News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1901-11-27

good long spell to hang. They're heaps
better so than they be to fly into the
over An then tomorrow you can git
Silas an go AFTER your load of wood.
Mebby you can git two"
As John Blake drove his lumber wag-
on along the road the next morning on
his way to the wood lot he noticed that
an INDECENT atmosphere seemed to per-
wade the few farmhouses which he
passed, but it only impressed him as
a rather early sign of the coming holi-
day.
lie found Silas Day cutting irewood
at his door, looking somewhat surpris-
ed at his appearance and more so at
the request to go to the woods.
''Why, yes, l s'pose l can go an help
you a SPELL" he answered, "arter l cut
Phebe a speck more wood. She'll want
considerable today"
Eyes, gettin' ready so for Thanks
givin.' Betsy is, too; busy as a bee
in a tar barrel"
Presently they were jolting over the
rough byroad, too much shaken for
comfortable conversation until they
came to a halt in the quiet Of the bare
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.
We'll, | had a lot of things to tend
to an couldn't get roun' to it. | s'pose
| might ha' waited till arter Thanks
giyin', but thought l might as well git
it afore."
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 a log and,
going to his coat, drew a package from
a pocket.
Il always did relish victuals in the
woods, an so l fetched along some
bread an meat. Let's set down an take
a bite"
"Well, l 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 to do when eating out of doors.
A company of chickadees were busy
gathering their slender fare on a low
branch before him, and on a higher
one a red squirrel began rasping a but
ternut.
"Eatin' their Thanksgivin' 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 alwaysY Silas
asked, glazing 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 l 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 l.. Now, quit
your nonsense an let's hurry up, for l
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 l come away, an the
children's all goln' to be there, an l
want to be on hand to rights"
Johns face grew blank. His eyes
stared. unspeing, into space.
GOOD gracious, Peter! If Betsy an
me hain't done it," Then, springing to
his feet: Hurry up! l should say! Most
noon Th~anksgivin' 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 cam of that plaguey ole wash
b'iler springin' a 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
SiIas hung on for dear life, as ~disioint-
ed pleas and protests were 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
all 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 on! 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?"
mo; there haln't nobody sick, an 1
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 a rlvet," said the deacon,
still restraining his impatient neighbor.
"I'U lend Won q turkey all roasted and