The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 25, 1900, Page 11

ing night, and Hel o her 1 low, =w turkes go pop down below. ‘Oh tongue I said, ‘I hope that isn’t real re not take it; I might get gid- beer? 14 . he tr ‘It's champagne,” he answered cooily; t after your fright. Here Tid- dles—well, I'm blest, you old rascal r 10 be glddy ! d remembered an oid and he quietly pour down Fis own throat 1 said consolingly, “Tid ter than I could and it's only fair that he should enjoy himself “no; we've both had a lovely Thanksgiv- Ing dinner, thank you.’ Yes, but 1 haven’t,” he retorted. “‘Good graclous, Mr. Dudley, haven't ed at : yet: I'm waiting. 1 don’t feel enough just at present. Miss Mr. Dudley.’ -ou think vou could help me kful enough?’ n°t make him out end said the fact is’ he explained—he was positively stammering and that puz- zled me more than anything—T1 want a Thanksgiving present, a greedy, selfish sort of a present, and I want you to give it to me.’ *“‘Oh dear, is that all?” I cried; ‘why ©f course I'd be too pleased to give you ' anything in the wide world that I could, you've been 20 kind to me.’ Thanksgi ving on. of course,’ I an- want in reason. T pre- are the present, Mag- . It's quite crue. T've wanted from the very first day. I want you 11 your life.’ was just struck -en proposed to in was a pro- 3 ¢ to beh better ask him this really a prog bad imitation, any- n quite In earnest, Maggie.' Mr. Dudley, T con’t know what ve read’ a great m all had Is, op of an ddles.’ he s r down.’ 1 before 1 knew Tiddleywinks had t thing I was in Dudley arms. do you know what to say?” he whispered; it all right? Quick, Maggi f the dear old leathery ink Tid wants me’ was S Cousin Maggie was using her handker- chief suspiciously and the stars gleamed peacefully over Alcatraz while I sat and puzzied. “But, Maggie, “Cousin Jokn is a t Dudley Yes it is, John Dudiev Porter; he. went 4s Dudley for the sake of his meople, who are highfafutin folk and wouldn’t have liked the elephant business. Jut he left after he got his ribs mangled. helping a friend with the lions. He had had some seafaring experience and a good educa- tion, and so he slipped into his present work, as good a skipper as you’ll find on the coast. But. sallor or trainer, no woman ever had a better husband, and he says it's because he has Thanksgiving day always with him. Thank heaven he’'ll be back for Thanksgiving dinner! “And Meaggle, my dear, you can go to bed, now that you know why we can't eat that dinner without an elephant,” I objected at last, ilor and his name know how I ought to | Elephant but | THE SUNDAY CALL. 11 - AT THID THANKSTIVING PEAST THEY wc-ukr:n ALONG THROUGH THE MOST % BEAUTIFUL, GARDEND any that Helen had ever heard, it was so delicate and sweet. As the music became more distinet they knew they must be getting very near the home of the Star- fish, and soon they were within the pal- ace gates of the Prince and Princess Star- fish. The music swelled into a perfect flood of melody as they entered the gates, and’ they were met by two of the cun- ningest little starfish that Helen had ever seen. She never knew before that fish could talk; they had the tiniest volces. These little starfish conducted Helen and the fairy to the Prince and Princess, who welcomed them by giving them one of their points at a time, until they had shaken them all. “What a funny way to shake hands,” thought Helen. The palace was down between two huge rocks which were completely covered with pearl, and‘the Prince touched a hidden spring somewhere and the palace was suddenly flooded with the most brilliant light. Tt glowed and shimmered on the pearl until it fairly dazzled Helen's eyes, and then she saw quite plainly all the as- iembled guests and the gorgeous furnish- ngs of the palace under the sea. There were soft couches of green moss ind cushions of the most brilliant colors. Great bushes of gayly colored coral grew here and there and tall trees of feathery brown swayed In the waves, and the queerest part of it all° was that these trees were just filled with millions of baby fishes. Helen said to the Princess, “Why do the baby fishes stay in the trees?” and the Princess replied, “To keep the big, cruel fish from eating them up.” =« Helen was glad then that she did not live In the ocean, where there was dan- zér of being eaten allve. After a time spent In conversation—and ihe tiniest, funniest conversation that Helen had ever heard—a falry announced that dinner was served. Helen at once thought of her nightdress, and looking down was much surprised to see no night- Aress at all, but a beautiful, shimmering dress of green and silver gauze. The falry then conducted her to the place of honor at the table, and oh, what a curfous assembly was there. First, there were the Prince and Prin- eess Starfish, who were very large, and of a bright red color, and each had as many as twenty points. Then there was a long row of the starfish children, who were sitting on the couch by the table. Some were little and some were big, and they were all colors. The