thanksgiving packet

8/3/2019 Thanksgiving Packet

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Happy

Thanksgiving

November 272008


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HISTORY OF

THANKSGIVINGWhat is Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November inthe United States. In Canada it is celebrated on the secondMonday in October. In 2008, Thanksgiving is celebrated on

Thursday, November 27 in the US, and October 13 in Canada.

The First Thanksgiving

When we think of Thanksgiving today, images of football, pumpkinpie, parades, and turkey dinner complete with cranberry saucecome to mind, as well as plans for a Black Friday shopping spreethe following day.


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Of course none of these items were present back in 1621, whenthe Wampanoag people and the Pilgrims sat down together to givethanks for natures bounty. Although the celebrants at thisparticular meal didnt even call it Thanksgiving, this particularharvest feast is the one after which we model our modern-day

Thanksgiving celebrations.

People of both cultures had been giving thanks for the fall harvestand other gifts of nature for many centuries. It is interesting tonote that the religious element, giving thanks to God, was notpresent at this particular celebration in 1621, even though thePilgrims were devoutly religious. In fact, some early Pilgrim"thanksgiving days" were actually fasts rather than feasts.

Imagine that!

However, the Native Americans had their own religious customsand beliefs. As a result, during this "first" Thanksgiving, Pilgrimsand Native Americans did not focus on what was different betweenthem, but instead concentrated on what they all shared. The twogroups of people worked side by side to hunt and prepare food asequals and friends. Their friendship and cooperation was yet

another thing for which to be thankful. Other feasts such as thisone took place throughout the New World, where settlers andNative Americans worked together and celebrated together asone.

When we sit down to our Thanksgiving dinner, we honor a piece ofearly American history. The story of the Pilgrims and NativeAmericans serve as a good reminder for all of us to be thankful for

what we have--no matter how much or how little.

How Thanksgiving Became a Holiday

After 1621, future Thanksgiving celebrations occurred at varioustimes throughout the year. George Washington declared a feast of

Thanksgiving in 1789, and presidents issued similar yearlyproclamations after that. During the Civil War, poet Sarah Hale


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started a campaign to celebrate the holiday on the same daythroughout the country.

President Abraham Lincoln saw it as a way to unite the country,and he in 1863 he proclaimed a national Thanksgiving celebrationon the last Thursday in November. It was changed from the last

Thursday to the third Thursday by Franklin Roosevelt in 1939 as away to lengthen the Christmas shopping holiday. In 1941,Roosevelt finally changed the date to the fourth Thursday inNovember, proclaiming it a Federal holiday in 1941.

Turkey: It's What's for Dinner

When the Wampanoag people and the Colonists sat down to theirthree-day feast to give thanks, they dined on lobster, fish packed

in salt, dried and smoked meats, and freshly caught wild game.They did not eat corn on the cob (as Indian corn was only good formaking corn meal, not eating whole) or eat pumpkin pie orcranberry sauce since sugar, yams, or sweet potatoes had not yetbeen introduced to the New England region.

Turkey is the big centerpiece of most Thanksgiving celebrationsacross the United States. Since records of exactly what was eaten

at that first celebration in 1621 are fuzzy at best, wild turkey mayor may not have even been eaten at the feast.

The thing is, turkey was one of the staples of the settlers' diets atthat time anyway, as turkeys were in great supply and wereenjoyed for their eggs as well as their abundant meat. So, even ifthe feathered bird wasn't there at the first Thanksgiving, theturkey quickly became a fixture at future tables.

Today, many families opt instead for a roast goose (which wasalmost definitely present at the first feast), a ham (which wasalmost definitely not present), or the new "gourmet" tradition ofturducken (a turkey stuffed with a duck that's stuffed with achicken).


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Thanksgiving is one of the few feasts where even the vegetarianscan go home full without much modification of the standard menu.Leave out the roast turkey and you still have sweet potatoes,stuffing, corn, cranberry sauce, apple and pumpkin pie, roastsquash, brussels sprouts and a host of other seasonal sides anddesserts to pig out on. Of course, you can always add Tofurkey

(turkey-flavored tofu) or another meat substitute for the non-carnivores and turkey-pardoners of the group.

