An OldFashioned Thanksgiving.docx

An OldFashioned Thanksgiving.docx

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AnOldFashionedThanksgiving

AnOld-FashionedThanksgiving,L.M.Alcott,1881AnOld-FashionedThanksgivingByLouisaMayAlcottNovember,1881SIXTYYEARS

AGO,upamongtheNewHampshirehills,livedFarmerBassett,withahousefulofsturdysonsanddaughtersgrowingupabouthim.Theywerepoorinmoney,butrichinlandandlove,forthewideacresofwood,corn,andpasturelandfed,warmed,andclothedtheflock,whilemutualpatience,affection,andcouragemadetheoldfarmhouseaveryhappyhome.

Novemberhadcome;

thecropswerein,andbarn,buttery,andbinwereoverflowingwiththeharvestthatrewardedthesummer'shardwork.Thebigkitchenwasajollyplacejustnow,forinthegreatfireplaceroaredacheerfulfire;onthewallshunggarlandsofdriedapples,onions,andcorn;upaloftfromthebeamsshonecrook-neckedsquashes,juicyhams,anddriedvenison--forinthosedaysdeerstillhauntedthedeepforests,andhuntersflourished.

Savorysmellswereintheair;onthecranehungsteamingkettles,anddownamongtheredemberscoppersaucepanssimmered,allsuggestiveofsomeapproachingfeast.

Awhite-headedbabylayintheoldbluecradlethathadrockedsixotherbabies,nowandthenliftinghisheadtolookout,likearound,fullmoon,thensubsidedtokickandcrowcontentedly,andsucktherosyapplehehadnoteethtobite.

Twosmallboyssatonthewoodensettleshellingcornforpopping,andpickingoutthebiggestnutsfromthegoodlystoretheirownhandshadgatheredinOctober.Fouryounggirlsstoodatthelongdresser,busilychoppingmeat,poundingspice,andslicingapples;andthetonguesofTilly,Prue,Roxy,andRhodywentasfastastheirhands.FarmerBassett,andEph,theoldestboy,were"chorin''round"outside,forThanksgivingwasathand,andallmustbeinorderforthattime-honoredday.

Toandfro,fromtabletohearth,bustledbuxomMrs.Bassett,flushedandfloury,butbusyandblitheasthequeenbeeofthisbusylittlehiveshouldbe.

"Idoliketobeginseasonableandhavethingstomymind.Thanksgivin'dinnerscan'tbedrove,anditdoestakeasightofvictualstofillallthesehungrystomicks,"

saidthegoodwoman,asshegaveavigorousstirtothegreatkettleofciderapplesauce,andcastaglanceofhousewifelyprideatthefinearrayofpiessetforthonthebutteryshelves.

"Onlyonemoredayandthenitwillbethetimetoeat.Ididn'ttakebutonebowlofhastypuddingthismorning,soIshallhaveplentyofroomwhenthenicethingscome,"confidedSethtoSol,ashecrackedalargehazelnutaseasilyasasquirrel.

"Noneedofmystarvin'

beforehand.Ialwayshaveroomenough,andI'dliketohaveThanksgivingeveryday,"answeredSolomon,gloatinglikeayoungogreoverthelittlepigthatlaynearby,readyforroasting.

"Sakesalive,Idon't,boys!

It'samarcyitdon'tcomebutonceayear.Ishouldbeworntoathreadpaperwithallthisextraworkatopofmywinterweavin'andspinnin',"

laughedtheirmother,assheplungedherplumparmsintothelongbreadtroughandbegantokneadthedoughasifafaminewereathand.

Tilly,theoldestgirl,ared-cheeked,black-eyedlassoffourteen,wasgrindingbrisklyatthemortar,forspiceswerecostly,andnotagrainmustbewasted.Pruekepttimewiththechopper,andthetwinsslicedawayattheapplestilltheirlittlebrownarmsached,forallknewhowtowork,anddidsonowwithawill.

"Ithinkit'srealfuntohaveThanksgivingathome.I'msorryGran'maissick,sowecan'tgothereasusual,butIliketomess'roundhere,don'tyou,girls?

"askedTilly,pausingtotakeasniffatthespicypestle.

"Itwillbekindoflonesomewithonlyourownfolks.""Iliketoseeallthecousinsandaunts,andhavegames,andsing,"criedthetwins,whowereregularlittleromps,andcouldrun,swim,coast,andshoutaswellastheirbrothers.

"Idon'tcareamiteforallthat.Itwillbesonicetoeatdinnertogether,warmandcomfortableathome,"saidquietPrue,wholovedherowncozynookslikeacat.

"Come,girls,fly'roundandgetyourchoresdone,sowecanclearawayfordinnerjestassoonasIclapmybreadintotheoven,"calledMrs.Bassettpresently,assheroundedoffthelastloafofbrownbreadwhichwastofeedthehungrymouthsthatseldomtastedanyother.

"Here'samancomin'

upthehilllively!

""Guessit'sGadHopkins.Patoldhimtobringadezzenoranges,iftheywarn'ttoohigh!

"shoutedSolandSeth,runningtothedoor,whilethegirlssmackedtheirlipsatthethoughtofthisraretreat,andBabythrewhisappleoverboard,asifgettingreadyforanewcargo.

Butallweredoomedtodisappointment,foritwasnotGad,withthemuch-desiredfruit.Itwasastranger,whothrewhimselfoffhishorseandhurrieduptoMr.Bassettintheyard,withsomebriefmessagethatmadethefarmerdrophisaxandlooksosoberthathiswifeguessedatoncesomebadnewshadcome;andcrying,"Mother'swuss!

