The Weber Literary Journal addition to this dry meal. Then you will have an idea how Phoebe and her brothers and sisters felt when a neighbor, from about three miles away, brought them a large piece of beef. "I kind of thought you'd like to have a piece of beef. We killed our cow last week and I've been intending to bring a piece to you ever since, but I didn't get around to it until tonight," the neighbor, a kindly, red-faced individual, stated, as he stood awkwardly in the doorway. The hearts of each one of the listeners swelled with gratitude at the kindness and thought of this pioneer, and the father and mother had difficulty in expressing their thanks. But when the neighbor, for truly, he was a neighbor in the right sense of the word, had gone, a lively discussion ensued. The children could not agree as to how the precious meat should be prepared on the morrow. Each had his own particular idea, until the mother settled the dispute by saying, "We'll make stew of it. That will last much longer and go much farther than to fix it any other way." And so the momentous question was decided. Early the next morning, the meat was put with the vegetables in a huge iron kettle and hung in the great stone fireplace. This fireplace was the pride of the family. It had taken a great deal of labor on the part of the father to cement the stones together with mud, but he had done it. Now, with a great, roaring fire under it, the black kettle with its precious burden most appropriately adorned the precious fireplace. About noon the stew was almost done. The children had spent the morning getting the table set to their satisfaction, and each one had privately lifted the lid of the kettle and sniffed rapturously at the delicious odor. In fact, this had been done so many times that the mother at last forbade it, saying the stew would never get done if they did not let it alone. A little after noon the children became impatient and hungry, but as their father had not yet come in from the fields, they were compelled to wait. Each one was playing about the house, and the mother was busy by the table with culinary duties, when suddenly a crackling and then a roaring was heard, and the mother, with her quick pioneer wit, snatched the kettle from the fire just as the great fireplace came tumbling in! 20 The Weber Literary Journal When the excitement and fright were over, the little family had to make their way to the old wagon, and spend the rest of the day there. The new house was so filled with dust and smoke that it was impossible to live in it until the fireplace was fixed. So the Thanksgiving dinner was eaten in the old wagon after all. The dinner was just as heartily enjoyed, however, and happy hearts beat just as high. The family joked and told stories, and after that ancient custom, each one told what he had to thank the good Lord for. Said the father, with great solemnity, "I am thankful for the Gospel and for all the blessings it brings us." "I am thankful for the good health and abundant happiness we have enjoyed," the mother added brightly. Tom was happy for the new house, and each child enumerated something different he was most thankful for, but it remained for little Phoebe to complete the list with the quaint remark, "I'm thankful because the stew was saved." 21