River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-11-19
THANH iSGIXTNG
(ZfTJSH 4
ByN.AM.R@e

81 don't see any sense in this everlast-
ing hustle to get something extra to
eat on Thanksgiving Day. I'd jest as
soon have mush and milk as the best
dinner you could get up"
Miranda Wilson had heard that same
or similar remark every year, as long
as she could remember She was
brought up in New England, where the
day was kept as religiously as Sunday,
and she expected always to keep it that
way, and brought up her four children to
expect the regulation dinner of turkey
and plum pudding, vegetables and mince
pie After Jonas Wilson had said his
say about the utter uselessness and ex-
pense of it all, he was ready to sit down
at the loaded table and eat as much as
anybody.
The three remaining children-there
were four, but one' lay in the little in
closure just over the hill-grew up, and
one after another went away from home.
They had never yet failed to return for
Thanksgiving; but this year it was to be
different. Mercy's baby was so feeble
she dared not take it so far in the bleak
weather which was to be expected in No
vember. Laura's husband went to the
Philippines to teach, and Laura went
with him. Harry was buyer for a great
city firm, and he was sent west at this
season, and there was no chance of his
returning in time for the great festival.
The day before Thanksgiving Jonas ap-
peared, and made the usual announce
ment: 81 s'pose you've got ter hev' er
stir-up to-day, same's usual. do think
it's plum nonsense. Seems S if folks lived
ter eat, an not ct ter live. Hasty-puddin'
Is jest as film an er good deal cheaper.
I'm goin down ter git them corn husks
Peters said l could hev fer beddin' eff I'd
come after EN-"
1--WE alwuz KEEP Thanksgivin', an
alwuz expect to-" was the concise reply
to his words
He drove away with visions of turkey
brown and luscious, its skin cracked and
crisp, the white meat falling soft and
clear under the slashes of his big carv-
ing knife, the gravy thick, potatoes and
other vegetables done to a turn, and the
turnips mashed, without lump, onions
tender and fragrant, with specks OF but
ter here and thereof, that would be a
great dinner! Miranda was a fine
cook.
oval, got ready for Thanksgivin'?"
eyes, I'm ready. l hope it'll be er
good day"
Land, guess twill. don't see how
folks ken eat ser much; folks thinks too
much er their stomjackets. Fer my
part, I'd like some good rye mush. I'd
be mighty thankful; amt had none fer
ser long can't remember how it tastes"
'Tain't much of er Thanksgivin' din
ner such as we used ter hev when the
Children come home l guess Mercy'd
think twas pretty slim. l dom know
what Harry'd say if he couldn't hev er
whole mince pie; and Laura, she'd eat
half er punkin pie fer lunch. They amt
comm this year, but eff | carn't hev the
folks, all the more reason why should
her er dinner"
Nonsense! Plum nonsense" was the
growl from the other side of the table.
Thanksgiving Day was pleasant. The
sun rose clear. The ground was hard
and without snow. No wind, but tight,
hard atmosphere that made ears and
nose Jingle. A beautiful November day
when one might give thanks for life,
if for nothing else.
Jonas always did the same amount
of work on this day as on any other,
in spite of Miranda's vigorous protests.
So this morning he drove off to the
Peters farm to get the other load of
husks. Miranda watched him go. She
made her bed, cleared up the room,
filled the two lamps, feeling all the
time lonesome and unhappy without
the thought of the children coming
to dinner. She looked into the pan
try, wishing she could see a half-pie
which Laura had cut, but the shelves
were bare. There was a quarter of an
apple pie left from last Saturdays bak-
ing. There we're three doughnuts in the
stone jar-she would have made fresh
ones if Harry had been coming to eat his
dozen.
Noon drew near. She stopped sew
eral times to fix the fire and fuss with
something cooking on the stove. She
watched the clock, and by and by she
arranged the table for two-oh, how she
wished it was to be full table; how
gladly would she have added the extra
leaves. and brought out the long pat
tern linen cloth Harry had given her
last Christmas. When all was ar
ranged to her liking, she did most up-
usual thing for Thanksgiving day. She
put on ner cloak and bonnet, drew on
some mittens, and, locking the door
behind her, started up the long hillroad
that led to the Herman farm. Evidently
she was expected, for one child
opened the outside door, another flew
to tell mother, one took her things, and
a fourth pulled up a chair for her to
sit in. and all talked at once.
tits most ready!"
'.Oh, it is so good and little Jennie
smaeked her lips and baby Tim echoed:
"Stho dood.'
Mrs Herman came hurrying in, and
wiped her eyes with her apron as she
exclaimed: "Oh, Mrs Wilson, how can
/ ever thank you? | never thought
anything so good could happen to this