RED, WHITE AND BLUE THANKSGIVING
15
army, and when Mother came out of the kitchen in her new silky–
ruffiy dress and with her hair all curls, there was such squealing and
kissing and my dear you look like a schoolgirl and to think that
Tyler's a second lieutenant at twenty; and out of it came Unclr
Glenn's voice grumbling that Tyler had ought to have gotten his
commission before he went over like the other college boys did, but
Miss Jenks screeched that Herbert hadn't wanted him to, he'd wanted
him to rise from the ranks it was so much more democratic, and she
thought it was splendid.
Mother said for Glenn to go help Dad bring in the oysters and
Uncle Glenn followed into the kitchen where Dad was standing
by the sink. Dad had a couple of plates of oysters ready but he'd
jabbed himself in the palm of the hand with the oysterknife and
was
standing there looking down with that slow puzzled look he had
at a little drop of dark blood swelling up in the palm of his hand.
Uncle Glenn roared that it was too bad Herbert and that he'd
ought to use a leather mitt, and grabbed the oysterknife out of Dad's
hand, and started to open the oysters at a great rate while Dad and
Glenn carried the plates into the diningroom, where the table had
every leaf in it and they'd hung paper festoons round the electric light
fixture that Mother always said was so ugly. Glenn went around
straightening the old linen tablecloth with its stiff creases and Mother's
best silver spoons and forks that had belonged to grandmama Carroll.
Uncle Glenn caught him at it and slapped him on the back so hard it
hurt, and said he was darned if they hadn't turned little Glenn into
a
regular parlor maid, so that Glenn blushed and went out in the
back hall and stood looking out the window at the garbage cans and
the spilt ashes in the yard where there was still an oak all golden
with
fall and a scraggly privet bush with green leaves on it. Some–
body had stuck a faded paper American flag at the top of the privet
bush.
When Glenn got back they were all at their places and Dad
was
standing- still with his eyes drooping waiting to say grace. As
100n
as
they'd sat down Aunt Harriet said now dear Ada mustn't do
another thing she was afraid she'd overdone. Mother shook her head,
but she .did look pale instead of looking flushed like she had in the
kitchen. Her voice sounded tired when she said she'd so looked for–
ward to having everybody at her house this Thanksgiving so that they
could be happy with her because she was so happy and tears began
to
run down her cheeks.
Well now the Huns would get what was coming to them.
lTnr l.–
enn said. He 'was liftinP," an ovster driopinP," with cocktail sauce into
' fat mouth. He smacked his lips and said he for one hoped they'd