All the President's Turkeys

And just where did that US Presidential pardoning of the turkeytradition come from? Well, the tradition of officially pardoning aturkey dates back as far as Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, or

George H. Bush, depending on whom you ask. Photos depictPresident Truman accepting a turkey at the White House, althoughit is not known whether the bird ended up on the table or at thefarm after the cameras left the scene.

John F. Kennedy was presented with a turkey at Thanksgiving anddecided to "just keep it" instead of serve it up. And when PresidentBush Senior was presented with a holiday turkey, he gave a

lighthearted speech where he decided to officially pardon theturkey. Turkeys have been officially pardoned since that day.


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THANKSGIVING WORD FIND

Z N H M T E L V Z S R E H T A E F R N C J F I R S T M L K A Z C M R F E P E X I

Q I G R A M H R N G H A O S O N R X I Y D I A J F S G P H C H B D X A J F O F V

B F S H A P C M M L L A B T O O F X H V I C B H B P U F P F B T F W W C C V I L

Z F R X Q N G Z M A C I P Z I Q N W E X E T Y I G G O S I L Q W P T A V A P E J

M Q S X N I K C Q Y Y O J K H H P X V S R O B N S Q K V L S O R J A H G E Y E B

R G I L J A S W O Z S F N Y S W Z S K R G C K D T Y V V G A A T J Z R G Q J U P

L W Y W O I A C F R J D L M E J D D E R P C E I K P Q V R K U S Z J Y A M T Y H

N Q I D D T R E B E M G W O O C T W E I P U S A Q P K X I B Z E X Y H Y D A S W

Q U V F T E G N I F F U T S W S A F H U Y N S N X V O N M M F V H S A U C E K Q

T P I L Y D W X J X X S K A K E Y T E Y X K A S A N G U S M I G W A Y Y K I X I

C P E S P J J Y L L C E P S A B R Q Q V O B Y O K V G A H K U D T D X W W F I S

E Y X Y Z U T X S L Q F B S A G N I P P O H S G I P Z Y A X X A U A M H X N I P

H M B R B E M L E I T V R L G D G N I T I S I V A B Y T P G K U Y T O U U K B W

P S H O Q S S P R E F Y D U B T J X J B O R M P P M D V W P H A H L S B A D N R

Q D U M E X H P K R J H H P Y F X K I Q R M W P L A U M S P R D K R T Y V A R G

Q C C P N L Q A H I A D Q D N S E L A B R W B C Z I F N D B L A H X O T U L F A

Z P X G D D Z U N H N Z R L L P R U Q A J B C W W Z M X E H Y N Y I S T U T S Z

T X C O R N U C O P I A J G H U Z P F R F N I K A E C S W S U K G E P Q D W D I

K E M H K Z G T N Z C V B I H V C R A N B E R R Y Z Q G K U T F V S R Q I I I Y

V L W T V X S M E D C S D A M E C M C W H W N S R B T O P I T R S W S Q J N H E

N I B X A A D K V V A T C E H Z I E A D C S M M S M V W G N A B C E L J U H B F

Z E R P E R H K Z L T O N A V G Q C Z C S I R R T V F T T H E Q A U E A E E K V

C N R F S C M I G E D J T K M Y W N W J Y T S B U W L D M A T X R A Z R B B L W

E O T X D G N R N E B V M J A U U B B A S S L U N P E V E A U I E H G M N F B C

H C E U X B L N K G G F K A N K W M A S E H C V J H Z M W I R M C E E K D A X Q

P B K D E T O M U X C I A T F D C Q P M B I K A W Z E J V D K U R N J J E L K Y

O A U B B B M B E F N G Z T B M Z E T J L P Y T G H N H D U E V O K S T Y L Y T

X G S P R Z V I A D U T S X R G C W S M S J T U C C Q I H C Y B W P E F M Z J B

P L N Q N O K M G G Z E O F Z D D Y M P Q I C I P U D K T I H S V T N F H A U R

V G I D E T O Y C P M F O H D I L E Z N F Q C E H U S F V S J L M P U U N Q L Z

R Y K I A S Q D E A L X O I H T D E I C D U A H C O C S I R J U K Y N M G G X A

B V P I H J L P G Y F I D P E D S U A S R E T T U B B W E Y Z F A T K A A O I Q

U K M Y V K J D U U B X K G A C G D S G U M D I X R B V H E L K I Y O J L Z T S

J C U F S V Z N F Y C J E H T I F L W K M U U J Q A N Y R U F N Y L R F S R E S

K G P O L P P W I E U C Z H E D A J M S S M F E D G B L P W G A R C L E Y L J Q

L P O I D H H Q J H H G H G E B W I E S T R A W V V N I V Y M H V G P N I C M B

Q M U A C O Q A K F K W S Q P T Y V U V I M X D N Q E M F M Z T X X Y S A D W F

F F Q D T B R B Z C Y E G Y E Y A K V W C C U A B B T A Y H W Q B L I E P U M I

Y Z P M K P B N A P P I N G E E K H I P K P H Q Z I G F U L S V J Q S V L G C B

