Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-12-09
CHAPTER XVIII.

skies were brooding low over the
earth. The autumn had been a
beautiful one. The sunshine, the
rains and the frosts had given the
leaves a perfect ripening, and the
whole landscape had been gay with
flaming splendors OF gold and Grim
son, but the colors were now fading
fast, and the loosened leaves rustled
under passing footballs or whirled In
the breeze and heaped themselves in
to sheltered hooks The pears, the
peaches, the grapes, and many of the
apples had been gathered. Some of
them were still lying on the shelves
of cool, dark unused closets, and 9th
ers hoated in amber juice within i'm
prisoning glass jars. The gardens
were dismantled and dreary The
brave chrysanthemums still lifted
their cheerful faces amid the
general ruin, and the golden pump
kins lent a touch of color to the
brown fields
The fading yegation, the dull skies
and the shortening days make Nov-
ember a gloomy month. 1t is bright
ened by the glad home festival of
Thanksgiving, which seems, perhaps,
all the dearer to us, coming as It
does in a season when nature has so
little to offer that it attractive.
For a week at least before Thanks
giving day Hollyhurst was full Of
pleasant stir and hustle. The ia
nous triad of pies-apple, mince and
squash-especially dedicated to this
day were to be made, and jellles
sauces, cakes and buildings. Tim
was pressed into the service, and the
sound Of the chopping knife reyer-
berated through the house. Soph-
roma came over every day, and Rose
was in demand as soon as she return
ed from school The kitchen-aI-
ways pleasant room-now became
the center of attraction Even Dr..
Gardner and Reginald lowered about
it, making themselves useful In pick
ing over cranberries, stoning raisins.
slicing citron, and the like.
All these preparations were quite
delightful, but there were others
very trying to the family at Holly
hurst. When the pigs, and lambs,
and turkeys, and chickens were to be
killed, Rose put her fingers in her
ears and ran to the farthest corner
of the house, while Reginald took
Lady and went off for gallon.
Even Mrs. Gardner was heard to ex-
claim, 81 wish l could go to market
and buy my meats. I should simply
think then only of mutton or pork,
or poultry"
There was an unusual amount Of
preparation to be made this year, be-
cause DR.. Gardeners sister, Mrs. Har-
mon, with her husband and daughter.
were coming to spend the holiday
with them. Flora Harmon was just
the age of Rose, but the cousins had
seldom spent much time together.
Thanksgiving morning dawned
bright and clear, and crisp. It was
just the weather to make one look
forward to the coming good cheer
with pleasurable anticipations. The
children were up early. The Har-
mons had arrived the day before, and
Flora was to be taken the rounds
when the animals were given their
breakfasts, and the breakfasts were
to be more luxurious than usual
Since feasting is one of the features
of the day, surely animals, whose
sources of enjoyment are few, should
have their share Of it, 50 the horses
received an extra allowance of grain,
or one of their fayorite mashes. the
COWS munched carrots or some other
dainty with their hay. F'risky and
the kittens RECALLED themselves on
chicken bones and odorous fragments
of meat, and the hens scrambled and
cackled over the Indian mush that
accompanied their corn, and Duke
was Duke forgotten in the general
distribution? Duke could no NOR
be forgotten than one of the family,
though he always affected indiffer-
ence with regard to food in the pres
ence Of his friends.
A special feature of Thanksgiving
day, still dear to the heart of New
England, is the church service If
ones does not go to church, the din
ner seems to lose something of its
flavor, and when the sermon treats
as it frequently does of certain as
poets in the National outlook, it fur
nishes a topic for conversation af-
ter the desert and coffee are brought
on.
Sophronia had taken upon her
self the cooking Of the turkey Iaav-