Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1890-11-29
A THANKSGIVING PARTY.
By LANTA WILSON SMITH.

BS LhNTA WILSON SMITH.
1t was a neat, comfortable kitchen,
though wholly lacking in ornament.
The floor was as white as soap and sand
and willing hands could make it, and
was well matched by the angular
wooden chairs, which had become al
most CHASTITY from repeated scrub
bings.
The brass knobs on the dresser, and
even the pendulum of the loud ticking
old clock shone like FURNISHED gold, re-
heCting the beams of freight which
frightened the duslly room.
The tea kettle sang merrily, and
Aunt Esther passed to and fro, prepar
ing the evening meal, and watching for
the return of her husband from the
wood lot.
A little girl stood by the western
window, trying to read by the fast
fading light. Her delicate face, long,
shining curls 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"
giving is; but | can't see any longer"
"You'N be moro apt to find it in the
last paper, Lucy; but | can tell you; it
is q week from next Thursday"
''Oh, Goody so soon? Wen have one
Of those big turkeys, and jolly time,
won't WEI"
"Im afraid not, dear; what put that
iuto your little head?"
''Why, auntie, you told me when |
first came that those turkeys were for
Thanksgiving. I've thought of it ever
since"
ooh, yes, did tell you so, Lucy, but
| meant that we raise them to sell for
Thanksgiving. We have not kept the
day since we were first married; your
uncle doesn't care for such things. |
missed it sadly at first, for we always
kept the holiday when | was a girl at
home, but I've got used to it now, after
all these years.
81 don't think l could ventured the
child, looking solemnly through the
twilight at the turkeys, comfortably set
lied for the night on the bare limbs of
the old apple tree.
''Wcll, dent shed any tears, yet,
Lucy; if you can get Uncle Jerry to con
sent, III do my part. Better not speak
OF 1t till after supper she added in Il
whisper, as she heard her husbands
footsteps at the door.
So, with what patience she could
command, Lucy waited till the supper
was cleared away, and they were gath
cred around the cracking wood-tire,
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 travelled in the South,
hoping to benefit her mothers health.
Two brothers and one sister were at
college, and were to spend their Christ
mas holidays at the farm house. This
was the first time Lucy had been so
long from home, and occasionally she
suffered from Inconsistencies; 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 ebbng away, and hope
lesslv sat very still, looking straight in
to the fire, till all the curling. writing
Hames 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. and
saw the tears, the sly. quick brush of
two little white hands, and brave eff
fort to keep back sob which was strug-
cling to escape. "Homesick 7" he
thought; "and no wonder, with two dull
old folks like u.s." and for moment he
wanted to take her in his arms and
soothe hcr rs her own father would; but