S O C V N T N G P A P R U W L Y V Q R A S V I P I G K U R P V I C L X G E S P L

BonnettButter ChurnCard GamesCornucopiaCranberrySauceDrumstickFall Leaves

FamilyFarmFeathersFirst FeastFootballGravy BoatHarvestHunting

IndiansMays ParadeMaizeMayflouwerNappingPilgrimsPrayerPumpkin Pie

PumpkinsRakingLeavesScarecrowShoppingAdsStraw BalesStuffing

TeepeeThankfulTurkeyVisitingWattleWishbone


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Instructions: Try to make as many different words out of this word:

THANKSGIVING____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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Instructions: With each letter of the alphabet, name one thing you arethankful for:

Ii am thankful for

a__________

b__________c__________d__________

e__________f__________g__________h__________

i__________j__________k__________

l__________m__________

n__________o__________

p__________q__________r__________

s__________

t__________u__________v__________


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w__________x__________

y_________z__________

Thanksgiving Trivia1. T/F Thanksgiving is only celebrated in the United States?

___________________________2. The Greek Goddess of Corn is:

A. DemeterB. CornucopiaC. Ceres

D. Grainophillia3. The first department store to hold a Thanksgiving Day Parade was:A. MacysB. JC PenneyC. GimbelsD. None of the above

4. What is the name of the rock where the pilgrims landed?_____________________________5. The Indians who were invited to the Thanksgiving feast were of theWampanoag tribe. Who was their chief:

A. MassasoitB. PemaquidC. SamosetD. Squanto

6. What was the name of the ship the Pilgrims sailed on?_______________________________7. Who was the captain of that ship?_____________________________________________8. Thanksgiving became a national holiday thanks to this woman who was theeditor of a magazine called The Godeys Lady Book. Who was this woman?

A. Sarah HaleB. Sarah ParkerC. Sarah BradfordD. Sarah Standish

9. In Canada, they celebrate Thanksgiving in what month?______________________________10. The term cornucopia means what?

____________________________________________


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11. What was the original name for the pilgrims?A. PuritansB. PartisansC. SettlersD. Journeymen

12. The word turkey is said to come from the Hebrew word Tukki which means:A. Big BirdB. Pheasant BirdC. Wild BirdD. Turks Bird

13. Captain John Smith founded what colony in Virginia?_______________________________14. T/F The pilgrims took beer with them on their journey?

_____________________________15. The town of Plymouth, MA celebrates this on December 11 every year.

A. Miles Standishs BirthdayB. Forefathers DayC. Priscilla Aldens BirthdayD. William Bradfords Death

16. T/F The real Plymouth Rock is cracked?________________________________________17. T/F Indian corn is for decoration purposes only and not for cooking?

_____________________18. In what year did the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade first take place?

A. 1914

B. 1924C. 1934D. 1944

19. Why is the male turkey called a Tom Turkey?A. Because it is more politically correct than using cock maleB. Its named after Thomas JeffersonC. While the Indians were preparing them, they beat on their tom-tom

drumsD. Its from an 18th century political cartoon

20. It is believed that how many women survived to celebrate the first

Thanksgiving in 1621?A. 5B. 10C. 15D. None

21. The first Thanksgiving was believed to last how many days?A. 1 dayB. 2 daysC. 3 daysD. 4 days


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22. Every year the President pardons a turkey and sends it to live at Frying PanPark in Herndon, VA. Which President was the first to start this tradition?

A. President Andrew JacksonB. President Millard FillmoreC. President Harry TrumanD. President Warren G. Harding

23. Before being harvested and sold, an individual cranberry must bounce howmany inches high to test that it isnt too ripe?

