Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-11-26
''Eh, Teddy? Bless me soul. me boy.

what?"
ITO fetch pack O. trarlos on Thanks
giving day to dine with you. I've met
thirteen in the interim sorry its thir-
teen-such an unlucky number; but
since told each one to fetch all the
scarecrows he could scare up along
with him, l wouldn't wonder-hello.
uncle, what's the matter?''
''Noth-nothing Teddy-nothing, me
boy.' The laugh shouldn't be on him,
he'd be bound. What an ass-what q
long-eared. deep-mouthed. braying ass
he had been to give that boy Teddy
land, if Teddy! others. of course. others
who were his arch-enemies and es-
pecial denominations, such a grotesque,
such an absurdly ridiculous hold upon
him!
''Had you forgotten about it. uncle?"
Forgotten? Dye think me min 'ry 8
failin' me? Well have regular faist
turkey enough fer twinty. and oyster
dhrissing to confound the natives! It's
Mai. McCalligan that can taich the be-
nighted world the rale naming of hos
pitality. Faith, it shall be beautiful
shprid!''
And it was. The great oalxen table,
pulled cut to its last joint, with the
company napery covering it's polished
surface, groaned with the burden it
bore. There was no half-heartedness
about Maj. McCalligan; the glitter of
his best silver, the sparkle of his finest
crystal, the glowing hues of the bright
est flowers from his hot house, the
aroma arising from well-coolked viands
all these awaited in due time the
coming of the guests.
By ones and twos and threes they
came-a motley crew-an unkempt, un-
washed lot of hungry men. knocking
at the side door, knocking at the back
door, ringing at the front door-each
and all cordially welcomed by Maj. Nc
Calligan, who stood bowing (foreswear-
ing, however, the shaking of dirty paws
held out to him now and again), and
seeming really to enjoy the revenge he
felt confident Teddy, the rascal. had
thought to take upon him. 1t actually
warmed the good old Irish heart within
him to see the hungry, gaunt-eyed men
put away the delectable provender
with which he had provided them, and
the thought that for one hour at least
these outcasts were appeasing their
seldom-satisfed appetites and were
drinking in, together with their fra
grant Mocha, a glimpse of life among
the lofty and refined, touched his heart
with the warm finger of self-satisfac-
ton, and he beamed benignantly upon
his INDECENT guests.
The clatter Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
knives (Which weapons were favorite
conveyors of food from plate to mouth)
and forks, the loud swoop and t,urgle
caused by the swallowing Of coffee
cooled in saucers, the noisy crunch of
teeth upon rapidly disappearing edi-
bIes, the half inautlible grunts accom-
panying the pointing of an unwashed
digit toward some desired Wand. to-
gether with the majors good-naturedlY
encouraging and voluble chatter. made
a cheerful hour Of it all. At times the
host cast furtive glances toward Teddy,
to mark his chagrin at the turn affairs
had taken, but Teddy, too willy for his
uncle, caught each glance upon a coun-
tenance so expressionless that it bound
ed back and was lost somewhere be-
tween the chicken salad and the cheese.
At last the hungriest man among
them desisted with a sigh-even he
cou Id eat no more. Silently the guests