The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-29
EOening Story
From Soup to Nuts.
BY JANE OSBORNE.


granted that the usual Thanksgiving
reunion at the Films should be dis
pensed wflh. That is, all but twenty
year-oId Janet, who was remaining
Ned, her brother, Tom, still at high
school, and faithful Maggie, in the
kitchen.
"Of course. we're going to have
Thanksgiving here same as usual"
Janet told her brother, Malcolm, as
he was starting off for college, "and
you can bring home a couple of boys
with you If on want, and Wen have
Uncle Jed and old Mrs. Titus and
everybody. the same usual. I guess
can cook Thanksgiving dinner all
right"
Good for you, Janet" was the
brothers answer. I'D hate not to
come home for the holiday. If your
household allowance runs out count
on me to make up the difference.
Have everything from soup to nuts"
So it was agreed.
The Tuesday before Thanksgiving,
Janet began making lists of what she
would need in order to make her
Thanksgiving bill of fare complete,
and she began reading cookery books
and compared a dozen different re-
cipes for turkey stuffing, trying to
find the one that contained the largest
collection of ingredients. She had
been practicing for a month in maxi
ing pie crust and was quite an expert
OilS IGlSIGQ IN lne klIChen,
Maggie being allowed to intrude only
when time came to wash up the Dishes
for Maggie was a VIGOROUSLY poor
cook
Wednesday night at her brother
arrived with two classmates. They
had had dinner On the way, know
ing that company" dinner the day
before Thanksgiving would not be
welcome proposition to any house,
wife. A flushed but happy Janet
met them in the family living room
after Maggie had let them in.
We'll, sister," beamed Malcolm,
''how goes it? We've brought husky
appetites and we had a slim dinner
big feast tomorrow. Have you or
dered everything-from soup to nuts ?
Cranberry sauce, stuffing. nuts. rails
How much does the turkey
weigh ?" said one of the compan-
ions, feeling that he ought to add
his comment.
He saw. but did not know the rea-
son for a quick intake of breath on
the part of Janet. She bit her lip. /
'Thirty-five and a half pounds"
she hazarded. But I don't expect |
it till tomorrow. You know the
butcher is so busy; sometimes he
puts off delivery until the day"
Malcolm was going to suggest an |
evening spent together in the big
living room. But Janet excused |
herself She said she had to see
about the pies in the kitchen.
She fled to the kitchen and then
up the back stairs to her room
donned her coat and hat, fled down
the back stairs and then thru the lone
ly driveway of the Films down the SUBJ
urban street to the shopping section
of town. Some of the stores were
still open. Her own butcher had
closed, but a rival showed a light
still burning.
''Pd like to buy a turkey" said
Janet. .
The man looked blank astonish-
ment. Turkeys have been sold out
since this afternoon" he answered.
Folks don't put off getting turkeys
Then Janet went to the nearest
drug. store, looked up the house
telephone of her own butcher, and
sent a frantic call to him.
II don't know how L forgot it,"
she said. 81 was so busy thinking
about the stuffing L forgot the tur-
key"
But the butcher assured Janet that
40 more turkeys were to be had. He
had even had to sell the one he had
for his own family use. Janet
went home and rousing Maggie from
/ catnap in the kitchen told her
IF her plight. "They are giving
turkeys away to poor folk; down at
Maybe you could get one there
Janet took this inspiration as the
browning mans straw. She hurried
Y donned the raggedest clothes she
Maggie's about her head, and started
IF Malcolm asks for me-" she
old Maggie, tell him I've gone to
oed.''
They were still giving out dinners
It the Second church and Janet en-
cred the dimly lighted parish house,
With shawl drawn close around her
ace.
Gould I have-have a turkey?"
he asked the women at the desk.
I am very poor
Janet'S idea was to get the turkey
" hook or crook, then the next day
o return to the church and explain
nd apologize and pay them two or
hree times as much as the turkey
lad been worth. The good woman
ooked surprised. we don't give out
she explained. They are
o expensive. We've had chickens and
casting pork in the dinners s
ut every dinner has been assigned. a
lou know you have to have your I
pplication in ahead of time-Tm s
orry."
Janet sighed and withdrew. At the
DOR she sighed again, and thinking '
f the fiasco of her Thanksgiving din '
er without turkey clenched her o
anus ne SOOu WOIIldn
t the desk did not see her, but p
Dung man who had just come into $
he rooms did.
Janet looked, recognized, and then a
ushed out the door. But he followed. p
was Roderick Black-Roderick c
lack, with whom Janet had quarrel s.
d two months before over a trifle
anet hadn't ever intended to speak a
} him again-so she assured herself u
Something's wron2" Roderick said n
8 Janet tried to turn her head from .
i'm. You wouldn't be here at this .
me of night If you weren't in some Il
ind of trouble. I've promised to de-
yer some dinners in my car" Rod =
rick was leading Janet to the car u