Year: 1879

Wnat 90 you think little oracle Moore
4 did one Thanksgiving Day, when she
!. was five years old? She had gone Will,
mamma to meet auntles and uncles and
little cousins at g1andpa's farm, few
miles out of the city. And such merry
dinner as they. had! Oracle had eaten
her fill of the nice things grandma had
put upon her table in honor of the day,
and felt in very gracious state of mind,
as most people do, you know, after a
comfortable dinner But presently the
older children went off to the hill for a
game Of romps, which poor little. tiny
Oracle was hardly equal to. So she wan
dered out to the barn, in search of Rover,
the big dog. The chickens were scratch
ing for their Thanksgiving dinner; and
Gracic suddenly felt great compassion
for the poor barn-yard pets, which had
not dlRed as sumptuous]y in honor of the
day as she had, and benevolent plan
entered her head which was instantly
put into execution.


She ran to the Kitchen, which just at
this moment was EN- PITY of cook and wal
ter, and filed plate with pieces of this,
that and the other kinds Of food which
had been brought out from the dining ta-
bic. She didn't forget the jelly, either,
and added also some delicate slices of
grandma's white bread. Then out to the
barn went Oracle, to set a Thanksgiving
table for her poor pets-her hungry,
scratching, barking, mewing and cack-
ling pets of the barnyard.


On the floor was spread large dinner
napkin; and on it arranged in neat picnic
fashion, were the Thanksgiving dainties
and the meat, which, because she could
not divide it in pieces, she laid whole in
the center Of her impromptu table. Then,
in imitation Of the decoration of grand
mas table, she arranged little scraps OF
green leaves and flowers here and there
about the dishes, until, in her opinion,
everything was exceedingly stylish and
wonderful, "My poor Wover!' she said,
leading the dog to the barn and shutting
him in small closet until she could col
lect her guests together. "My poor Wo-
ver!' You sail have Sanksgivin' dinner,
JUS like ozzer folkses."
Then she brought the cat in and shut her
up with Rover; and, by dlnt of much ex-
ertion, succeeded finally in driving
number of hens and chickenk-all of
which she had not fr1ghtenedIbeyondh her
shrill cry-into the barn, and then she
went in and pushed the great doors to-
gether The closet door was opened and
the antagonistic cat and dog came out,
while Oracle stood in the midst Of her
guests, ringing bell as loudly as she
could. This frightened the hens and
chickens. and they flew wildly about the
barn-foor and up to the haYloft, while
the cat and dog quarreled over the one
piece of meat and trampled into the rest
of the food. The noise and the ringing
OF the bell attracted the attention of the
grown folks in the parlor, and out they
rushed to the barn. Just as soon as the
doors were opened. out flew the cackl1ng
hens in wild amaze, and fairly clearing
the ground with their flying feet.
Puss, her fur covered with jelly
and her legs smeared with fragments OF
bread and butter, followed next, pursued
by Rover, who was growing with rage
over the meat, which poor Puss had Sc
curely in her mouth. Poor little Oracle,
almost scared to death herself at this un-
expected and very disappointing result
of her efforts in behalf Of her pets, stood
cinging to ladder, half way up to the
hay-loft, and turned her frightened face
very gladly toward the people who ap
peared upon the scene.


Dear little girl She couldn't get over
the slight put upon her Thanksgiving
dinner for a long time; and, although
she is many years Older, now, she cannot
forget that particular day in heriite, and
probably never will forget it. How she
was laughed at and how grandma petted
her for her loving, tender little heart, she
can tell you better than I. And since
then she has decided to let barnyard
people arrange their own Thanksgiving
dinners.