The above tree is what I would present to you
With a present there under for each of you
But since I cannot, for I don't have the withal
I will simply say, "Merry Christmas to all."
Now, you may grab your coffee. I, in turn, will be finishing my blog concerning the Festigue's.
...Two months later, Bess was excited as were, Janie, Robert and Timmy too. Today was the day of the County Bazaar and Bess was entering, her pecan pies, cranberry jelly and apple pies in the contest for the grand prize of five hundred dollars. Bess had dreamed about winning, as all of the Festigue children had, but none harder than Janie. Janie noticed how Bess's hands had started to look roughened and calloused From all of the lye soap she used to do the hand washing that she took in to help make ends meet. Janie had seen a turn crank washing machine over at the Myads when she had taken some of Bess' jelly to them. The Myads were a well to do family and the Festigue's depended on their monthly jelly and molasses buying more than they cared to say.
(To be continued as soon as I get on the road, but in the meantime, take a look at the Christmas tree that the Myads gave to Janie on one of her jelly jaunts. We will talk about Robert and his getting excited and always wanting to run with the jelly in a bit, too. So meet me back at my blog in about an hour and a half or so...)
As she finished packing the push cart with her baked goods and her jelly, Bess mused, "Probably Widow Dumant was going to win the five hundred dollars because she did every year. Still", Bess thought, "Even if I don't win, there is always the money from the sale of my jelly." That jelly sold better than her pecan or apple pies. Bess had never entered her jelly because she never had any jars on hand to make enough. The jars were always in someone's pantry full of her jelly. This year though, the Myads, had given her two boxes of brand new jars from their basement. Bess had been beside herself with glee and had been caught skipping down the walk with Janie by Mr. Myads' oldest son, Redforth. Redforth had recently come back home after finishing law school and passing the bar. He was the new lawyer in town. (Cont. in an hour or so. Have some IHOP pancakes to enjoy right now.)
(Ok, I'm full, so I'm back. And yes, it was delightful! Every now and then, we cooks like to eat out. I do, at any rate. tee hee) ...Alright, where was I? Oh yeah, on the way to the bazaar. With Baby Timmy secure in the push cart, the Festigue's set off for the bazaar. It was a mile walk and Bess could have easily made it in 7 minutes, but with the push cart and her little brothers, the trip took about forty minutes. Robert, bless his excitable little heart, had fallen when skipping ahead and torn his newly patched pants and skinned his knee. After she had cleaned him up and scolded him for running, they headed on to the bazaar. When they got to the bazaar, Bess had Janie take Timmy to relieve himself at the Widow Dumant's while she went to get her table and enter her number. Robert had the job of staying with the cart, though he was not happy about it, for he had spotted his friend, Clay, and wanted to go looking for coins with him. Clay had already found a penny.
Bess made it back with the disappointing news that they could not use the push cart to get to their table which was on the far end next to the briar bushes. It seemed that Mr. Knob, in his newly appointed role as bazaar manager, had had the bazaar area spread with pine needles. Hence, no conveyances of any kind were allowed. When Robert started to complain about how long it was going to take to haul everything down to the far end, Bess tersely reminded him that if he hadn't been running (which he was repeatedly told not to do) then they would have gotten to the bazaar early enough to have a table on this end. Robert closed his mouth and just as quickly grabbed two apple pies and headed for their far end table at a dead run. Bess said, "Stop Robert! You bring my pies right back to this cart. Here comes Janie with Baby Timmy and she can carry two pies and Timmy down to the table. You, Mister, can carry my box of jars of jelly over to the jelly judging table and then you can scoot.
Robert, his face lit up with joy, took off with the jelly. Bess had made twenty four jars of jelly. She had used the last of her stored honey and the store bought sugar that Annie had left when she moved to Mesquite. Still, Bess thought it was worth it, for if she could sell all of her wares, they would have a plenty for the winter and the boys could have a new pair of shoes each and a pair of overalls. Now if she won the bazaar,...Crash!! Bess whirled around and, wouldn't you know it, there lay Robert with broken jelly jars a skitter and lying as still as can be. Bess heard someone say, "Catch her by jiminy! She's gonna faint!"
