An OldFashioned ThanksgivingWord文件下载.docx

An OldFashioned ThanksgivingWord文件下载.docx

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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