Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1899-12-06


ratus! And you're eating white bread
as If wheat wasn't worth SO bushel
and salt-salt with every nouthful.
though 1t costs $50 barrel
I'VE all work hard enough, fnther, to
get our board" said Betsy. 'and IL
your heart was not full of foolish an
ger you would be glad to see us eat
ing"
"Sllcnccw he commanded in voice
that made them all trenble. for he was
true Scotch father, ANA his word was
law, Then. feeling ashamed of him
eclf, he set them the example of being
client
For slipper the irritating Betsy cook
ed potato cakes, Gideon's favorte dish,
and as they Drowned in the oven pan
before thc'fre the smell of them made
him pace up and down the room like
mndmnn. Betsy and her sisters were
truly sorry for him. but lie was bring
ing 1t all on hiiusull, and their sympu-
thics We're not as deep as they might
have been. They ate tneir potato cakes
and cold ham without undue ostentn-
tion, however for they really feared
their fathers temper. When they had
finished their supper. they stole away
to bed and Gideon did the same.
1t wns In vain that he tried to take
his mind from the having in his
stomach, aud his sleep was broken by
wild dreams, for n starving man will
see visions, be he fool or a mahatna
At first he dreamed over the wild voy-
ngc OF 40 days that brought him from
Scotland to the Wilderness. The waves
We're tossing about hnn YEARLY, and
then camr the terrible news that chol
era had broken out among the passen
gers. Horror piled upon horror until
at last Il huge ship bore down upon
them, cut their schooner in two and
impaled Gideon through the stomach
with its bowsprit He awakened with
scream that brought his daughters to
his side, but he sternly babe them re-
turn to bed After this be slept from
sheer exhaustion and did not waien
again until the ham was being fried
for breakfast. The savory odor of 1t
was Il hundredfod more maddening
than on the previous morning. lie
stuffed the coverlet IN his mouth to
keep himself from groanlng aloud and
medltated on his wish against Phelan.
BY mis- time he was beginning to doubt
his ability to think OF anything savage
enough to do the wretch justice.
In the early morning Tiger Dunlops
servant appeared with huge basket.
ely master sent me-" he said, ITO tell
you that he has just learned that today
is the day appointed for Thanksgiving
by the governor and that he Is coming
to dinner and Will bring few friends
to see MI Mcpherson. and he wants
you to have this cooked for him.
SO saying he laid on the. table a
dressed sucking pig. with Q. laal of dry
bread bundle of onions aAeAnch OF
sage, little roll of fresh butter and a
peck of apples.
What a sucking pig 1t was! Its little
back was so broad you could have pour
ed cup of water In the hollow of it
without spilling drop. but it was by
no means all fat. When Betsy had adj
mired the peerless sucking and her
father had dllated on the honor that
was being done to them by the Tiger
and his friends in coming to have their
Thanksgiving dinner with him. the
other two girls were called from the
feld to help prepare for the visitors
The compliment implied 10y the dinner
diverted Gideon's mind from his re-
lentless hunger and Kept him from no
ticng too painfully the hurried lunch
that was taken by his daughters.
But his peace was short lived, Betsy
crumbled the loaf of dry bread. peeled
and chopped the onions powdered the
sage leaves. and then with the fresh