Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-11-28

November woods.
81 don't hardly see how you come to
put off gittin' your wood till today"
said Silas, looking up through the net
ted branches at the climbing sun.
"Well, l had a lot of things to tend
to an couldn't get roun' to it. l s'pose
1 might ha' waited till arter Thanks
giyin', but thought might as well git
it afore."
Silas stared at him and muttered,
"Runnin' pretty clus to the wind, I
should think"
After they had piled their axes
awhile John stuck his into a log and,
going to his coat, drew package from
pocket.
81 always did relish victuals in the
woods, an SO I fetched along some
bread an meat. Let's set down an take
| a bite"
"Well, can most always eat" Silas
assented as he took his allotted share
| and sat down beside his companion,
munching the bread and meat and let
ting his eyes rove about as people are
| apt " 0O w 1CA COliuS OQL VI oOOAos
A company Of chickadees were busy
| gathering their slender fare on low
branch before him, and on a higher
one red squirrel began rasping but
| ternut.
''Eatin' their Thanksgiyin' dinner"
Silas said, nodding at the little BAN
| queters.
'Make 'em tolerable long meal If
| they keep it up till tomorrow arter-
noon. Hush! What be they ringin'
the meetin' house bell for?" John asked
| excitedly as the mellow tones of a
church bell were waited to their ears.
"Why, don't they always? Silas
asked, glaring curiously at his COM
panion.
"Why, Silas, you know they don't
nc YER, only Sundays an fast days an
Thanksgivin', except funerals, an there
amt nobody dead, not as know Of"
''Look a-here, John blake" said ST.
las, "be you crazy or be you foolin'
You act all the time as if you was
maxim b'lieve this want Thanksgivin'
day, sot by the gov'nor an bein' KEEP
by everybody but you an 1. Now, quit
your nonsense an let's hurry up, for
want to git home. We hain't got no tur-
key, but Phebe had three as neat chick
ems as ever you see all ready to go into
the oven when come away, an the
children's all goin' to be there, an
want to be on hand to rights"
Johns face grew blank. His eyes
| stared, unseeing, into space.
"Good gracious, Peter! If Betsy an
me hain't done it!' Then, springing to
his feet: "Hurry up! should say! Most
noon Thanksgivin' day, Betsy's father
| an mother an sister a-comin' an the
turkey a-hangin' up in the cellar, if
she's KEEP a-dreamin' as long as l have.
1t all came of that plaguey ole wash
b'iler springin' leak Monday, SO she
couldn't wash till Tuesday, an we
counted from that. Never mind the tar
nal wood. Onhitch the hoses an let's
| scoot."
| Five minutes later the team was tear
ing down the road, the bounding wagon
sending far and wide it's laundering
echoes that brought forth alarmed in
| mates from many a farmstead, while
| Silas hung on for dear life, as disjoint-
ed pleas and protests were jolted from
him, all unheeded by the reckless
| driver.
Deacon Adams in his Sunday suit,
less the coat, was standing in the midst
of his Sunday dressed household with
an open letter in his hand and disap-
| pointment on his face that was repeat
ed in various degrees in the faces of his
family. Hearing the unwonted din, the
! deacon rushed forth to ascertain the
| cause.
"Stop, stop! Hold onr' he cried, run
ming out into the road, and John, impa-
tient of delay, drew rein.
"What on this livin' airth, John, is
| the matter? Is somebody sick or have
you bin takin' more'n you'd ought to?"
'No; there hain't nobody sick, an
hain't bin a-drinkin'," said John, and
he rapidly set forth the awkward situa-
| ton.
'You wait a minute, and I'll fix you
| up right as rivet," said the deacon,
still restraining his impatient neighbor.
"Pll lend you turkey all roasted and
ready to go ont the table. I'd liveser'n
not, and so would Mis- Adams. You see,
we invited my brother Try and all his
folks, and we'd got two rousin' big tur-
keys int the oven and half roasted,
| when there come letter from 'em say
in how Iry'd up and broke his leg, and
| they wouldn't none of 'em come.
| don't want to be eatin' cold turkey for
| week after Thanksgivin', and it's
| providential at yourn missed fire."
Suitable provision was made for the
safe transportation of the hot turkey
| the short distance, and John Blake
went his way with it relieved in spirit
| Meanwhile Betsey had spent half the
forenoon leisurely preparing for the
morrow's festivity, glad to be unembar-
rassed by the presence of men folks
and uninterrupted by any visitors until
| a timid rap called her to the door, and
she opened it to Silas Days little
| daughter
| "Why, Mandy, is this you? Is there
anything the matter to your houseY
Betsey asked in evident surprise.
mo, ma'am; yes, ma'am, I mean,
some NATTER" Mandy stammered. "The
cat got int the buttry an eat up a
whole punkin pie, all but the crust, an
ma wants to know If you can't lend
her one, cause there ANT enough left
to go round"
"a punkin pie? Come in an set
down. Why, hain't got none baked.
Want goin' to till this AFTERNOON.
Your ma can have one tomorrow, an
s'pose that's what she wants it for"
Mandy stared at her, round eyed and
open mouthed. mo. ma'am, she wants
it today"
"Well, she can't have 1t Of me afore
night. How comes it you hain't to
school%