The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-11-26


neither looked hopelessly on. "And
we must polish up our bits of silver
and put the best foot foremost but
it will be ridiculous Thanksgiving
dinner. after al"
Mr.. Bernard Barclay was bach
ellor, wellt and good-looking,
Florella admitted, who occupied the
second.story front-room in Mrs. Loyds
house, and took his meals at restau-
rant, as Mrs. Lloyd only kept "room-
ers"-that is, she let lodgings only,
without board.
Mr.. Barclay had frequently bowed
to Mrs. Spikenard, as they met in the
halls or on the stairway, and had even
exchanged few words with Florella,
on the front steps; and once he had
brought her homo from the street-car
under his umbrella, during heavy
rain.
But what Uould he think of them
for inviting him to a Thanksgiving
dinner ?-and such a dinner, too!
Florella lay awake half the night.
puzzling her head over this problem.
The sun shone out on a clear, frosty
Thanksgiving Day, the next morning,
and Florella and her mother were
bustling about, putting the little
rooms in holiday order, when shutting
steps came up the stairway, thump-
ing knock sounded on the door, and
shock headed boy asked:
"Mrs. Spikenard live here?"
Eyes, said the widow, wonderingly.
"That's my name."
"This here's fur you, then. Nothin'
to pay"
And having deposited well filled
.market-basket on the table, the boy
shuffled away, leaving the widow and
her daughter staring at each other
| with aStOnlSnmenC.
ats mistaken cried Florella.
But no, there was card, with Mrs.
| Spikenard's name and number, care
fully attached to the basket; and hay
ing made sure it was meant for them,
Florella fell at once to riiing it of its
contents.
IA twenty-pound turkey, do be-
lieve! Just look, ma! and half
pumpkin! A paper of sugar. Eggs
two dozen of 'em at least-and sweet
potatoes. Half dozen lemons; now
l can make some lemon-pies And
raisins, and currants, and citron, and
ginger. What else, l wonder? This
is sage, for the dressing, and here's a
bucket of something-oysters! And
paper Of cranberries s-and that's all.
/ But who could have sent them?'
I FIorella and her mother stared
blankly at each other, while Jack
helped himself to currants and raisins,
unrebuked.
eff 'twa'n't fur the oysters an lem
ons, I sh'd think twas sister Sary sent
'em," said Mrs. Spikenard, at last"
"It's a God-send to us, anyway,
wherever it came FROM" declared Flo
i rella. "And I'm going to get dinner
right away. And now we can ask old
Mr.. Barber, too, after all.
|: The twenty-pound turkey was soon
sputtering in the oven, and the aro-
matte odor of lemons and spice filled
the little kitchen and floated out
through the hallway, penetrating even
to Bachelor Barclays very door.
The dinner was success. The oys-
ter soup, roast turkey, the sweet pota-
toes.stlls lemon and pumpkin pies and
). lcranberry sauce were cooked to perfec-
tlon. and Mr.. Barclay could not help
contrasting his lonely dinners at the
restaurant, with this cozy meal; with
kind hearted Mrs. Spikenard presiding
. Eoverthe coffee-urn, and pretty, violet
eyed Florella busy helping every one
but herself
Old Mr.. Barber. too, with his digni-
t.fed, old-school manners, was no de-
traction to the merry party around the
Widespread board. And when it was
all over, and Bachelor Barclay had
I gone to smoke cigar in the solitude
of his own room, he mentally decided,
l'ras the blue wreaths curled over head
that "it was not good for man to be
alone"
In fact. before many moons had
come and gone, pretty Florella Spiken-
ard had resigned her situation as
"saleslady," and assumed the more re-
sponsible position of housewife, with
! the matronly title of MrJ. Bernard
:: Barclay.
And not until then, did Mr.. Barclay
confess that he had sent the basket
: which had SO puzzled Florella and hel
. mother.
u, overheard your conversation
when you discovered jacks blunder,'
: he confessed, s'and, of course, on learn
:. ing the circumstances. thought il
:. was only my duty to help you out o.
;. the dilemma"
:. And Florella only laughed at he
husbands explanation, and declared
i she had suspected him all along.
0 But a load was lifted from Mrs
Spikenard's mind, for. according to he
own confession, "she couldn't skeerse
: ley sleep O nights, fur wonderin,
S where on 'arth that basket com
. | ILL.,, UI.t.,ox, nI.xJ.