Chapter 14 Thanksgiving and the Fun Fall Months.
After a successful harvest of all the gardens, Plumfield closed its windows and prepared for fall.
With the October frosts came shorter days and longer nights spent by the cheery fire, playing games, reading and talking.
But the activity everyone loved the most was storytelling.
Each night, Mother Jo or Father Bear would tell the boys a tall tale.
Sometimes they would be so scared by the end of the story that heading upstairs for the night became an adventure of looking under beds and opening up closet doors.
One night, when everyone was getting up to mischief and calling one another names in the playroom Franz, who was watching them, decided that enough was enough.
From now on, everyone who enters the room must tell a story.
Those are the rules.
And no more jokes, especially you, Tommy.
It will be fun to see who comes in first.
Tommy scowled at being the only one called out and said, Thunder Turtles, under his breath.
The boys didn't have long to wait before Mother Jo came into the room to find Nan.
She was making a new dress for the growing girl and needed to measure her.
The boys led Jo into the playroom by the hand and demanded a story.
She laughed and said, Am I the first meek mouse you cats have caught?
Yes, Tommy shouted, but who better to start our game with than you, Mother Jo?
Well, what shall I tell you about?
Jo wondered.
I know.
I'll tell you the tale of the suspected boy.
Before she started, she smiled and winked at Nat, who blushed a little, as he always did when someone paid attention to him.
Then Jo told a story about a small boy living in a house somewhat like Plumfield, filled up with boys who needed to be taught lessons like not stealing gooseberries and always telling the truth.
Jo was about to start her second story when little Rob came tumbling into the playroom in his pajamas and I heard noise, he said as he rubbed his eyes, and I wanted to know what was going on.
You march right back into bed, Jo said, but she was interrupted by Demi, who shouted.
He has to tell the story, Aunt Jo, it's the law.
Rob's story was three lines long and it involved a water pump, a boy and a great fall, much to the merriment of all listening.
Then Father Bear came into the room, saying, What's going on in here?
The children all fell into laughter once again and enforced their law.
Father Bear sat down beside his wife and put his hand on his chin for a moment.
I know the perfect story, he said.
Eyes grew wide and there were shouts of oh no, and really, as Father Bear told the tale of the time Joe's father, known to them as Grandfather March, was almost robbed and how his kindness toward the man stopped the evil deed from happening.
At the end of the story, Father Bear stood up.
The boys surrounded him, trying to pull him back down to tell another story.
He barely escaped to his study, and he sent the laughing boys racing back into the playroom.
Finally, the boys settled on a lively game of blind man's bluff and apologies were made for earlier name-calling.
By the time the night bell rang for bed, imaginations were stirring from a grand night of storytelling.
As the fall progressed, everyone grew more and more excited.
Thanksgiving was by far the favorite holiday at Plumfield.
For days beforehand, the girls helped Joe and Asia in the kitchen making pies and puddings, dusting off the good dishes and sorting fruit.
The boys hovered outside, impatient to taste whatever was cooking.
It smelled so delicious.
A general air of hustle and bustle filled the house.
Even the great pumpkin Rob had grown in the garden couldn't help but be busy.
It was turned into a half-dozen golden pies.
When at last the day came, the boys went off for a long walk in the woods, so they might have a grand appetite for dinner.
The girls stayed back and helped set the table before they hid themselves away in the schoolroom to prepare a grand performance.
Hardy Little Teddy stood guard at the schoolroom door and refused to let anyone in, especially his father.
When Nan finally came out of the room, she said, It's all done, and it's perfect.
Daisy added, Franz knows exactly what to do now, and then we're all set.
The boys are coming, Nan said.
I hear them now.
We'd better go get ready for dinner.
The girls raced upstairs to get dressed in their good clothes as the boys returned from their walks.
Faces were scrubbed and jackets were brushed off and put on.
With combed hair and glowing cheeks.
The children filed into the dining room the minute the bell rang.
The meal contained so many wonderful things.
The children had grown themselves that they each went around the table pointing out what their hard work had brought to the table.
When everyone had finished, Rob asked, But who made Thanksgiving?
Father Bear said, I know many boys who can answer that question.
He nodded to Demi, who said, The pilgrims made it.
What for?
Rob asked.
Demi rubbed his forehead and thought for a minute before admitting that he just didn't remember.
I think Demi meant to remember that the pilgrims had one terrible harvest and swore always to be thankful for a good one.
Dan added
Father Bear turned to Rob and said, Do you understand?
Not really, Rob answered.
I thought the pilgrims were a sort of big bird that lived on rocks.
I saw pictures in Demi's book.
Joe laughed.
My word, he means penguins.
The whole table burst into laughter at the thought of the penguins sitting down for a delicious Thanksgiving meal.
By now, Demi had remembered the whole story and said, If I may, Aunt Jo, I'd like to tell it.
Joe nodded, and Demi stood up so everyone could hear.
He told a splendid story about the pilgrims and the very first Thanksgiving, and everyone clapped once it was finished.
After dinner, Father Bear took everyone for a drive, leaving Joe behind to finish up the final details of the girls' performance.
The whole family was expected.
Grandfather and Grandmother March, Demi and Daisy's father and mother, and Lori and his lovely wife Joe's sister Amy.
By the time the children got back from the drive, everyone was there.
'Come into the schoolroom for the show'.
Joe called out and the whole merry flock came in and took their seats.
A grand play starring Bess as the little princess was acted out, complete with stage tricks and brilliant costumes.
The girls had worked on it all day and even made Laurie drop Bess off early so they could practice.
The curtain had barely fallen before applause rang out in the little room.
At last, Nat came out with his fiddle and played a song that Uncle Laurie had written for Joe, which brought tears to her eyes.
Nat tried to leave the stage again and again, but was brought back three different times for encores.
He would have done more if Tommy had not insisted that they clear the chairs so everyone could dance.
Lori came to stand beside Joe as she watched the boys twirl the girls, having practiced at length to get the steps just right.
What are you thinking about here in the corner of the room? he asked.
Jo smiled at her old friend.
Just imagining the future of my boys.
Laurie said they'll be poets painters, statesmen and famous soldiers, or at least good businessmen.
Well, I would be happy if they all turned out to be good men, she said.
As Jo looked around the room at each of her boys, recognizing their special talents and all the ways they had changed in such a short time, she said They have all worked so hard, though none as hard as Nat and Dan.
What magic did you use, Jo?
None but love on my part, she answered. but they had a good teacher.
She nodded her head in the direction of Father Bear, happily twirling Little Teddy around the room to the music.
Joe and Lori were soon joined by Father Bear and the rest of the family, who stood together watching the children enjoying themselves after a long year of hard work.
Jo looked around the room at every one of her boys, her heart as full as one can be with love, and smiled.
She was happy and content and she knew that her little school at Plumfield would always be a success.
