The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-12-25


snow. boys" she said as the process
sion started, each boy with a huge
pumpkin pie triangle in one hand and
rosy apple in the other, dinner will
be ready in an hour or two and wewant
you to have good appetites."
well be there" sang out the cap
tain. briefly, leading the way back to
the field.
II am sorry all the boys can't stay to
dinner" said Miss Hunt. "Doyou sup
pose there would be enough for alp"
Il am afraid not" said Mrs. Race,
surveying the contents of pots, kettles
and pans. / am sorry, too, for they
are having such good time together"
It'll run down and see if Mrs. Lake
has anything to spare. Perhaps we
can arrange for all to stay" said Mrs
Brown. Now don't object, Julia.
There are six little Lakes out in your
pasture field and their mother will be
delighted to help"
"Of course she WILL" said Mrs. Lake
at the door. "Nellie told me what is
going on down here, and / came right
away to offer my services, for of course
my boys are out there with the rest.
| I'll be back in few minutes with my
contribution"
THE dinin'-room only holds twelve"
announced Mary Finnegan, redfaced
from struggle with the table.
Lets set one table in the sitting
room," said Julia, forgetting that she
had intended to lock up her parlor and
sitting-room.
When dinner was finally ready, not a
boy was in the pasture field. The bats
| were thrown aside, the catcher's mask
| dangled from the fence, and the barn
roof reserved seats for spectators were
empty. Far away faint shouts an
nounced that lively chase was going
on. Miss Hunt was in despair but II OF
SO the mothers.
They have seen 4 rabbit or a squir-
REL" said Mrs. Lake, calmly, as she
rang the big old dinner bell that had
been silent for twenty years. MY
! dear Julia, if you had ever lived in the
same house with six youngsters, you
L
Mrs. Brown filling tub with warm
water. She knows what condition
| their hands and faces will be i'm
The squirrel hunt was abandoned at
| the first sound of the bell. and across
| the fields streamed the visitors and
besides all the well boys that the vii
lage boastedl Nearly every one of the
dozen houses in the group was repre-
sented in the motley crowd of dirty
urchins. Under the direction of Mrs
Brown, the whole party was soon
scented with soap and scrubbed to
that lady's satisfaction. They could
scarcely restrain themselves under her
rigid inspection, for near at hand
stretched the long tables loaded with
all sorts of delicious things foreign to
the city waits. Country boys take
good food as a matter of course, but
three hours of baseball and chasing
the nimble squirrel had made every
body ravenous.
''Golly," said Lame Jimmie, taking in
the turkey, chicken, bread, vegetables,
jellies, pickles, cake. pie, and fruit with
which the long table was filled. 81
wisht every day was New Years.
How they all enjoyed that dinner!
Miss Hunt buttered bread till her
| fingers ached. Mrs. Brown ladled out
| quarts of gravy. Mary collected a
| peck of bones to make room near the
| loaded plates for her dishes of apple
sauce and peaches, while the other
women, who had been joined by two
more mothers, sliced ham, and
| answered calls for more turkey and
everything else on the bill of fare.
"If you ladies will come to the game
we'll give you the best reserved seats, -
said the captain of the city nine, when
plate of delicious plum pudding was
| placed before him. AS the best re-
served seats were on the roof of Miss
Hunts cow barn, the ladies declined
with thanks.
"We are very much Obliged" said
Miss Hunt, "but the dishes must be
washed and preparations made for
supper"
Does we git supper, too?" asked a
bootblack, having down a piece of
frosted cake with a sigh. Use been
eatin' enough fer supper now"
"Corse we does" said another.
"Dese ladies is de real ting"
"And to think" said Miss Hunt to
herself as the train pulled out and the
echo of the cheers her guests had just
| given for her was still singing in her
ears. Il was afraid to have the poor
| little souls come into my house. They
said it was the happiest day they ever
spent, and I'm ashamed of my selfish
| ness. They behaved like gentlemen
every one of them, and would not
have injured a thing in the house. When
they come back next Fourth of July
I'll give them picnic that is worthy
of the name, and do it without calling
on all the neighbors for help, too
/ Ohio Farmer.