The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-12-23

decorating the house to seasoning the
food. When you get the next fow
ready, Mary Jane, you may call me ant
l will instruct you how TO stuff it with
oysters and season it with something
more modern than sage or thyme OF
summer savory."
Modern? My goodness" repeated
Mary Jane Titus to herself as she sped
along the narrow slippery snow path
with thin, faded Highland shawl over
her hood. Il wonder what fashion
won't turn up in next. Sam said last
night they were going to have a new
cupola on the big barn, because this one
was ont of fashion, and now sage has
gone out! If my memory serves me
right, oysters were made before sage,
or somewhere along about the same
time. Well, I'm thankful that such
things don't trouble me. and I'm glad l
stuffed the old gobbler with sage, as
glad as can be, for Mrs. Heath. dear.
good soul, will get him by the means.
and when the box is packed l will slip
in little note of my own, and tell her
just how it came about"
Mrs. Heath. who with her husband and
her children lived in narrow, tucked
up fiat in the city, had SO many knick-
knacl1s to buy for the little ones, that
they might not be disappointed in their
gifts. that she couldn't afford turkey
! for Christmas, and decided cheerfully
to tide over the day as well as she could
with q plain roast of meat and pud-
| ding. The parents were trying to lay
| by something for their children's school
| ing, but any small lack in the din
ner should not spoil the festival for
them.
christmas in Massachusetts, wasn't
made much of when was small" she
explained to the children as she went
on with her simple preparations. "And
| now | believe more in the Christmas
spirit all the year round than l do in
the hurrah of one days special observ-
ance. To my mind the best thing about
the day now is that at Christmas, SEN
sitive, poor, proud people can receive
things they really need without feeling
hurt. To be sure l have never been re-
membered much in that way. Thank
real want. even if we have few luxu-
ries, and we have no relatives left on
the earth to think of us at holiday time
Ii was different when ! was young and
lived at the dear old roomy homestead
in the country. But Thanksgiving was
then the day of days" and the good
mother gave the children, who were
greatly interested, detailed descrip-
ton of the observance of that festival at
the old home.
30 what flocks of fowls we saw there
last summer said the oldest little girl.
''How fine it would be, mamma, should
they remember to send one of them to
you, and it would never be missed
among so many"
They have a great many things to
think of, - replied Mrs. Heath, land so
did my grandmother, for that matter,
but she always thought of those who
had less than she had herself, and in
vited her guests accordingly. Iremem-
Der, as if it We're only yesterday, how
she used to stuff the turkey two or
three days beforehand and set it away
in cool place SO that it should be
thoroughly seasoned through"
Just then Mother Heath was broken
off from her pleasant retrospection by
an eXpressman, who set n large covered
basket into the neat room, saying with
as pleasant smile as if the gift had
been from himself: ''All charges paid!''
with Cousin Jarvis Whitman's COM
pliments," it said on the label, and
when with eager, trembling fingers the
lid was removed there was the plump
est, yellowest turkey Mrs. Heath had
set her patient brown eyes upon for
many day.
Tied to one of the skewered legs was
Z fancy card on which was written:
lowing to the old-fashioned ignor
ance of yours truly, in putting sage in
the dressing!'
On the opposite side under q wreath
of blue forget-me-nots was printed in
gilt letters: MARY Jane Titus"
Mrs. Heath laughed little, and then
she cried a little as she took out the
turkey, finding beneath it bagof cram
berries, ball of golden butter, and all
the chinks filled in with big rosy apples
and plump hickory nuts.
Il don't care" she said, eff it did
come about through mistake of Mary
James. am just as thankful as l can
be to the Lord, and to my cousins, and
to Mary Jane Titus. 1t was the most
wonderful thing it's being brought just
as it was when we were talking about
the old farm. will make the most of
it that can in every way, for it is the
first time in my life that have had a
turkey on Christmas
She did indeed make the most of it.
She showed it to the neighbors, and
told them it came from the very farm
where she grew up, and that the dress
ing was seasoned with sage from her
grandmother's bed of herbs. But Mary |
James card she kept carefully out of
sight.
On Christmas morning she put her
turkey in good season into the oven,
and set her doors and windows open so |
that any passers in the narrow cross |
street might know that one family |
dwelling there was getting up Christ
mas dinner. !