The Grit-advocate., 1905-11-03

I L mates of the Morrisville
the common sitting-rOom, where the
men and women We're allowed to gath
err when they were not eating or sleep
ing. About all the unfOrtunaies in the
alh.shouse had to do was to eat and
sleep; a few worked about the institu-
ticn or in the garden. The convention
opened rather unexpectedly, when
Sarah Tooker remarked:
"What dye s'pose well have for
Thanksgivin'?"
All the others turned and looked at
her, for Sarah was the latest arrival.
and consequently new to the .cgula-
tons governing the Norrisvile poor
house.
do they feed MS OH turkey or chick
en:' she continued. '.I'm Il little mite
fOnGer of turkey myself, but l s'pose
can eat chicken on a pinch
"Ho! ho" laughed Rodney Eckert.
"Ho. no" and his two remaining teeth
ratified together like corn in Il parch-
ing-pan. Turkey! Chicken. Land
love We. Sarah Tooker, If it ain't roast
beef it'll be lamb stew, and if it amt
lamb stew it'll be roast neef, an ye
can take your choice. know. I've
been here nigh onto fourteen year now
Most likely it'll be lamb stew. call
to mind how we had roast beef last
year"
Eight other old men and ten other
rII lad I,nt h,, Il -,
assent. They also knew. from more
or less long experience, what the
Thanksgiving dinner would be. 1t was
only slightly different from the usual
meals of soup, bread and tea. served
regularly at the poorhouse. Only Sarah
hoped for change. The others
thought little about it.
Lamb stew" said Sarah. plaintively
"Why, the idea! Thanksgiving. too!
Well, all I've got tc say is, that it amt
what I'm used to, not by good deal.
don't see why we can't have chick
ell potpie," she finished. with little
sigh.
Don't let Zeke .Jedell hear ye," eau
toned Bud Tunkert ".As long as he's
been superintendent of this poorhousc.
he can't abide TO have any one find
fault with the eatin' Not that we
need to, most times; but since ye
brought up the Thanksgivin' subject.
st kinder runs in my head. Turkey:
All! UNI"
MY, oh, my! Thanksgivin'. an lamb
stew" repeated Sarah. st doesn't
seem reasonable. Before l had to
come here 1 was used to big turkey
for dinner-a big. fat, brown turkey"
IF ye'd just leave off mentioning
such things I'd be obliged TO ye," said
Tod Elkum, with little quaver in his
voice. He awoke from the doze he
had been in. at makes a body feel
hungry" he went on. especially
when the feastin' tines so near. If
it's all the same, We might mentiOn
somethin' about bein' shipwrecked on
desert island, with nothin' to eat but
boot-legs an seaweed. That'Il give
cluded.
A silence concluded, while each one
of the twenty inmates of the poor
house was busy with his Or her own
sad thoughts.
Sarah TOoker wagged her head de-
iectedly. 1t was new experience for
her, for she had been in good circum-
stances until failing fortunes and the
death of all her relatives had obliged
her to seek refuge in that place dread
ed BY all the aged.
"It does seem Il pity we can't cele-
brate for once" unused Tod Elkum, as
he walked out into the yard. 81 would
relish a nice, brown slice of turkey.
with plenty of gravy an lots of dress
in. And I wouldn't mind some cram
Aerry sauce. too. But I s'pose th'
Selectmen amt got money to waste
on such irills."
Out on the pleasant country road a
great red automobile rushed by. rails
ing a cloud of dust. The State turn
pike passed through Morrisvile.
"Ill bet those folks amt worryin'
about where their turkey is comm
FROM" went on Tod. well. we can't
all be rich, and maybe it's a good
thing"
He strolled toward the road. walk
ing slowly, for his limbs were feeble
from age. He enjoyed the crisp air
Of November and the genial sun. which
tempered the rather cool afternoon.
There was the delightful smell of aut
umn, coming from the brown earth.
and the dried leaves ratified as he trod
on them.
He reached the road and turned
toward the village. The dust from
the automobile was still flying laZily
in the sunlight. A little way ahead
Tod saw a figure. 1t was that of n
man. and he was shaking his staff at
something in the distance. When Tod
came nearer he recognized Hank
Wright, the town marshal.
whats the trouble?' asked Tod.
"Somebody tryin' to run over ye:'
3bnr, ,,ncI,r o,,tr,,nJ,;to. 81