A. 1 inchB. 2 inchesC. 3 inchesD. 4 inches

24. T/F The first meal eaten on the moon by astronauts Buzz Aldren and NeilArmstrong was a roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings?

_________________________________________25. Which balloon was the first balloon in the Mays Thanksgiving Day Parade?

A. Mickey MouseB. Felix the CatC. Big BirdD. Betty Boop

26. T/F Turkeys can drown if they look up in the rain?________________________________27. T/F The following turkey towns are real places in the United States: Turkey,

TX; Turkey Creek, LA; Turkey, NC; and Turkey Feather, NM28. T/F Historians have proved that the pilgrims didnt really wear those funnyhats and buckles on their shoes?

______________________________________________________________29. The longest balloon in the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade is?A. SpidermanB. SupermanC. SnoopyD. Barney the Dinosaur

30. Back in the early 1600s the pilgrims didnt have which of the followingutensils to eat their Thanksgiving Dinner with?

A. SpoonsB. Forks

C. Knives31. How many pilgrims were on the Mayflower?A. 92B. 102C. 112D. 122

32. How long was the voyage from England to the New World?A. 66 daysB. 86 daysC. 106 days


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D. 126 days33. T/F At the first Thanksgiving, there were more Indians than Pilgrims?

___________________

34. Plymouth Rock today is as big as?

A. a car engineB. a nose on a face of Mt. RushmoreC. a mailboxD. a house

35. Back in the early Thanksgiving celebrations, they also liked sporting eventsand took bets. Of course it wasnt football, but what was it?

A. ArcheryB. Knife ThrowingC. ShootingD. Horseshoes

36. Which President declared Thanksgiving a national holiday?A. President George WashingtonB. President Thomas JeffersonC. President James MadisonD. President Abraham Lincoln

37. The first Thanksgiving football game was started in 1934 by which team?A. Pittsburg SteerlersB. Kansas City ChiefsC. Detroit LionsD. New England Patriots

38. Why is Thanksgiving always celebrated on a Thursday?A. It was sacrilegious to celebrate on a Sunday.B. It took a lot of time to prepare the meal.C. Mid-prayer was on ThursdaysD. Thursday was the day they landed in the New World.


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Thanksgiving Secret Decoder

Game


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Instructions: write an acrostic poem by starting each sentence with thecorresponding letter.

T_____________H_____________

A_____________N_____________

K_____________F_____________

U_____________L_____________


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T_____________U_____________

R_____________K_____________

E_____________Y_____________


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P_____________I_____________

L_____________G_____________

R_____________I_____________

M_____________


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Millionaire MikesThanksgiving

He was a young millionaire sitting in a wheel chair on the pier waiting for the boat. Hehad turned his coat-collar up to shut out the wind, and his hat brim down to shut out the

sun. For the time being he was alone.

It was Thanksgiving, but the Millionaire was not thankful. He was not thinking of what hehad, but of what he wanted. He wanted his old strength of limb, and his old freedomfrom pain. True, the doctors had said that he might have them again in time, but hewanted them now. He wanted his girlfriend with him, too.

His girlfriend had been very sweet and gentle about it, but she had been firm. As hecould recollect it, their conversation had run something like this:

"But I want you with me, all day. Today of days."

"But, Billy, don't you see? I promised; besides, I ought to do it. I am the president of theclub. If I shirk responsibility, what can I expect the others to do?"

"But I need you just as much - yes, more - than those poor families."

"Oh, Billy, how can you say that, when they are so very poor, and when every one ofthem is the proud kind that would simply rather starve than go after their turkey andthings! That's why we girls take them to them. Don't you see?"

"Oh, yes, I see. I see I don't count. It couldn't be expected that I'd count - now!" And hepatted the crutches at his side.

It was despicable of him, and he knew it. But he said it. He could see her eyes now, allhurt and sorrowful as she went away. . . . And so this morning he sat waiting for theboat, a long, lonely day in prospect in his bungalow on the island, while behind him hehad left the dearest girl in the world, who, with a group of wealthy girls, was to distributeThanksgiving baskets to the poor.

Not that his day needed to be lonely. He knew that. A dozen friends stood ready andanxious to supply him with a good dinner and plenty of companionship. But he wouldhave none of them. As if he wanted a Thanksgiving dinner!

