Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-25

nd Ebcnczcr Green could see what was
,oing on in tho room as well as il he had
been one Of the busy people in 1t.
Busy they were, for tho table was spread
With q clean white cloth, and the father
With a troop Of excited children to help,
vas at that instant engaged in the thrill
ng occupation of taking up the children's
Inner The mother, pale, thin and sweet
heed, was evidently the guest of honor
insconced in TIE one comfortable chair,
With cushion at her back and watching
he proceedings with q charming smile,
lalf amused, half melancholy.
The eldest boy, q tall lad of 10, who did
he chores mt the market, filed the glasses
With water fresh drawn from tho well.
rwo glcefUi little girls danced in with
fishes Of potato and turnip, and brace
f chubby youngsters in much patched
rouscrs trottcd after with the bread and
utter, proud to assist in the serving of
uch feast.
And last OF all the father appeared in
he doorway cnvcloped in big white
prom, to bo greeted by an uproarious
hout of delight. For he bore on a platter
oh, me, such Il tiny platter!-the crown
ng splendor CT the day, the turkey, done
0 u turn and smelling more delicious
han ever Il turkey smelled before, as the.
Thole family unanimously agreed. There
vas gravy, tco, in Il funny china pot with
large handle, and who brought that in,
ceiling the Importance of the occasion to
10 utmost but the baby, toddling along
5 gravcly rs judge, deep anxiety in her
,luc eyes. And cider! A whole quart in
he big white pitoher-extravagancc
5hich could only be justified by the rccol-
oction that il was Christmas day.
And now tho father laid aside the apron.
'ho cook vanished; the head of the house
ppearod. He led tho pale mother tenderly
the table, and tho children followed,
RANGING to their places around tho largo
!bla, which nobody thought bare or
oo:l' sot forth. There came a pause for
moMunt--tho li.tio heads, brown, black
ud nayCn, were bent silently over the
l1tos while the father asked a blessing
nd thanked God for his goodness in keep
Ag them al together and giving them SO
aany comforts. And then he took up the
uyi&C l.uif2 as Ec gazcd anxiously at
le t,r.lcy. The rcyCl was about TO begin.
Eh2ra2ar Green turned away. with a
9Th. The bell had sounded in his own
ming room, aAd standing on the thresh
III OF tic apartment he bent "a fixed stare
,pcn the table, whore there were flowers
nd silvCc and cut glass, and on tho sido
able, smoking hot and Drowned till he
rGcklcd al over, doomed Up tho mighty
outlines of the prize turkey. For one mani
All ut onCn the oddcst idea popped into
.ha head Of that ono man. If he had stop
)cd TO think about IL, nothing would have
happened, and the prize turkey never
would havo played a part in story. But,
or once in his life, tho old man acted
lpJn the spar Of tho moment. He hurried
nut into the hail, put on his coat and hat,
opcnee the door, slipped back into the
dining; rCoin and took up the platter from
the table
Oh, but that was monstrous birdl
Thirty poundsS Fifty! Old Ebenezer fair
ly staggered under its weight as he eau
:iously picked his way over tho ice and
snow toward the cottage door, and he
couldn't even spare n hand to knock.
The toe of his boot managed to make u
good, smart rapping, however-a sound
SO unwonted that the father ran hastily
out, with tho children trooping in his
train.
Good day." gasped the visitor, quite
out Of breath after his herculcan efforts.
Good day, and wish you merry Christ
masl You don't know me- but I'm your
next door neighbor, Ebenezer Green. I've
got the prize turkey, but want you to
help me eat it, for I'm very lonely over
there all by myself. Can 1 come in!''
Come inf Well, the father saw in q
trice how it was, and he opened wide to
let in the turkey and its bearer, not to
speak of rush of crisp, chill air. The
spirit of good will stirred in his heart,
and forgetting the disparity of wealth and
poverty between them he felt only warm
throb of sympathy for tho solitary old
man. The mother stepped forward, kind
ly gentle in simple courtesy which
would have become palace.