Connecticut western news., 1897-11-25
MISS MATTIE'S GUEST

It was growing dark when Miss Mattie with her basket on her arm, came into the corner market to buy her Thanksgiving dinner The basket was absurdly small, but Miss Mattie was little herself and stood blinking in the bright light the calf's head at her elbow seemed to be grin ming at them both.
 Well. Miss Mattie," called out the marketman in his hearty fashion, "I see your mind is not set on a turkey this time but just wait till start this basket of for Cap'n Lawson's and I'll show. you the right thing-a plump little duck clapped into the safe this morning, thinking to myself that's the very moral of 0 treat for Miss Mattie.
 Miss Mattie looked embarrassed and rubbed her forefnger uneasily over a small coin that lay in the palm of her hand under her glove. It was a silver 5 cent piece, and she had taken t with much hesitation from 0 little store of pieces. most Of them given her when she was a child For herself she could have got along very well with bread and tea, but somehow it seemed @ dishonor to all her happy past not to have something spe- cial on Thanksgiving, and so she had de- cided to spend this precious bit She had a feeling of real pity for 1t, lying there warm and snug in her palm. and so soon to go tumbling into the heap of clashing Iingling coins tossed about by the butchers greasy fingers or perhaps into the pocket of that horrible apron with blood stains on it. Miss Mattie shuddered. but quick ly recovered herself to say cheerfully:
 Oh thank you, MT Simmons, but don you think ducks are sight of trou- bie what with the stuffing and the roast ing and needing to be looked after and pasted regularS l made up my mind to something simple, and don't know any thing that's easier got or more relishing than lamb chops Two lamb chops is about what l thought of, Mir Simmons You know there's only me. D
 Mir Simmons had not seen the cent piece, but he understood just as well as if he had. and he began to cut the chops at once. talking all the time to relieve his Dwns embarrassment and assuring Miss Mattie that If folks only knew 1t there was nothing like lamb chops to encourage your appetite and strengthen you up all over ''
 But you'll have to take three chops," looking curiously at the money Miss Mat tie laid in his big hand, "or shall have to make change. and change is scarcer than hens teeth tonight You might nave company unexpected, you know, and m extry chop would come in handy"
 Miss Mattie laughed so genially that the marketman ventured to slip sweetbread and bunch of yellow celery into the basket on the sly He would have loved to put In the duck, but that would have looked as if he suspected her reason for not buying 1t, and, bless you. he knew better than that Some people have feel hands coarse and greasy
 Miss Mattie went very happily down the street She had lighted her lamp be- lore she went out, and cheerful little ray smiled encouragingly at her as she came to the gate An the other windows in the weatherbeaten old house were black and empty and looked to the lonesome little woman as if all sorts of hobgoblins might pe peeping out at her from the gloom be- l nind them, for Miss Matties neighbors had gone away on a Thanksgiving visit md taken the whole family At least they aid the whole family" but at the very | .Ionent Miss Mattie came to the gate a hiember of the family was huddled up in Il corner of the doorway. cold, hungry and much perpleSed to understand what had ,ccome of all his friends and why, in spite | Il his pitiful plea. no one came to open l ne door for him He heard Miss Matte nd ran hopefully to meet her, limping as q came, for he had stiff leg
 Why. Tommy Barnes, said Miss Mat | le. stooping to pat his rough yellow head you don mean to say your folks have gone of to Thanksgiving and left you be. lndY We'll if l ever' How dreadful houghtless-and you cripple besidesp Tommy kept on crying, but he had his ye on the door while Miss Mattie was fit l ing her key. and the minute it opened he | larted in
 That's right. Tommy, said Miss Mat
 lie. just make yourself at home You md I'll have our Thanksgiving together
 That extra chop will be wanted after all
 md m going to make rig biscuits. ' She put away her bonnet and shawl and
 ung the basket on a nail In the back
 n"m without even looking at the con tents, though Tommy Barnes watched hel
 keenly with a shrewd suspicion of some | thing good, and faint hope which nothing
 in his past experience justified that h,
 might come in for a share of 1t Mis-
 Mattie was accustomed to being alone
 and she scarcely thought of Tommy, a
 she trotted about setting the sponge fo her biscuits in pint bowl putting lit tie cup of broth on the stove to warm fo
 her supper, making her tea, toasting he bread and at last sitting down by the ta
 ble in the little green chair with patch work cushion Up to this point Tomm, had sat quietly by the fire, having learne, by many severe lessons that little folk
 should be seen and not heard, but whel
 Miss Mattie poured out the savory brotl
 the delicious odor was too much for hi
 fortitude and with one bound he sprani into her lAp.