Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1911-01-31
Red Arches
Woe

~ dent make no difference wha'
The hollerday happens 70 bel Away.
fec. iust like this when It's over. Mad
Plumb mad" Thus spoke Red Archie
chief Of the Twenty Devils of room
4. as he dug bis hands into his peck
els AID tried to look tough by hunch
ing ais shoulders and stufing his
tongue .lto his cheek like a quid OF
tobacco.
Il might have ate heaps more
Thsnksgivln' dinner just as well as
not lamented Red Archie Now,
that turkey-you fellers all had tur.
key, ( course? Well, by the time I'd
ato drumstick and a wing and the
liver and a hunk OF white meat and
just one or two other pieces and some
'taters and with gravy and stufin'--"
With chestnuts in?" interrupted an
eager voice.
Sure said Red Archie With
chestnuts and some gravy"
"Swimmin' in gravy?" The sugges
ton was urgent.
And brown and thick?" chimed in
another Of the group.
Sure" agreed Red Archie Well
after didn't eat hardly any more than
that couldn't eat no more. Then
there was cranberries, all red and
squashy! Gee, m sick for some now!
But Thanksgivin' day | ate only three
helpin's Of cranberries. Don't know
what was the matter with me! Gee,
| could eat a gallon this minute
Then ate just two pieces of mince
and three pieces of pumpkin pie. And
they wasn't quarters. neither-just
sixths! And | had only one helpin' of
puddin'! Gee. it makes me wild to
think back! tell you I must have
been doped."
Red Archie's tongue fingered on the
word "doped"-It sounded so exhilaT-
atingly tough
I'VE had cider, too. had only FIVE
glasses-whatchu know about that?
Gee, could drink a whole-hogshead9
How many gallons does the 'rithmetio
says in hogshead?"
"Forty-three!" The suggestion was
faint and doubtful
Most likely it's 49," sneered Red
Archie. Anyway. that's what I'm
good for if had The cider.
did you fellers have ice cream in
three oolors? we did! Gee, it makes
me want to kick myself We had it
last, with the cake. the nuts and raj
sins and candy. ate only one dishful,
,nd 7 novor ,,,,+ n tooth into b,,t fyvplva
pieces of candy. 1t was chocolate can
dy, too, with big, fat nuts on top"
Red Archie dug his fists Deeper into
his pockets.
Pals, could eat bushol OF ice
cream this minute, and bout trunk
full Of chocolate candy. But what else
can a Teller expect?" There was
despair, born of worldly wisdom, In the
voice OF Red Archie.
"a feller's pa and ma go and set
things like turkey and cranberrtes be-
fore a poor kid. They cram him with
stun LIE that Then they bring on
the goodies--the cake and the candy
and the fee cream in three colors-and
pretend that they want Teller TO
have some! It's game, that's all 1t
is-a bunko game to cheat US kids"
Red Archie scowled
They played another trick on ma
Would they let Teller keep on his
loose sweater No! They ranlmed me
into white collar that strangfed my
windpipe-I mean 'sophagust--er spi.
nal column. All cause Uncle George
and Aunt Jenny and lot OF girl
cousins was comm Gee!" Rcd Archie
smiled, y could have ate ton more
If I'd had on my old sweater!
Il tell you what, fellers,' he went
on, thoughtfully, after he had overcome
his emotion, when we're daddies and
sit 10 the armchair at the head Of the
table like our daddies do, and II comes
time fer eatin hollerday, why. let's
US kids-only wen be daddies then,
you nndeFstand-always wear sweat
ers. have the ice cream and the Choc-
olate candy first and thsn--"
"Gee, fellers!" Red Archie grew Wis
fbly meek as the school ben sounded.
He'bsaan 10 pull down his~5-7cste-. rre
glanced with a half scowl at me mud
on his shoes. He so far forget his as
snmed' toughness as to let his eyes I'LL
with indignant tears. Gee, fellers, I'm
starving this minute! l wish I'd ate a
hundred times as muchl"
Red Archie half-eniffed as he Jagged
up ire basement stairs. "The worst ~
Ii IL" Le said. there amt another eat
In hollerday till Christmas!"