a-goin' no.
where's. =
But. purred the old lady, ssain't You
afeard you'll be awful lonesome9 Lor'.
don't know what should do eff it warn't
for Serrah an her Children on Thanks
givin'-day. To be sure, you amt got
any children an grandchildren TO 90 to,
but thar's your sister Hannah an hers,
an Andrew an his, an it kinder seems
as if brothers an sisters come ncxt.n
Thar ain t no use taIkin', said Mrs.
Muzzy, in q loud. clear. cut voice. 81
amt a-goin' to Hannah to Thanksgivin',
an amt a-goin' to Andrews to Thanks
givin', an | amt goin' to hev any
Thanksgivin' to hum. amt got nothin'
to give thanks fur, as | see on. s'pose
eff | could go to meetin' Thanksgivin'
mornin', an hear the sermon, an then
set down to turkey and plum-puddin',
an be a-thankin' the Lord in my heart
for lettin my husband fall off the scat
fold in the barn an git killed last sum-
mer, an for lettin' my daughter Char
lotte die of q quick consumption last
spring, an my son John two year ago
this fall, might keep Thanksgivin' as
well as other folks. But can't, an / /
amt a-goin' to purtend / do. Thar's one
thing about it, amt a hypocrite, an
never was"
What air you a-goin' to do. Mis-
MuzzyT
Dor Mrs. Muzzy shifted. ssDo! I'm
a-goin' to stay to hum, an'-do nv pig |
work.
The old lady's small-featured counte-
nance. from its very mechanism, was in |
capable Of expressing any strong emo !
ton, but it took on now q look of gentle |
horror She dropped her knitting work.
and her dim blue eyes seemed to take up
the whole of her spectacles.
''Lor sakes, Mis- Muzzy2 Pig-work |
on Thanksgivin' day never heerd any
thing like it,
II don't keer. The g-work has got |
to be done, an might jest as well do it |
Fhanksgiyin' day Is any other. / feel
enough sight more like it than eatin'
turkey an plum puddin', with all I've
been through
"Ain't you a-goin' to meeting"
tho. -
: Lor' sakesg"
The old lady fell 70 knitting again in
a mild daze. Mrs. Muzzy would have |
been too much for her in her best days; I
now she almost reduced her to lunacy. |
Still, this old lady, who was q neighbor. /
living about quarter of mile distant,
felt for her the attraction which weak (
natures often feel for the strong. She
was very fond OF dropping IN of an after 1