twins sat next their mamma, and they were no bigger than Helen's thumb- nail. She noticed that th a4 not cry nor tease at the table 1 were suited with everything to which they were served. It made Helen feel®just a little bit ashamed, for she thought that even a little sta might teach her some thing about table manners. Then there were the Abalone famiiy. They said they had quite a time to get away from home, as’ they were all stuck so closely to a rock that ti titul shells pulling away from it. Never- theless they were there, and evidently enjoying themselves very much. came the Sea-Urchins. O, my! how they looked—a great row of them, all cov- ered with stickers. They were bright red and purple br tiful to look upon,but Hel Jellyfish whisper to wcess, a T would rather not next the Sea-Urchins, please, because they keep jabbing me in the si with th stfckers.” The Sea-Urchins Insisted shaking hands with Helen, too, and thelr stickers punched into her soft little hands so that she was glad whe she reached the end of the row. Howev meant well, shg was sure, very jolly family. The little purple bables of the Urchin family got to gigg table, but one look from the papa, one shake from his thousand made them stop gigzling. sober and demure as it is pos lttle Sea-Urchin to look Papa and Mamma Jellyfish looked fun- nier than anybody there, Helen thought. They werd so fat and wob and you could see right through them. FHelen couldn’t see what they ate, or where they put it, but they surely must eat som thing, for they were all fat and wobb and good-natured. They could har keep their places at the table, thoug they were so'slick, and some of J fish children were all the time slipp off their seats, having to be picked ap by the tir fairies who were in atte there were the Sea-Anem h at first Helen thought were pretty green white sunflowers. When they were si ting at the table they looked llke flowers, but as soon as any one would touch them they would draw themselves up tight, till they looked just like soft, green pin- cushi Helen ventured to shake han Mrs. Sea-Anemone. almost broke thelir be: and were beau- eard Mar der the t dance. nes, wl with but was sorry she did, because she took Helen's finger her mouth and squeczed it t Helen thought she would never see th again. She had to stand th Sea-Anem one went to draw a long breath and out dropped the finger. After that she was very carefy not to shake hands with any more of the Anemone family They were very nice to look at, but 't be friendly with su The little jel the crabs, because they looked walking side-ways »n the yfish were laugh just then one of the baby ¢ of the baby jellyfish a nudge in the side, and it hurt so that the was stopped. However, taking it all n all,” they behaved so much better at the table than ¢ n on the land that Helen said to herself that she would r rude or fault-finding at the tab were many other families at th giving fea and others too After all were seated, the feast and all the while there was charming music. coming from a ti ¢hestra of fish, concealed In a huge tree. The flutes were made of drled kelp .and the violins of tiny shells, with cords of sea-grass stretched tightly across. These gave forth the sweetest sot made Helen remark to the jellyfish who sat next her: “Oh, I do wi mamma could hear that!” Her volce sounded so big that it frightened the bdaby fish in the trees, and they all began crying for thelr mammas. There was a queer sound of all the mammas darting from the tabls to comfort the babies, and explain to them that Helen lived on the land, whers everybody talked in that way, and that she was a good little girl, anc would not harm them. Quiet was once more re- stored, and she was allowed to talk all she wished after that. The table was laden with good things. and Helen liked everything they gave Rer, although she had never before tasted any of these dishes. There was a salad, made of the sea-lettuce, and all kinds of queer meat, and something they called mince ple, which, although it did not taste at all like the mince ple Helen had eaten so heartily of at home, that day was most delicious, and Helen asked the Prin- cess for the recipeg Helen knew it must be growing late, so, after the meal was ended and the music had ceased, and all the baby fish were fairly tumbling from their seats with sleepiness, Helen took leave of the kind Prince and Princess Starfish and all the guests, and the fairy having fastened her wings on once more, they started for home. They had not yet reached the fair world, when Helen was startled by hear- ing a volce, which sounded strangely like her own mamma’'s voice, and it was say- ing: “I was afrald she would be restless to-night, when she ate so much of that mince ple and crab salad to-day. Tt is a good thing Thanksgiving comes but once a year." Helen opened her eyes, and looked around, saying: - “But the Princess Star- fish sent you her recipe for making mince ples.” With that mamma laughed, and sald to papa: ‘““Mince ples! Didn't I tell you so?" ver again be Thera Thanks- merous to nds, and 1t