Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-12-05
UNCLE RICHaRD's DINNER.
A THANKSGIVING STORY.


When Aunt Louisa came into the
room that morning, l could plainly see
that there was something on her mind
the family had very evidently com
missioned her to have something out
with me. / knew it by the uncon'
scious air she tried to assume, and al
once began to review my conduct FOL
the past week. For wonder l could
think of no recent act of mine likely to
call down upon my head the family dis
pleasure, and accordingly awaited
her opening with some interest.
"Well, Dick" she began-Aunt
Louisa can't help patronizing people
and forgive her-''next Thursday is
Thanksgiving Day."
/ couldn't see her drift. so / waited
"Your mother has letter-that Is
Uncle Richard has invited us all out
to his place for dinner"
1 breathed more easily.
"Oh, that's it, is it. Now, Aunt
Louisa, 1 really must ask you not to
brighten me that way again. i thought
from your manner at first that you
had discovered something not tina,
that there is anything to discover, you
know, but then"
Aunt Louisa arose from her chair
and stood in front of me. She had
evidently decided to take the bull by the
horns.
"Oh, come, Dick. Don't let's chaff
You know what want. Will you goT
Il won't"
"O-o-h. Dick"
This in very Disguised voice in.
deed.
"Now, Aunty, don't be unreason.
able. Why should 1? Would you?"
OF course that was very foolish
question. might have known that she
would say yes, and she did.
II would do whatever my family
decided was for the best, and"
every well. The portion of the fam
lily here assembled decides thar fol
one decline the kind invitation
Aunt Louisa looked out of the win
but / don't really think she saw it.
watched the little clock on the mantel
piece and tried to calculate how many
seconds it would be before she would
again begin.
''But. Dick, it's the first time Uncle
Richard has invited us to his house fol-
twenty years"
Il have had a message from hin
once a year"
"You deserve it, Dick. You know
you did put cayenne pepper in his snufl
box"
Twenty years ago. And he has
chosen to send a neat little package
of cayenne pepper on every birthday
since! I'm afraid he'd force it down
my throat at dinner"
But, Dick, he'll never forgive the
family If you dom. t CO.
NO" / assented, "he WON'T
But don't you care? There won
he many more Thanksgivings before h'
dies and then"
Aunt Louisa didn't know what then
But / did.
"And then his brothers wife's sis
ter's children will get his money unles.
we patch this up. Why don't you sa,
it?"
"Dick, you're perfectly shocking.'
None of us have. I'm sure we hav,
all been very fond Of Uncle Richard fol
all his ecentricities."
ooh, he Is eccentric. is he? / hat
imagined that he is a perfect model o.
what an affectionate uncle should be
He never forgets me, am sure"
"Now, Dick, don't be sarcastic. A
such time we should show"
do you mean," / asked, .at Thanks
giving times in general or when on,
Is expecting the death of his mother
uncleT
II mean when the season OF Thanks
giving comes round" Aunt Louis,
looked me full in the eyes. and wa
really impressive in her manner. .
know, Richard" she went on mon
of us are perfect, but at this time
think we ought to try, at least, to b
grateful and forgiving and all that.
really do"
"But, my dear Aunt Louisa, w
nothing to be thankful for None o
my neighbours have been killed"
Richard, do not care to hear sue
affected cynicism-such cheap twad
der and Aunt Louisa glared out of tn
window worse than ever.
"You don't understand, my dea
aunt, and by not understanding, yo
betray, will not say an Ignorance
only an unfamiliarity with the Thanks
giving Day literature of all time.
you will refresh your memory. rs II
sure you can, you will recall the seen
OF the hero In his sumptuously ful
nished apartments, declaring that h
has nothing to be thankful for. an
Just then there Is a loud crash. and I'll
little match girl who has come into I'll
room throws up the blinds and show
all his neighbours killed by a terrif
explosion of gas in the next block. ri
Zero .hen has 80 much reason for graf
tude that he starts out to buy I'll
match girl q new pair of shoes an
brings the story to close by MARI.
lug her and discovering that she Is