The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-25

What do you ask me forF' the girl asked
with a toss Of her head as she hounced Qua
of the room. And then coming in again
she said, "If any Of you had had spark Of
sense you wouldn't have let him 60"
"Wot has we uns ter do with it" Nate
asked with an offended air.
"You had enough. How do you know
but what the Indians may have waylaid
himP'
oval, Hat. ef yer goin' ter lay tn blame
on us, an Of yer say SO we'll start of now
am look arter i'm"
"rhis is high time to make such pro-
position"
Pete stood in the doorway during this
spst between Nate and Hattie, and broad
grin spread over his face.
"Nebber mind, Marse Nate" the darby
exclaimed. yves got de coon. and OATS
jest 90 good as turkey any day In de week"
Pete was driven back into the kitchen by
Hattie and the miners were left alone to
discuss the probability Of Mike Field having
met with some accident. They had never
known the judge TO fail yet in anything
that he had undertaken, and even up to l
O'Clock they ssill had hopes that Field would
turn up. Nate looked out of the window
and, seeing how the storm was raging, ex-
claimed:
"Thar's no chance for the ledge now."
"Whas's that, Mater Hattie asked, as
she came into the room with large bunch
Of eysrgreens which had been gathered and
which she hung up in the center OF the
room.
81 sed thss tn jedge won't come ter
time" Nate answered.
What do you want TO bet," the girl said,
looking down from the box on which she
was standing.
"Ipl bet yer twenty ounces o. gold sgin a
kiss that he don't an we make our Christ
mas dinner off coon instead o. turkey"
"Pll 60 you" Hattie exclaimed. as she
jumped down of the box.
The girl was In exuberant spirits, and
when the other miners offered DO mako the
same bet with her she accepted every one Of
! them and made them put up the dust then
and there In the hands OF her father, who
| took particular pains 20 see that the weight
was correct. All Of the Snsgtownites con-
sidered 1t huge joke, and that Hattie was
| to pay the forfeit after the dinner.
Two o'clock was the hour set at which the
feast was to commence. When that time
arrived the miners we're as hungry as bears
and were anxious for the signal to be given
for them to take their places As the hands
OF the clock pointed to the hour of 3 o'clock
Hattie stepped out Of the kitchen and ex-
claimed:
Boys. stand up and make two lines. with
an alley In the CENTER"
The miners obeyed with alacrity, wonder
ing what Hattie could be up to and imagin-
ing that she had found some luck.
"Staud there now," she said as she re-
viewed the line and then darted back into
the kitchen, soon appearing with big
fowl In her hands. "Forwa-d march,"
Then, with head erect and holding alofs
tho fowl, she marched down between the
rows, She was followed by Pete, who
carried a steaminR hot coon on a large
dish; then came Billings with a roasted
haunoh Of venison. and then a sight pre-
sented itself to the Snngtownites that made
them stare with open-mouthed amazement.
There, in the doorway. stood Mike Field
holding up dish on which was one of the
largest turkeys they thought they had ever
seen. When did he comet How did he
get therel Where did be get the birds 1t
was decorated, too, with cranberries. Were
they dreaming or awakea
boys, here's the turkeys and the cram
berries too,n Mike Field exclaimed as he
walked across the room and placed the tur-
key at the head Of the table.
AS the miners crowded to their places
they did not notice that man dressed in
broadcloth had followed the judge into the
room, and they were still more astonished
when Field gave him seat by his side and
said.
"a friend Of mine, boys"
The man bowed aud took the seat The
turkey was carved and every ones dish was
hsaped up with the good things Never had
the boys had such feast before and they