Page:The New-Year's Bargain (1884).djvu/202

 long dinner-tables are set out with good things,—turkeys, pumpkin pies, cranberry sauce, and Indian pudding. And then, last of all, he drew from his pocket a paper, and read aloud the Governor's Proclamation, calling on all citizens to observe the 29th of November as Thanksgiving Day.

"Before the stranger had finished the children were wild with excitement. But their Mother buried her face in her apron, and sobbed bitterly. That night, after the traveller had gone to bed, she talked more about her old home than ever she had done before, and told Polly a great many things of Massachusetts and its people.

"All the next day the children could think of nothing but the stranger's wonderful story. Why couldn't they have Thanksgiving too? they asked their Mother. The Governor said they might.

But we haven't any thing to keep it with,' said Mrs. Fiske.

"Oh, yes! there was one big squash left.