And so, alone, he waited in the wheel chair; and how he hated it. How could he bear tobe in a chair rather than a car? Since the accident, however, his injured back hadstopped him from driving cars, and he relied on his crutches or the wheel chair, in whichhe was pushed around by John, an employee.

With a frown the Millionaire twisted himself about and looked behind him. It was near thetime for the boat to start, and there would not be another for three hours. Where wasJohn? From the street hurried a jostling throng of men, women, and children. Longinglythe Millionaire watched them. He did not want to spend the next three hours where he


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was. If he could be pushed on to the boat, he would trust to luck for the other side. Withhis still weak left arm he could not propel himself, but if he could find some one...

Twice, with one of the newspapers that lay in his lap, he made a feeble attempt toattract attention; but the Millionaire was used to commanding, not begging, and hisaction passed unnoticed. He saw then in the crowd the face of a friend, and with adespairing gesture he waved the paper again. But the friend passed by without noticing.What happened then was so entirely unexpected that the Millionaire fell back in his chair

dumb with amazement.

"Here, Mister, youre not doing yer job! You can't sell nothing that way," scoffed afriendly voice. "Here, now, watch!" And before the Millionaire could collect his wits hesaw the four newspapers he had bought that morning to help pass the time, snatchedinto the grimy hands of a small boy and promptly made off with.The man's angry word of remonstrance died on his lips. The boy was darting in and outof the crowd, shouting "Paper, here's yer paper!" at the top of his voice. He didnt returnuntil the last pair of feet had crossed the gangplank. Then in triumph he hurried back tothe waiting man in the wheel chair and dropped into his lap a tiny heap of coins.

"Sold out, partner!" he crowed delighted. "Sold out!"

"But....I.....you...." gasped the man, speechless.

"Aw, forget it, it wasn't nothing" disdained the boy airily. "You see, youve got to holler."

"To holler?"

"Sure, Mister, or you can't sell nothing! Ive been watching you, and I saw right off thatyou wasn't doing yer job proper. Why, partner, you can't sell papers like you washanding out free donuts at a picnic. Youve got to yell at 'em, and git their attention. Ofcourse, you can't run like I can" - his voice softened awkwardly as his eyes fell to thecrutches at the man's side - "but you can holler, and not just sit there shaking 'em easyat 'em, like you did a minute ago. That ain't no way to sell papers!"

With a half-smothered exclamation the Millionaire fell back in his chair. He knew nowthat he was not a millionaire, but a "Mister" to the boy. He was not William SeymoreHaynes, but a cripple selling papers for a living. He would not have believed that aturned-up collar, a turned down soft hat, and a few jerks of a newspaper could havemade such a metamorphosis.

"You'll catch on in no time now, partner," resumed the boy soothingly, "and I'm mightyglad I was here to set you going. Sure, I sells papers myself, I does, and I knows how it is.Don't look so flabbergasted. It aint nothing. Shucks! Aint we got to help each other outwhen we can?

The Millionaire bit his lip. He had intended to offer money to this boy, but with his gazeon that glowing countenance, he knew that he could not. He had come suddenly face toface with something for which his gold could not pay.


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"Thank you," he stammered embarrassedly. "You - you were very kind." He paused, andgazed nervously back toward the street. "I was expecting some one. We were going totake that boat."

"No! Was you? And he didn't show up? Say, now, that's tough - on Thanksgiving, too!"

"As if I cared for Thanksgiving!" The words came tense with bitterness.

"Aw, come now, forget it!" There was a look of real concern on the boy's face. "That ain'tno way to talk. It's Thanksgiving!"

"Yes, I know. For some it is." The man's lips snapped shut grimly.

"Aw, come off it! Never mind if your pal didn't show up. There are other pals. Theres me,now. Tell you what, you come home with me! There won't be no boat now for a heap oftime, and I'm going to Thanksgiving dinner. Come on! It ain't far. I'll wheel you."

The man stared frankly.

"Er - thank you," he murmured, with an odd little laugh; "but ..."

"Shucks! Of course ye can. What are you going to do, sit here? What's the use of mopinglike

this when youve got an invite out to Thanksgiving dinner? And youd better catch itwhile it's going, too. You see, some days I couldn't ask ye - theres not grub enough! ButI can today, cause we got a surprise coming."