Iknowsheis!

"Outranthegoodwoman,forgetfuloftheflouronherarmsandtheovenwaitingforitsmostimportantbatch.

ThemansaidoldMr.

Chadwick,downtoKeene,stoppedhimashepassed,andtoldhimtotellMrs.Bassetthermotherwasfailin'fast,andshe'dbettercometoday.

Heknewnomore,andhavingdeliveredhiserrandherodeaway,sayingitlookedlikesnowandhemustbejogging,orhewouldn'tgethometillnight.

"Wemustgorightoff,Eldad.Hitchup,andI'llbereadyinless'nnotime,"saidMrs.Bassett,wastingnotaminuteintearsandlamentations,butpullingoffherapronasshewentin,withherheadinasadjumbleofbread,anxiety,turkey,sorrow,haste,andciderapplesauce.

Afewwordstoldthestory,andthechildrenlefttheirworktohelphergetready,minglingtheirgrieffor"Gran'ma"withregretsforthelostdinner.

"I'mdreadfulsorry,dears,butitcan'tbehelped.Icouldn'tcooknoreatnowaynow,andifthatblessedwomangetsbettersudden,asshehasbefore,we'llhavecauseforthanksgivin',andI'llgiveyouadinneryouwon'tforgetinahurry,"saidMrs.Bassett,asshetiedonherbrownsilkpumpkin-hood,withasobforthegoodoldmotherwhohadmadeitforher.

Notachildcomplainedafterthat,butranabouthelpfully,bringingmoccasins,heatingthefootstone,andgettingreadyforalongdrive,becauseGran'malivedtwentymilesaway,andtherewerenorailroadsinthosepartstowhiskpeopletoandfrolikemagic.Bythetimetheoldyellowsleighwasatthedoor,thebreadwasintheoven,andMrs.Bassettwaswaiting,withhercamletcloakon,andthebabydoneuplikeasmallbaleofblankets.

"Now,Eph,youmustlookafterthecattlelikeamanandkeepupthefires,forthere'sastormbrewin',and'neitherthechildrennordumbcrittersmustsuffer,"saidMr.Bassett,asheturnedupthecollarofhisroughcoatandputonhisbluemittens,whiletheoldmareshookherbellsasifshepreferredatriptoKeenetohaulingwoodallday.

"Tilly,putextrycomfortablesonthebedsto-night,thewindissosearchin'upchamber.HavethebakedbeansandInjun-puddin'fordinner,andwhateveryoudo,don'tlettheboysgetatthemince-pies,oryou'llhavethemdownsick.IshallcomebacktheminuteIcanleaveMother.Pawillcometo-morreranyway,sokeepsnugandbegood.Idependonyou,mydarter;useyourjedgment,anddon'tletnothin'happenwhileMother'saway."

"Yes'm,yes'm--good-bye,good-bye!

"calledthechildren,asMrs.Bassettwaspackedintothesleighanddrivenaway,leavingastreamofdirectionsbehindher.

Eph,thesixteen-year-oldboy,immediatelyputonhisbiggestboots,assumedasober,responsiblemannerandsurveyedhislittleresponsibilitieswithapaternalair,drollylikehisfather's.Tillytiedonhermother'sbunchofkeys,rolledupthesleevesofherhomespungown,andbegantoorderabouttheyoungergirls.TheysoonforgotpoorGranny,andfounditgreatfuntokeephouseallalone,forMotherseldomlefthome,butruledherfamilyinthegoodold-fashionedway.Therewerenoservants,forthelittledaughterswereMrs.Bassett'sonlymaids,andthestoutboyshelpedtheirfather,allworkinghappilytogetherwithnowagesbutlove;learninginthebestmannertheuseoftheheadsandhandswithwhichtheyweretomaketheirownwayintheworld.

Thefewflakesthatcausedthefarmertopredictbadweathersoonincreasedtoaregularsnowstorm,withgustsofwind,forupamongthehillswintercameearlyandlingeredlong.Butthechildrenwerebusy,gay,andwarmindoors,andnevermindedtherisinggalenorthewhirlingwhitestormoutside.

Tillygotthemagooddinner,andwhenitwasoverthetwoeldergirlswenttotheirspinning,forinthekitchenstoodthebigandlittlewheels,andbasketsofwoolrollsreadytobetwistedintoyarnforthewinter'sknitting,andeachdaybroughtitsstintofworktothedaughters,whohopedtobeasthriftyastheirmother.

Ephkeptupagloriousfire,andsuperintendedthesmallboys,whopoppedcornandwhittledboatsonthehearth;whileRoxyandRhodydressedcorncobdollsinthesettlecorner,andBose,thebrindledmastiff,layonthebraidedmat,luxuriouslywarminghisoldlegs.Thusemployed,theymadeaprettypicture,theserosyboysandgirls,intheirhomespunsuits,withtherustictoysortaskswhichmostchildrennowadayswouldfindverypoorortiresome.

TillyandPruesang,astheysteppedtoandfro,drawingoutthesmoothlytwistedthreadstothemusicalhumofthegreatspinningwheels.Thelittlegirlschatteredlikemagpiesovertheirdollsandthenewbedspreadtheywereplanningtomake,allwhitedimitystarsonabluecalicoground,asaChristmaspresenttoMa.TheboysroaredatEph'sjokes,andhadroughandtumblegamesoverBose,whodidn'tmindthemi