The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1917-03-15
1
her INVITATION
BY c. r. WILLIAMS.

Ouly SOuuuS lLuI UEOhc lllc uIcuiy "a
lence Of sullen gray November. And
1t was Thanksgiving day.
"The boys" her two middle-ased
sons, were in the town somewhere
They would be home to dinner and
away again. She hoped they were hav.
ing a good time.
There was a rap at the door. Grand.
mas eyes were red and she would
rather not see anyone just now. Come
In" she finally called, not knowing
what else to do.
"All alone?" cheerily sang out the
visitor. the daughter of an old-time
friend.
The aged woman turned her back
to her caller for an instant and fur.
lively wiped her eyes.
"You haven't anything to do today,
have you?" asked the visitor.
"Nothin' but git dinner" was the re.
ply. "I'm glttin' a nice dinner for the
boys"
"Can't the boys cook?" was the alb.
rupt question. Anyway" she added,
"I've come to carry you away for the
day."
Grandma's back Strengthened up just
q notch. "Where?" she painted, look.
Ing scared. She couldn't remember
when she had been away from home at
meal time.
"Out to sister James," was the re.
ply. "You know mother lives with her,
and you two can talk over the times
when you were girls. We're going to
have a real old-style Thanksgiving and
know you'll enjoy It,"
1t was just what grandma had been
longing and yearning for-to be invited
out where she would be installed in q
comfortable rocking chair and visited
with as If she were still a human being
and not just a rundown old pillow
horse.
"Td like to 60" she began, but John
and Harry"
ooh, don't worry about John and
Harry" interrupted the visitor. "Itll
be a lark for them to get their own
dinner for once. You'll go. won't your
A guilty look crept over grandma's
face, but she finally said: 81 never
done sech a thing before in my life, but
will 60 jest this once"
"That's right" smiled the friend.
BE ready by eleven. We are going
early to help with the dinner"
Back to the kitchen grandma tot.
tered. Hurriedly and nervously she
scrubbed herself, and smoothed her
scanty hair to the sheen of white satin.
When she was all ready she looked al
the clock. 1t was only ten. She would
have time to begin dinner for the boys
Soon her trembling hands were mix
ing the pastry. But her thoughts
they were playing truant, travelling
step by step backward over many
Thanksgivings to the time when hel
good husband was alive and II chill.
dren were all at home.
At length the pumpkin was prepared
and in the crust, and grandma was
carefully putting the pies in the wen
hoping they would be good. Suddenly
as if seized by the sharpest pain, she
cried: Oh-o-o-o! If l hain't clear
forgot the spices! I'll hev to stir ZEN
in now"
It was not long before the spicy
aroma began to diffuse it's fragrance
through the house. And what a differ
ence it made! 1t was like the spirit Of
Thanksgiving. The fire cracked mer
rily. The dull varnish on the old chairs
and cupboard put on a brighter luster
The tea kettle began a real anthem
and-at last-grandma's heart warmed
up, too, and began to sing with it.
She was just singeing the turkey
a fine plump yellow-skinned one hel
farmer son had sent by parcel post
when a rapping on the front door near
ly caused her to drop it into the fire
Near the door Of the living roon
hung a picture Of the entire family
mother and father and sons and daugh
ters-all standing in three straigh
rows. AS grandma passed it, she no
ticed every eye gazing at her will
keenest scrutiny.
"Are you ready?" cried her friend
voice from the well-flled automobil,
at the curb.
II declare l can't 60. The children
would think l was crazy If l run ava,
on T%hanksgivin'," grandma quavere,
with one Of her sweet smiles.
"Too bad" was the r%ejoinder, an,
the car whizzed away, leaving the soil
tary figure standing in the doorway
a picture of heroic resignation.
She started for the kitchen. AS sh
passed the picture she stopped. An
10! where before were only cold stare
she now saw smiles. To any eye bu
hers they might not have been visible
but to hers they were real, and sh
smiled back in gladness that she wa
still able to give pleasure to her chi
dren.
IF l could only hev some of ther
around me jest for today" she though
with tremulous lips. ut amt res
Thanksgivin' when you're all Alone"
BY any by, after a long, tedious Sc
ries Of processes, the turkey was read
~.H