A Long Ago Kansas Christmas. 



Pushing back from the table, I felt satisfied with the world, 

 because I had finished a good, plain supper, flavored with the 

 best of all seasoning, namely, plain sauce and an outdoor air 

 appetite. 



Our evening was passed quietly talking over the news of 

 our old home. Retiring early, I was asleep almost as soon as 

 I touched the soft feather bed. I awoke the next morning in 

 time to hear the clock strike seven, and as I counted the strokes 

 there came to me the recollection that this was Christmas, and 

 that just a week before, to the minute, I had rolled out of bed 

 weak and shivering and dreading my day's work. Only a 

 week ! Yet in that short time the whole world had changed. 

 Turning over in bed, I looked out of the window just as the sun 

 rose in the east and sent long, mellow shafts of gold aslant the 

 autumn-tinted skies. I was greeted with a "Merry Christmas" 

 from the bed on the other side of the curtain, and in a few min- 

 utes the tea kettle was singing merrily on the little cook stove. 



Over our bacon and corn cakes Dave outlined the day's 

 program. He said, "Doctor, you can go for a hunt and I will 

 finish husking my corn this forenoon." I replied, "No ; I will 

 help you get the corn out, and after dinner we can drive over 

 to your brother's and hunt on the way." 



We had the corn in the crib just in time to wash for din- 

 ner. Oh, how good that Christmas dinner smelled as we 

 stepped up to the open door of the little dug-out. I doubt very 

 much if any of the rich city families enjoyed their Christmas 

 dinner that day any more than we did. The game occupied 

 the center of the table, flanked with a variety of other good 

 dishes, and sauced with an appetite that could enjoy it. 



After dinner we climbed into the big farm wagon and drove 

 over to spend the afternoon with Dave's brother, Newton. 

 There was an organ in the house, and the afternoon passed so 

 quickly with music and visiting that it was night before we 

 realized it. Newton lived in a four-roomed frame house, and 

 before leaving we were invited into the dining room to partake 



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