The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-11-28
EDening Story
CALLIOPE'S THANKSGIVING
PARTY
D. or ADTCCA ATACRTE


what have I got to be thankful
/ for ?'' repeated Calliope Fraser, in
answer to Henry Blake's question.
i've got a great deal to give thanks
for, and to prove it I'm going to give
party Thursday night"
aye be?" Henry was amazed. He
knew that Calliope was quite poor.
AItho she owned her small home, she
really had to work to support her
self. All the best years of her life had
gone into making old people happy
two aged parents, an invalid grand
mother and finally a crippled AMI
blind grandfather. Now Calliope, at
forty-five, was alone and in poor
circumstances. Some of your cousins
coming over from Long HIP
Calliope shook her head They
don't invite me, Henry. They all ride
around in automobiles and have
plenty of money, but they don't want
to bother with me-" She smiled as
she spoke, for her troubles had not
embittered Calliope. She lifted her
head above them like some sweet,
sturdy country flower. blooming on
in the dust and heat of the day, lifting
her cup of cheeriness to the old and
poor and discouraged.
We'll, well, Calliope," muttered
Henry Blake as he tied up her pack
thru the Irvine. You are a good
hearted girI-hah! And I'm going 70
send around a few vegetables. And
I've got some apples; they will GER
tally Spite. Now, you run along and
get ready for your party
Calliope beamed her thanks and
| tripped> away in a quick. bird-like
way that made her appear much
younger than she really was. All the
road home she was planning for the
party. "Tn have to kill old Belinda.
1t does make my heart ache, but of
course she's only a hen, and she
ought to be thankful that she is to
make so many people happy. 1 ex-
pect that's the way cannibals argue
| when they eat each other up, but
Belinda's got to go. She's tough, but
| I'll parboil her and then brown her
in the oven. They'll just love it. If
Henry sends over some vegetables
and apples, they will help, and there's
currant jelly and Calliope planned
every detail of that party before she
invited her guests.
There were four invitations and
| four acceptances, and by Wednesday
night everything was as nearly ready
as possible. There was a coal fire in
the parlor stove, and some logs were
laid ready to light on the dining room
hearth. The best lavender china was
washed again and the thin damask
napkins counted out. After she had
rubbed the silver until it rivaled the
engraved glass goblets, Calliope
dressed herself and went to prayer
meeting.
"Calliope," whispered Mrs. Trotter
mo one has asked the minister to eat
Thanksgiving dinner. He was going
home to his folks, but he's stayed to
preach in the morning and it looks as
| if he'd have to eat in the hotel. It's
to have him, only were going over to
Hetty's."
I'll ask him to my party said
Calliope promptly, and the new min
fe-fr erIo Il to he,
dial invitation.
1t was a glorious November day
with a boar frost in the morning that
looked like fairy snow. Cailiope went
out and picked all the artemiSiaS in her
garden, and their fresh, pungent smell
mingled with fragrance of burn
ing apple wood. 1T makes me think
of long, long ago." unused Calliope
when she sat down at last to wait for
gray dress with a few yellow flowers
in her belt. With her dark hair and
soft brown eyes and fresh color she
looked very young and pretty. The
new minister wanted to tell her so as
he came into the warm, friendly
house.
The doorbelI rang several times
after that, and one by one she ushered
them in-Mr. James Trapham, an
aged recluse from Upper River; Miss
Nelly Fame. a retired dressmaker, and
two old ladies from the poorhouse;
Miranda Larrabee, a strong minded
spinster, who accepted charity due her
as an unpaid debt, and old Mrs. Abner
Mumford, the last of her well-known
family and once a leader in Little
River.
The warm fire soon thawed out the
half frozen old folks, and the minister
had them laughing at his witty
stories One word led to another and
they chartered like old friends. Mr..
fTrapham had just told the minister
that he was coming back to church,
when Calliope announced dinner.
Mr.. Newton, the minister, gave his
arm to old Mrs. Mumford, and James
Trapham followed suit with Miranda
Larrabee. With the ladies from the
poorhouse taken care of, Caliiope and
her other spinster guests went in
tempting meal. There might have
been aching hearts there, but their
owners bravely concealed the pain.
PERHAPS Mr.. Newton will ask
blessing, said CaIliope in her sensi-
bic way, land then the rest of as can
each make a little inward prayer just
for the home folks who have gone on
ahead. always do that Seems to
keep the family link strong and
bright"
How happy they all were after that.
Even Miranda Larrabee and James
Trapham laughed at each others
Jokes, and Miss Nelly Fame responded
to a toast in a sweet old treble that
quavered with joy, Mrs. Mumford,
sitting next to Calliope. did not smile
often. but her eyes sometimes turned
to her hostess and there was a strange
look in their gray depths Suddenly
she spoke. eff my son Abner had not
been lost at sea I would never have
gone to the town farm" she said
softly.
Calliope paIed. "Of course not. Mrs.
Munnford.'' she said in shaking voice.
"And Calliope would have been my
daughter-in-law, in spite of the fact
that I tried my best to separate her
and -Abner twenty-five years ago. I've
heer nunished. and ] want TO apologize