The poor boy has been away from his mother nearly a year, and it is natural that he should want to go home and spend Thanksgiving.

If you were in his place, and he in yours, don't you think you should like the arrangement your father proposes ?" "I suppose I should," replied Oscar; "but it's hard for me to lose my vacation, for the sake of letting him have one." "You will not lose all your vacation," said his father "If you are lively, you can do all I shall want you to do in four or five hours, and have the rest of the day to yourself." "And I 'll help you, too," said Ralph, who was always ready to offer his assistance in such a case as this.
"Thanksgiving week" soon arrived, and the busy note of preparation for the approaching festival was heard throughout the house.

Bridget was invested with a new dignity, in the eyes of the children, as she bustled about among the mince-meat and the pie-crust, the eggs and the milk, the fruit and the spices, that were to be compounded into all sorts of good things.

The house was filled with savory odors from the oven, and long rows of pies began to fill up every vacant space in the closet.

Mrs.Preston was busy, superintending the operations of the household; while Alice and Ella rendered such assistance as they could, in the chopping of pie-meat, the paring of apples, the picking of raisins, &c.