The Florida agriculturist., 1907-12-04

except that the little g1rnSn II1neS Sne
had scattered about, had all disappear
ed.
She opened the closet door and
looked within. Several garments she
had left there still hung on the hooks,
undisturbed She hung her hat and
coat up beside them, then went to the
dressing table and smoothed her brown
hair, which the brisk November wind
had somewhat ruff1ed.
Next she went into the kitchen,
where a savory smell from the shut-up
stove told her that something good
was slowly cooking in the oven.
"a fat turkey, I'll bet!' said she, as
she stopped and opened the oven door.
Sure enough, splendid fellow lay in
the pan, just beginning to assume the
gO1den-brOWn hue which was so desir-
able.
"Needs a bit of basting, right now,'
said Betty, "where's the spoon?" She
found the big iron spoon, and deity
dipped the rich gravy up, pouring it
over the sides of the plump turkey un-
til they glistened with richness.
"H-rn-m! Now, what next?" she
said, softly, and went to the table and
the pantry On the pantry shelves
stood the fragrant nince pie, and the
golden pumpkin pie for which Aunt
Huldah was famous, a big dish of
scarlet cranberries, almost je11ied, the
white cake and the fruit cake, and
close by, covered up, she found the
wooden bowl Of fresh cabbage, all
ready to chop for cold slaw, and a tall
glass Of crisp celery standing in the
pantry window, near a crock of ready
peeled potatoes.
"Wonder if Aunty is going to have
company? She must be, with all this
stuff fixed ready" said Betty 'Why,
yes, she is going to have one guest,
anyhow wonder if she will be glad
to see her? Say, [ guess I'll just get
dinner up, and have it all ready when
she comes. [ don't care if she brings
the President or the preacher, if she
only cares to have me come home.
Oh. I hope, I hope Mrs. May was
right But I'm half afraid I wonder
if Will Fellows went to church? Does
anybody SUPPOSE he would be glad to
see me back? He said he would never
look at me again until I came home Of
M own accord Well, I've come
and maybe he won't look at me now
[ am sure [ don't care. Tom, dear"
and she caught up the great cat to
olive him another hug, eve don't care a
cent what any of them say, do we? If
they don't want us, we can go back
and sell table cloths and sheets to the
end of the chapter. At least, can.
do0't suppose you would be such a
big Ounce as to run away and try to
be smart, and then find out you hadn't
been smart at ALL would you kittv?'
W'e'' she put the big fellow down.
if his fur was wet with a few bright
DROPS, he didn't make any fuss about
it, but settled down beside the stove,
still singing his song of content, per-
haps with a dream Of the fine turkey
bones and the gizzard which would
shortly fall to his lot
Betty got busy at once chOpplng
and seasoning the s1aw, dishing the
cranberries, setting the table with the
best china, as she knew her aunt al
ways did on festal days, putting the
potatoes to cook, and finally placing
the puffy white biscuit in the oven be-
side the big turkey to bake. She went
out on the side porch for a pail OF
fresh water, and at a sudden exclama-
ton she looked up Will Fellows
stood outside the fence staring at her
"You, Betty?" he made out to stam-
mer. 'You come homer"
eyes, it's me, Will. Come home
yes Are you g1ad?"
''Have YOU come to stay, Betty"
'Yes-if anybody wants me to-, very
bad"
''ThNn I'll come in and tell you what
think about it."