"Indeed!" The tone was abstracted, almost irritable; but the boy ignored this."Sure! It's a dinner - a Thanksgiving dinner bringed in to us. Now, ain't ye coming"?

"A dinner, did you say? Brought to you?"

"Yeaup!"

"Who brings it?"

"A lady what comes to see me and Kitty sometimes; and she's a peacherino, she is! Shesaid she'd bring it."

"Do you know her name?" The words came a little breathlessly.

"You bet! Why, she's our friend, I tell you! Her name is Miss Daisy Carrolton, that 's whatit is." The man relaxed in his chair. It was the dearest girl in the world.

"Say, ain't you coming?" urged the boy, anxiously.

"Coming? Of course I'm coming," cried the man, with sudden energy. "Just catch hold ofthat chair back there, lad, and you'll see."


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"Say, now, thats something, like," crowed the boy, as he briskly started the chair. "'Itain't far, you know."

Neither the boy nor the Millionaire talked much on the way. The boy was busy with histask; the man, with his thoughts. Just why he was doing this thing was not clear even tothe man himself. He suspected it was because of the girl. He could imagine her facewhen she found that it was to him she was bringing her turkey dinner! He roused himselfwith a start. The boy was speaking.

"My! but I'm glad I stopped and watched you trying to sell papers. Think of you sittingthere all this time waiting for that boat and on Thanksgiving, too! And don't you worrynone! Ma and Kitty will be right glad to see you. It ain't often we can have company. It'susually us taking things other people give to us - not us giving ourselves."

"Oh," replied the man uncertainly. "Is that so?"

With a distinct shock it had come to the millionaire that he was not merely thedisgruntled boyfriend planning a little prank to tease the dearest girl in the world. Hewas the honored guest of a family who were rejoicing that it was in their power to give a

lonely cripple a Thanksgiving dinner. His face grew red at the thought.

"And I say, what is your name, partner?" went on the boy.

"You can call me Mike,'" retorted the man, nervously wondering if he could play the part.He caught a glimpse of the beaming face of the boy, his benefactor, and decided that hemust play it.

"All right, then, Mike. Were here," announced the boy in triumph, stopping before aflight of steps that led to a basement door.

With the aid of his crutches the man descended the steps. Behind him came the boy withthe chair. At the foot the boy flung wide the door and escorted his guest through a dark,evil-smelling hallway, into a kitchen beyond.

"Ma! Kitty! Look here!" he shouted, leaving the chair, and springing into the room. "I'vebringed home company to dinner. This is Mike. He was selling papers down at the dock,and he lost his boat. I told him to come on here and eat with us. I knowed what wascoming, you see!"

"Why, yes, indeed, of course," fluttered a pale-faced little woman, plainly trying not tolook sur- prised. "Sit down, Mr. Mike," she finished, drawing up a chair to the old stove.

"Thank you, but I -- I --" The man looked about for a means of escape. In the doorwaystood the boy with the wheel chair.

"Here, Mr. Mike, maybe you wanted this. Say, Kitty, ain't this grand?" he endedadmiringly, wheeling the chair to the middle of the room.

From the corner came the tap of crutches, and the man saw then what he had not seenbefore; a slip of a girl, perhaps twelve years old, with a helpless little foot hanging limpbelow the bottom of her skirt.


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"Oh, oh!" she breathed, her eyes aflame with excitement. "Its a wheel chair! Oh, sir,how glad and proud you must be - with that!"

The man sat down, though not in the wheel chair. He dropped a little helplessly into theone his hostess had brought forward.

"Perhaps you'd like to try it," he managed to stammer.

"Oh, can I? Thank you!" breathed a rapturous voice. And there, for the next five minutes,sat the Millionaire watching a slip of a girl wheeling herself back and forth in his chair -his chair, which he had never before suspected of being "fine" or "wonderful" or "grand" -as the girl declared it to be.

Shrinkingly he looked about him. Everything was tattered and torn, broken and battered.He had almost struggled to his feet to flee from it all when the boy's voice stopped him.

"Its coming about 12 oclock, the grub is; and it's going to be all cooked so we can beginto eat right off. There, how's that?" he questioned, standing away to admire the propped-

up table he and his mother were setting with a few broken dishes.

