The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-11-22

ward on the table. Then Comforts
Comfort had come neXt-and thel
Phillips picture and his Little One :.
He had had the Little ono the longest
but she went, too.
.Afterward he put all the pictures
back again III their row.
1t was late into Thanksgiving morn
ing when he went to bed. Biggs went
a minute or two before-he had just
time.
THANKSGIVING day was clear and brisk
and sun-fiooded. There was joy and
thanksgiving in a thousand, thousand
homes. and i'll the others-God pity the
others,
In Phillip Lattimer'S home there was
a "make-believe'' THANKSGIVING.
Biggs worked steadily and faithfully.
whiStling all the while. He arranged
the beautiful table with neat precision.
He let in the sunshine upon all the
dainty glass and silver, till they dazzled
his redeemed eyes and hurt them. The
flowers came and were arranged as
Mister Phillip liked thcm-roses at her
Plate and little Comforts, and gay.
bright flowers at the Little Un's and
PHILLIPS. At last everything was ready.
"But he amt muttered BiggS. He's
gone out see him goin' a spell ago.
He was stridin' right along. with his
shoulders dreadful high an square. He
never done that before
Biggs went back to the kitchen and
waited. An hour past the time appoint
ed he heard his master coming III. and
"Lordy. lordy, if there amt somebody
with him. There WaS-hark-O, Lord,
little voices, Little voices.
Biggs stole out into the hall and lis
tened with Il startled face. y subdued
chorus of excited little voices reached
hin and one above the others was say
ing admoniShingly, step easy, all o
you-don't you see there's flowers in the
carpet: Step round EN- if you can. like
| do. They won't smash. but it don't
seem right to step on EN-. There, while
the Kind Mans gone upstairs you all
listen to me-Im goin' to talk"
The high Imperative little voice car
ried' easily to Biggs' ~astonished ears.
He heard every one of the slow words.
with pauseS, for emphasis. between
them.
"Listen.-if there's butter-to your
bread. dom none . you-look-sur-
priSed. Spread it on-kind of-indif-
trent, if YOU can. If there's turkey"
turkey" shriekcd all the other little
voices.
"Sh. he'll hear YOU. If-thcr's-tur-
key. eat it slow as if you'd always eat
it since YOU was born. That's ALL"
But W. amt ever eat it, Minervy
Bemis.."
We'll, what if YOU amt ever? Can't
you make b'Iieve:"
The small feet shuffled about noisily.
Then the motherly little voice began
again.
when it's come time. YOU 60 ahead,
Pat>y-thcn you. STONE. then GrisScl.
I'm Goin' clear behind where | can look
at he rest q YOU ev'ry minute. III
take the baby. Sh, the kind mans com
in back"
Then Bi@gS heard Mister Philup's
steps. They came rapidly down the
stairs and joined the little shuffling
steps below. All the steps were turning
toward the dining roonl-O. Lord. Lord.
"BiggS,' called Philip Lattimer's
voice steadily. "Bigg>, Biges. where are
YOU, YOU rascal? Why don't YOU serve
dinner. Stir up, man."
Biggs hurried back into his kitchen
with Il radiant face. The wonder in it
was drowned in JOY.
"Bolero Biggs." he cried eNultantly,
do YOU hear, he's comm round.'
In the great, brilliant dining room,
the strange Thanksgiving dinner began
and proceeded SLOWLY. Philip Lattimer
sat at the head of the table. with the
stamp Of indelible pain upon his face,
but he filled and refilled all the little
plates with Il steady hand and smiled
down, now and then, on the little rank
and file of beaming faces.
The other faces that looked up at
him out of the moist, sweet flowers and
shone dimly in the simmer of suniit
silver and glass were smiling. too-se-
renely, as they had smiled at him out
of the row Of pictures in the night.
That was not make-believe.
ANNIE HAMILTON DONNEII.