The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-11-29
How Granny Moore Was Surprised
and Her Lonely Day Changed In
to One Of Great
Joy.
SCATTERING SUNSHINE
School Children Carried Out Plan
Which Proved to be Fine
Way to Spend the
Day.

The following short story written
by Gertrude E. Stevens, aged 13, OF
Bentonsport, is an interesting one
and is entitled Granny Moore's
Thanksgiving Dinner:''
Where are all of you going on
Thanksgiving day." asked Minnie
Vane to bunch OF girls and boys at
recess one day about a week before
Thanksgiving.
4 am going to grandfather's," said
one girl
And am going to Aunt James and
Uncle Bob's,'' chimed in small boy.
Uncle Bob always takes me a horse
back ridin' when go there"
Others said they were going to
grandmother and some said thew
We're going to aunt's or uncle,s house
to eat Thanksgiving dinner.
As for me-" said Minnie, q don't
quite know were I'll be. l may be
at home, or may be at
And :" said Julia Lock. the doc
tors daughter, do not know where i
will be. But think | will not be at
home? Nor will you. either. Minnie
Vane. if I can help it," she added.
mysteriously.
"Why?', came from sevaral
Well. before 1 tell you what have
in my mind Julia answered. q /
want to ask a question. How many of
you are expecting to be at home on
Thanksgiving day. Hold up your
hands
Several, perhaps a dozen, BOYS and
girls held up their hands.
Now what next captain?" laughed
Frank Day, for she was regarded as
leader And hurry or school will
take up
Hold your tongue. Frank, she will
tell it in plenty of time, Julia will"
said Hugh Bailey.
Well she began, sitting down in
near seat, while the others crowded
about her. You all know old Gran
ny Moore. Well, she got the rehuma-
tism again. Father and / were up TO
see her last night and she has to STAY
In one rom all the time. But father
told me he would have her out to eat
Thanksgiving dinner in the dining
room. But she only looked sad for
she said she would have to eat it by
herself or else have the servants eat
with her. You know her only son ran
on to The west and got married and
don't pay much attention to his moth.
er. And so she has no one to eat
dinner with
We'll, what has that to do with our
Thanksgiving dinner" asked Minnie
Well" said Julia, 81 have been
thinking why couldn't we all get to-
gether and go up there and have a
surprise on her Thanksgiving day.
She would enjoy it. am sure. and ]
know we would. OF course we would
have to ask our folks, but know mine
will Ike it and am almost sure that
tnn rest of you will
Why, to S fine pIan,' cried Lot
tie Williams. who belonged to one
the leading families l know mother
will be delighted to GO,
I'll be there if anyone is" said
Minnie.
so will /" cried several others
with will.
Wen go and ask Miss Adams what
she thinks about it, said Julia.
SO up to the teachers desk went the
boys and girls. They told her Of their
plan and asked her to join them. She
said she would be glad to help them
cheer the heart Of the lonely old lady.
of course all the parents thought II
a good plan, too, so the rest OF the
week was spent In getting ready for the
surprise. All the mothers met togeth-
er to see what to fill up the baskets
with SO everything was ready ON
Ihanksgiving morning. 1t was planned
that they would all meet at the VIII
hams home and as the Moore home
was quite distance away, they would
all go in sleds and have merry time
on the road
Granny Moore. as the children of the
village called her. lived in large
house ON the outskirts of the village.
She was very lonely old lady, but
Julia Lock was great comfort to her,
for she would make many visits to
this lonely old lady because she loved
her and wanted to make her happy.
Her son, as 1t has been said ran
away from home and got married and
now was living in the far west, and
paid little attention to his old mother
who needed the care and comfort OF
a good son. She had had but two let
tiers, asking about some land which
he thought might be his and not at all
like good son would write to his
aged mother.
Thanksgiving morning dawned
bright and clear. The ground was
! covered with snow, so 1t was good
sleighing. DIR. Lock had made good
his promise and Granny was sitting in