Bess opened her eyes to strange arms holding her. She sat up abruptly. Young Mr. Myads (Redforth), said nervously. "It seems you fainted. We already sent for Doc Merrywinkle."
"Coming through folks; move aside; Doc's coming through", said Mr. Knob's voice. Bess heard Robert saying, "Lemme go; lemme go!" She saw that he was being held by old man Myads who said, "Now see here young'un, you stop yo fidgetin' right now or I'll lay you cross my knee. The Doc is here to see to your sister and you gonna sit still and let him do it!"
Join me tomorrow for The Festigue's, Part 3
Doing What I Can, While I Can
Alma Jones
(Ok, I'm full, so I'm back. And yes, it was delightful! Every now and then, we cooks like to eat out. I do, at any rate. tee hee) ...Alright, where was I? Oh yeah, on the way to the bazaar. With Baby Timmy secure in the push cart, the Festigue's set off for the bazaar. It was a mile walk and Bess could have easily made it in 7 minutes, but with the push cart and her little brothers, the trip took about forty minutes. Robert, bless his excitable little heart, had fallen when skipping ahead and torn his newly patched pants and skinned his knee. After she had cleaned him up and scolded him for running, they headed on to the bazaar. When they got to the bazaar, Bess had Janie take Timmy to relieve himself at the Widow Dumant's while she went to get her table and enter her number. Robert had the job of staying with the cart, though he was not happy about it, for he had spotted his friend, Clay, and wanted to go looking for coins with him. Clay had already found a penny.
Bess made it back with the disappointing news that they could not use the push cart to get to their table which was on the far end next to the briar bushes. It seemed that Mr. Knob, in his newly appointed role as bazaar manager, had had the bazaar area spread with pine needles. Hence, no conveyances of any kind were allowed. When Robert started to complain about how long it was going to take to haul everything down to the far end, Bess tersely reminded him that if he hadn't been running (which he was repeatedly told not to do) then they would have gotten to the bazaar early enough to have a table on this end. Robert closed his mouth and just as quickly grabbed two apple pies and headed for their far end table at a dead run. Bess said, "Stop Robert! You bring my pies right back to this cart. Here comes Janie with Baby Timmy and she can carry two pies and Timmy down to the table. You, Mister, can carry my box of jars of jelly over to the jelly judging table and then you can scoot.
Robert, his face lit up with joy, took off with the jelly. Bess had made twenty four jars of jelly. She had used the last of her stored honey and the store bought sugar that Annie had left when she moved to Mesquite. Still, Bess thought it was worth it, for if she could sell all of her wares, they would have a plenty for the winter and the boys could have a new pair of shoes each and a pair of overalls. Now if she won the bazaar,...Crash!! Bess whirled around and, wouldn't you know it, there lay Robert with broken jelly jars a skitter and lying as still as can be. Bess heard someone say, "Catch her by jiminy! She's gonna faint!"
Bess opened her eyes to strange arms holding her. She sat up abruptly. Young Mr. Myads (Redforth), said nervously. "It seems you fainted. We already sent for Doc Merrywinkle."
"Coming through folks; move aside; Doc's coming through", said Mr. Knob's voice. Bess heard Robert saying, "Lemme go; lemme go!" She saw that he was being held by old man Myads who said, "Now see here young'un, you stop yo fidgetin' right now or I'll lay you cross my knee. The Doc is here to see to your sister and you gonna sit still and let him do it!"
Join me tomorrow for The Festigue's, Part 3
Doing What I Can, While I Can
Alma Jones
The Festigue's Tree
To God
We just want to let the world know
How highly we esteem You
And how You let Your
Blessings flow!
The Festigue Children
Bess (Elizabeth), Janie, Robert & Baby Timmy
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