The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-11-28
"Oh" said Annie..Evangeline, in an

awestruck tone. She had seen the
blue china in the cabinet but never
had been allowed to touch it before.
Now she walked back and forth
across the room very slowly and put
down each piece as if she we're afraid
that it would blow away. "They
won't have any blue china at home,"
she said softly.
Miss Betsey looked up; even her
gentle pride was touched. 81 guess
they WON'T" she said. There isn't
any like it in the village"
"Oh yes'm," answered Annie Evan
geline, quickly, II know-I didn't
mean thatW
They arranged the table with the
greatest care, putting Miss Betsey's
scarlet geranium in the center and
leaf of the sweet-scented plantat each
plate. When it was finished they
looked at it with satisfaction.
"Now the things to eat" said Annie
Evangeline, brightly.
Miss Betsey looked sober. "There's
only bread and cookies and dried
breef," she said. She was not child
after all, and she lost her way in the
border-land of fancy. But Annie
Evangeline shook her head.
ooh, that won't do at ALL Miss
Betsey, may l have piece of paper
and pencil? think l can fix it, if
you will tell me what you used to
have"
Miss Betsey brought out piece of
wrapping paper and bit of pencil
and sat down opposite the child; she
quite forgot herself as her memory
went back to the old days, and talked
so fast that Annie Evangeline's pa
tient little fingers had hard work to
keep up. At last the paper was full
and Annie Evangeline drew sigh of
relief.
"Now come into the pantry, Miss
Betsey," she said, "and I'll show you
what mean"
Miss Betsey and Annie Evangeline
had just set on the dessert. Miss
Betsey looked like happy child at
her end of the table, but Annie Evan
geline's round face was little sober
in spite of herself. They were going
to have mince and pumpkin pies at
home and she hadn't tasted a mince
pie for years. She felt as if she could
have endured all the rest if only they
would save a piece of pie for her.
She tried to listen to what Miss Bet
sey was saying about old Judge
Midway, but her thoughts would
wander and she was almost relieved
when laundering knock at the door
startled them.
"Mercy me! what's that?" ex-
claimed Miss Betsey.
IN go and see," said Annie Evan
geline.
She ran to the front door and
Miss Betsey followed timidly. Look
ing over the child's head from the
end of the hall, she could see no one,
but Annie Evangeline had stopped
down with little cry of delight and
was bending over something on the
steps. "Oh, Miss Betsey, come herep'
she cried.
Miss Betsey hurried to her. There
was big basket, the top filled with
flowers, upon which lay card with
loving memories of happy Thanks
giving days at the old Msdway
Place." They lifted the basket and
carried it into the house, and than
Annie Evangeline took out the con-
tents. Miss Betsey was too nervous
to lift a dish, her old cheeks were
flushed to a soft pink and her eyes
were shining. at must have beer
the Atkinses, my DEAR" she said
"Such a delicate attention! Or the
Wilson's; they used to come here in
the old days. 1t isn't charity, you
see. l never could have taken that
it says it is in the memory of the ole
times"
"Yes'm," said Annie Evangeline
Her face was hidden, but her voice
was as happy as birds in the
spring-time. She touched one of the
plates lovingly; she could not un
derstand it at all, but she would
have known that plate anywhere.
They sat down and had theil
Thanksgiving dinner, both of them
flushed and excited Miss Betsey
chartered happily of the old times
but to Annie Evangeline the empty
chairs were filed by more familiar
presences. They ate very slowly anG
we're as ceremonious as possible t.
prolong the delight of it. but wher
the dinner was finally over and the
dishes washed and put away and she