Grandfathers Love Pie | Page 5

crisp, brittle crust which
Aunt Bettie brings to our table," replied Aunt Alice with a laugh.
After a moment she continued, "I wonder if we couldn't get hold of one
of those hat-boxes which are made to hold the enormous 'creations' we
see every day in the milliners' shops, and on the heads of so many
pretty girls. We can make the effort, anyhow, and if we don't succeed in
finding just what we want, needles and cardboard are plentiful and we
can make a box to suit ourselves, for it must be at least twenty-five or
thirty inches in diameter and six inches high to hold the filling."
They walked slowly homeward, discussing various little points which
occurred to them along the way, until, when Alice walked back into the
front door of her home, what was her surprise and delight to feel that
the weight of the sorrow, which had so oppressed her, was lightened.
She felt almost buoyant in her eagerness for Christmas to come.
And now a busy season began. It was hard to think of anything suitable
for the invalid, for had not the loving hands of his wife and children
provided everything that might add to the comfort of the beloved head
of the household?
There was one little feature that had been overlooked,
however--grandfather possessed no foot-warmers. So Alsie's energies
were at once set to work on these articles, which were destined to be
"real comforts" in the weeks which followed Christmas.
The story of grandfather's pie was soon spread, not only through the
family, but also to a large circle of friends. Everybody was cautioned,
however, to keep the secret from Mrs. Gordon, for it was decreed that
the faithful little "wifey" (no one had ever heard the Captain address his
wife by any other name than that, which he had bestowed upon her
during their honeymoon) should share the surprise and pleasure with

her husband.
"Mr. Doctor, what are you going to put in the Christmas pie?"
exclaimed Alice merrily one morning, after telling the physician of the
plan.
"I think I'll contribute the turkey," he answered with a smile. "A turkey,
of course, which won't take up too much space, and the dressing I'll put
in that turkey will be calculated to make any sick man well. Do you
understand?"
Alice didn't quite understand, but was willing to leave the matter in his
hands.
Little Jack was quite worried that he could think of nothing to make
grandfather laugh, and one day when he was in the sick-chamber he
blurted out, "Grandfather, what would you rather have me give you for
Christmas than anything else?"
The laugh came then--before time--for it explained to grandfather the
uneasy, doubtful expression which had enveloped the little lad's face
just previous to the asking of the question.
"Well, I'll tell you, Jack, what would please me more than anything
else--a perfect report from your teacher. If you could bring me this, on
Christmas Day, I would know that it meant hard work for a boy, who is
as fond of play and mischief as you."
Nothing more was said on the subject, but little Jack passed out of the
room with a stern resolution that that report should be forthcoming, and
when Aunt Alice was told of it she exclaimed enthusiastically, "O,
Jacky boy, you must get that perfect report, even if it does mean hard
work, and we'll lay it in the very center of the pie, sealed up in the
prettiest Christmas envelope that I can paint."

III.

"Aunt Bettie, what are you going to put in the pie? For you know
everybody must put in something to please grandfather or make him
laugh," asked Alsie, after detailing the plan to the dear old black
mammy, who had been grandmother's maid when she was a young lady
in the long years ago.
Aunt Bettie was considerably beyond sixty, but not many young
"niggers" could get around as lively as she, and no one, who had ever
dined in that household, could doubt her ability to cook the best meal
ever brought to a table.
"Nevah you min', honey--Aunt Bettie'll have somethin' fur de
occasion--it's a shame dat doctah won't let Captain Gordon hab no pie
nor nuthin', but makes him eat jest dem beat biscuits, when he likes de
soft ones so much de best. I'll be ready, chile, on de day 'fore Christmas,
so don' you worry yourse'f 'bout me."
"But you mus'n't make him anything that is bad for him, Aunt Bettie.
He can't eat the plum pudding, and other rich goodies like the rest of us,
you know, because he is too ill and the doctor won't allow it," answered
Alsie anxiously.
"I'll 'member all dat," laughed Aunt Bettie reassuringly,