"Now ain't you glad you ain't down there waiting for a boat what don't come?""Sure I am," declared the man, gazing into the happy face before him, and valiantlydetermining to be Mike now no matter what happened.

"And ain't the table pretty!" exulted the little girl. "I found that china cup with the gold onit. Of course it don't hold nothing, 'cause the bottom's fell out; but it looks pretty - andlooks counts when company's here!"

The boy lifted his head suddenly.

"Look here! I'll make it hold something," he cried, diving his hands into his pockets, andbringing out some small coins. "You just wait. I'll get a bunch of flowers up at the square.We ought to have flowers, with company here."

"Hold on!" The Millionaire's hand was in his pocket now. His fingers were on a gold piece."Here," he said a little huskily, "let me help." But the fingers, when he held them out,carried only the dime that Mike might give, not the gold piece of the Millionaire.

"Aw, go on!" scoffed the boy, jubilantly. "As if we'd let company pay! This is our show!"And for the second time that day the Millionaire had found something that money couldnot buy.

And thus it happened that the table, a little later, held a centerpiece of flowers - fournear-to-fading pinks in a bottomless, gold-banded china cup.

It was the man who heard the sound of the car in the street outside. Instinctively hebraced himself, and none too soon. There was a light knock, then in the doorway stoodthe dearest girl in the world, a large basket and a box in her hands.


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"Oh, how lovely! You have the table all ready," she exclaimed, coming swiftly forward."And what a fine ... Billy!" she gasped, as she dropped the box and the basket on thetable.

The boy turned sharply.

"Aw! Why didn't you tell me?" he reproached the man; then to the Girl: "Do you knowhim? He said to call him Mike.'"

The man rose now. With an odd directness he looked straight into the Girl's startledeyes.

"Maybe Miss Carrolton don't remember me much, as I am now," he murmured.The Girl flushed. The man, who knew her so well, did not need to be told that the angrylight in her eyes meant that she suspected him of playing this masquerade for a joke,and that she did not like it. Even the dearest girl in the world had a temper - at times.

"But why are you here?" she asked in a cold little voice.

The man's eyes did not swerve.

"Jimmy asked me to come."

"He asked you to come!"

"Sure I did," interposed Jimmy, with all the anxiety of a host who sees his guest, for someunknown reason, being made uncomfortable. "I knowed you wouldn't mind if we did askcompany to help eat the dinner, and he lost his boat, you see, and had a face on him aslong as my arm, he was so upset about it. He was selling papers down at the dock."

"Selling papers!"

"As it happened, I did not sell them," interposed the man, still with that steady meetingof her eyes. "Jimmy sold them for me. He will tell you that I wasn't doing my job, so hehelped me out."

"Aw, forget it," grinned Jimmy sheepishly. "That was nothing. I only showed him youcouldn't sell no papers without hollering."

A curious look of admiration and relief came to the face of the Girl. Her eyes softened."You mean..."

She stopped, and the man nodded his head gravely.

"Yes, miss. I was alone, waiting for John. He must have got delayed. I had four papers inmy lap, and after Jimmy had sold them and the boat had gone, he very kindly asked meto dinner, and - I came."

"Whew! Look at this!" cried an excited voice. Jimmy was investigating the contents of thebasket. "Say, Mike, we got turkey! You see," he explained, turning to Miss Carrolton, "he


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hung back for a while, and wasn't fast coming. And I did hope it would be turkey - forcompany. Folks don't have company every day"!

"No, folks don't have company every day," repeated the Girl softly; and into the longingeyes opposite she threw, before she went away, one look such as only the dearest girl inthe world can give - a look full of tenderness and love and understanding.

Long hours later, in quite a different place, the Girl saw the man again. He was not Mike

now. He was the Millionaire. For a time he talked eagerly of his curious visit, chattingexcitedly of all the delightful results that were to come from it. He would provide restand comfort for the woman, a wheel chair and the best of surgeons for the little girl,school and even college for the boy. Then, after a long minute of silence, he saidsomething else. He said it diffidently, and with a rush of bright color to his face - he wasnot used to treading quite so near to his heart.

"I never thought," he said, just touching the crutches at his side, "that I'd ever bethankful for these. But I was almost thankful today. You see, it was they that thatbrought me my dinner," he finished, and he could not hide the shake in his voice.

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