The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1901-11-28
a rather early sign of the coming holl-

at his door, looking somewhat surpris-
ed at his appearance and more so at
the request to go to the woods.
''Why, yes, | s'pose l can go an help
you a SPELL" he answered, "arter l cut
Phebe u speck more wood. She'll want
considerable today"
YES, gettin' ready so for Thanks.
givin' Betsy is, too; busy as bee
in a tar barrel"
Presently they We're jolting over the
rough byroad, too much shaken fol
comfortable conversation until they
came to halt in the quiet of the bare
November woods.
Il 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.
We'll. ! had lot of things to tend
to an couldn't get roun to it. l s'pose
l might ha waited till arter Thanks.
giyin. but thought l might as well git
1t afore.n
Silas stared at him and muttered,
"Runnin' pretty clus to the wind, l
should think"
After they had piled their axes
awhile John stuck his into log and,
going to his coat, drew a package from
a pocket.
Il always did relish ylctuals in the
woods, an so l fetched along some
bread an meat. Let's set down an take
a bite"
oil I q VIC
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 to do when eating out of doors.
A company of chickadees were busy
gathering their slender fare on low
branch before him, and on a higher
one a red squirrel began rasping but
ternut.
"Eatln' their Thanksglyin' dinner"
Silas said nodding at the little ban
queters.
make 'em a 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, glarlng curiously at his COM
panion.
why. Silas, you know they don't
never, 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'leve this want Thanksgivin'
day, sot by the gov'nor an bein' KEEP
by everybody but you an l. Now, quit
your nonsense an let's hurry up, for
want to git home. We haint 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
chldren's all goln' 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 | 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 its 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 We're jolted from
him, all UNDECIDED by the reckless
driver.
Deacon Adams in his Sunday suit,
less the coat, was standing In the midst
of his Sunday dressed household with
ali open letter in his hand and dlsap.
pointnent 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 takn' more'n you'd ought tor
No; there hain't nobody sick an
haln'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 a riyet." said the deacon,
still restraining his impatient neighbor.
9TH lend you n turkey all roasted and
ready to 20 ont the table I'd liyeser'n
not, aud 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
proydcntal 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 1t relieved in spirit
Meanwhile Betsey lad So half the
forenoon leisurcly preparing for the
morrow 5 festivity, glad to he uuembar-