The Delta independent., 1888-11-27

other about their children and servants
and clothes, much as married. aun0 10
still; and there were the uncles, looking
little as II they wished the dinner would
hurry. And, last of all, there was one
little table-for we children always had .
table to ourselves-with set OF small
pies on it And sometimes sat at tho
heAd, If Kate were not there, for she was
older than 1; but Quent always sat at the
foot, being always there and the oldest Of
us all. What fun we had; and how hard
1t was to say what we would have to eat,
for we could not eat everything. And by
this time the table was loaded with tur-
key, and roast ducks, and chicken pie,
and celery sauce, and gravies, besides all
the cold meats; and I knew mothers
beautiful dark eyes kept good watch over
her little daughters plate, for fear OF
next days headache. for even then had
headache. The other little girls had
fathers to see to them; but our father was
always gone away. How nice 1t
was to cut the pies just like grown-up
woman! And how our small tongues ran
as we played at being grown up! We
know now that it isn't play to be men and
men; some of us have done being that
even. Lou shut her blue eyes long ago
and laid her fair hair down to sleep far
away in the west. Kate's bright dark
beauty, ''her cheeks like roses and her
eyes like aloes," las old people used to
say)-they are gone, too, and great river
sings to her rest Charley lies by the
Gulf of Mexico; and those of us who still
live are scattered from shore to shore
long, wide miles lie between us; and BE-
tween some rolls a deeper ocean than
there will be Thanksgiving In heaven
and m earth hOth
But Mamma Is getting too sober for
you, Polly. What makes me cry?"
Why, little girl, don't you think grown
Thanksgiving Day, for after dinner We
felt horribly dull. We hal all eaten too
much. to tell the truth; and 1t was cold
outdoors and getting dark by this time. A
few Of the courageous went out to the
barn, and got into the ark, as we called
the old family coach, that we never had
seen used In our lives. There we jumped,
and squealed, and laughed, and played to
60 to ride; but l never liked 1t much.
There was musty smell Of old cushions
and dried up leather, besides the stable
smells: and there were cobwebs and dust,
and oh, horrors! was afraid, mice! But
by and by came tea-time. don't think
we ever ate anything, only drank our milk
and water and longed for the table to be
cleared; for then we all had games-very
quiet ones, to be sure, so the old people
could help us Twenty questions" or
"What is my thought like?' or we capped
verses, or Grandfather told us about
"Little RObby and old Bose the dog, :"
and sung, ':Did you ever, ever. ever see .
man eat whaleP'
Then the dear Aunt Katy, who was al
was ready to make us children happy
would perform her one astonishing Jug
gler's trick-eating bit Of lighted candle.
How we stared, never finding out for years
that the candle was cut out Of an apple
and had bit of walnut-meat for
wick. Then she melted sugar in the real
candle and dropped 1t on white paper for
us. She played the game Of human life
on q queer old parchment sheet with IL
lustrated stopping places for our counters.
l always wondered why the complainant
man had to begin the game all over again.
don't think he does always. Then she
would repeat poetry to us-the Battle Of
Ivry" or the '.Bullfght Of Gazul"-till my
blood used to grow cold and give me shiv-
ers Of excitement And then came the
order for bed. 1t was dreadful to 60 70
bed, to feel that Thanksgiving was over,
that . whole year, with winter and lessons
and headaches and various small misories.
lay before us. But all things come to an
end at last-not only Thanksgiving, but
my story, Polly. Aren't you glad?