The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-11-28
Jacks Thanksgiving.


"'w at is Thanksgiving anyway
81 don't Justly know" answered
Jack, "but it's some rigmarole the big
TO ks have long bout this time of the
year always. never paid much atten.
that's something l never had much to
do with. l would be powerful thank
full, though, for one good square meal,
wouldn't you, Nudge? wouldn't be in
the least particular what part of the
year it was, either"
Yes answered Nudge plaintively,
"though don't 'spose Pm so terribly
hungry as you be; but l do feel sort of
holler all the time; do you 'spose we
will always?"
"No," responded Jack, vehemently,
"you jest wait till l get little bigger,
and I'll earn enough to fill you up any
way. / shan't mind so much then bout
myself, cause | shall have other things
to think alb out. Maybe we will have
Thanksgiving ourselves then"
oh Jack! but will it be long,
long time before you are bigger enough
for that?' queried Mi 1ge, her thin face
full of patient usefulness.
"Oh, no." answered Jack. "I'm a.
growing every day. I'll hurry up as
fast as can, and now | must run down
street and deliver my papers,"
Now" said Jack deci'ively to him
self as he hurried off, something's got
to be done. I'm not going to have that
child grow up and not know nothing
about the established customs of society.
I'll just inquire into matters little,
and see if | can't make out to get up a
sort of Thanksgiving dinner. Maybe
we can indulge in all the extrys, but
law! 'twouldn't be best TO launch GU,
too big after living on cold potatoes and
'mouldy crustsl"
Accordingly Jack volunteered some
inquiries of one of the boys that day
81 say" he said to Will Temple
"what do you expect to have for grut
Thanksgiving Day?"
Will looked at Jack in surprise for a
minute.
"Oh, you needn't tell 'nless you've
mind to-" said Jack. 'Tisn't any
thing particular, only our folks haven
been in the habit of observing the day
bu. this year thought p'r'aps W.
would, and l wanted to know what wal
the proper thing to have"
"Oh, that's it, is it?" answered Will
"Well, we have turkey, of course, veg
etables, mashed potatoes, squash, tur
nips, onions, cranberry sauce, celery
chicken pie, mince, apple
p" Do hold on" gasped Jack. d" Yo'
don't mean to say you have all thos
things to o1ct?"
"Why, yes; Thanksgiving Day WI
always have them; everybody does,
guess"
WELL" thought Jack dscons olately
as he walked off, 81 might as wei
hang up my fiddle first as last.
should think they would burst sure
There amt no manner of use in hav
ing so much. might git what could
We might institoot programme of GU
own. Nudge would never know if i
wasn't just what everybody else had
and if she gets filled up once, she won
care, l reckon. Yes, sir, I'll do it,"
So Jack went to work forthwith t.
plan his bill of fare, and also-wha
was perhaps more to the point-to kee
a sharp lookout for all chances to d
whatever he could TO earn little some
thing.
There were only four of them
home-J ack himself, johanna the ole
est sister, girl of fifteen in the mil
little Midge, and the father. But ther
were days and days when they did M
see hi n, and many when they lived i
fear of their own lives from his drunke
violence. Jack took Johanna into b
confidence.
We won't tell Midge," he sail
"we'll surprise her, and then if an,
thing happens she won't be disa
pointed"
"Poor boy He knew only too we
that did his father surmlse what VIZ
going on, he would confscate ever
hard-earned penny for drink.
I" Wen have tripe, guess. 1t
cheap, YOU know, and I'll get a b
piece aud some potatoes; then if pc
sibly eau, We will have some cranbe
ries same as the big folks; and ! HOY
can get mince pie from the baker
That will be putty fair dinner, won
it?' asked Jack anxiously.
81 just guess it will" answerC
Johanna, and if father don't take &
my money, I'll get something too"
S the work went on. Twice JAG