Chapter Twenty-Five
"Now what's this I hear about you having plans for me Father?" Gordon asked suspiciously.
"You'll find out," David told his son, dark eyes twinkling. "Let's take a walk. If you excuse us ladies."
"We'll meet you at home around five," Hannah said to her husband. "The dance starts at seven. I'm sure the boys will want to clean up and change into their good clothes before they go."
The men stood as the two ladies prepared to leave. The women planned to visit the exhibit hall again, then do some shopping at the General Store, and also at the dressmaker's where Cam often filled in for one of the employees when they were sick. The teenager was very good with a needle and thread as Daisy had found out during Cam's visit the previous July. Cam had sat with her while she was mending and replaced buttons on Mike's shirts and repaired some seams and helped darn a dozen pairs of socks on one afternoon.
The dressmaker had some very nice materials on hand. Hannah chose a rose colored wool for a dress for Cam with black trimmings and buttons. For herself she chose a pale blue material with darker blue ribbons and buttons.
"I need a second best dress," she told Daisy. My gray and white is getting too shabby for anything but housework or working in the garden."
At Hannah's insistence Daisy chose a yellow gingham with tiny pink flowers. With some white buttons and lace and she had the makings for a new Sunday dress.
"It will look very nice on you, Daisy."
Their last stop was at the butcher's to pick up the pot roast and stew beef.
"My goodness, Hannah! You've got enough stew beef there to feed an army!" Daisy exclaimed when she saw the size of the package.
"Well some of it is for human consumption. I'm planning on beef stew for tomorrow night. The rest is for Duncan for the next two days," her hostess explained. "Cam pays half the bill out of her sewing and egg money. She saves a dozen or so eggs for us and sells the rest. She's determined to see that Duncan gets good food - not leftovers or scraps like other people's dogs get."
"She really loves that puppy doesn't she?"
"Yes, she does and she takes very good care of him without spoiling him."
"I'm afraid our visit may set that part of her teaching back," Daisy laughed. "Jess and Mike would spoil him rotten if she'd let them."
"No chance of that," Hannah said. Though I grant you that those two would certainly try. I'm not sure who the child is."
"To tell you the truth, the other woman said, "Sometimes I'm not sure who the child is either. Slim can be just as bad when he gets going."
The two women laughed and shared stories of their children as they continued walking back to the house. When they got inside they put the meat in the kitchen and took their dressmaking materials upstairs to the guest room Daisy was occupying and the room Hannah and Cam used as a sewing room.
With that done the ladies met in the kitchen to begin dinner preparations. Hannah went out to the big vegetable garden for carrots and onions - about the last ones they'd get that year. Most would be put into storage so they'd last through the winter months ahead.
When the pot roast and vegetables were ready the pot was set aside to be put into the oven in a couple of hours. The women retired to the Living Room to chat until that time.
"Let's take a walk, boys, and see what's happening," David said to his companions.
The three men rose from the table and started walking around. There were men wrestling, arm wrestling, and various other athletic activities. Eventually they came to an enclosure where a large crowd was gathered around. Above the racket could be heard a loud squealing noise.
Gordon looked at his father suspiciously.
"That sounds an awful lot like a pig Dr. McAllister."
"Looks like one, too," Slim added as he got a good look at the location of what was making the noise. "Take a gander at that, Gordy."
"Now boys, we discussed this the other night. You'd be doing the orphanage - that is their farm - a great favor by winning and donating that pig."
"Couldn't we just make a financial contribution:?" Gordon asked.
"Gordon." David McAllister's voice carried a note of warning and disappointment.
"Okay, okay. I was only kidding." Gordon's grin grew wider. "I'll enter if Mattie, here, does."
"Me?" Slim's voice rose about an octave. He didn't mind getting dirty but wrestling a greasy pig wasn't his idea of fun.
"Come on boys, where's your community spirit?"
"Doc, you gotta be kidding!"
"Father - a greased pig?"
"I'm serious. It won't kill you and it's for a good cause."
Still they hesitated so he looked at them slyly and played his ace in the hole.
"Your mother, and Daisy, will be disappointed if you don't.
That clinched it. The thought of the sorrowful looks on the faces of the dearest ladies in their life caused them to give in. They soon found themselves in the arena, surrounded by a large crowd of spectators who whistled, cheered and cat called.