Hoggee Read Online Free Page A

Gardner. Our Christmas dinner wants eating.”
    Don’t grab, Howard told himself. He wanted to reach out and fill both hands with meat and bread, but he realized the chicken was small. Cyrus passed the platter first to Howard, and he took only a wing. “We’ll have none of that holding back, boy,” said the man. “It’s Christmas now, ain’t it?” He used his own fork to spear a thigh to drop onto Howard’s plate.
    Mostly, he kept his eyes down, happier than he’d ever been to eat any meal. When, occasionally, he did glance up, he was aware of the girls. They sat on a bench across from Howard, and they watched him even as they ate, all three sets of blue eyes stared at him. Two sets were curious, as if he had two heads. The eyes of the older girl,though, were like they were on the path, and Howard looked away from them.
    They were, Howard decided, peculiar girls indeed, but he did not let them spoil his delight in the food. His only disappointment was becoming full so soon. His stomach, shrunk as it was, could hold only a small portion of what his eyes wanted.
    The last two bites of dressing and beans left on his plate barely went down when he swallowed. Just then Mistress Donaldson took up the mince pie to cut. A small cry rose in his throat. Embarrassed, he choked back the sob. “None for me, ma’am,” he said. “I couldn’t swallow it.”
    â€œWhat?” The woman looked at him closely. “No mince pie on Christmas? What kind of daft notion is that? Are you that stuffed? You do have a taste for it, though, don’t you?”
    â€œOh, yes, ma’am,” he said. “I love it, but I’m hurting from the chicken and all.”
    â€œWell, then,” she said, “we’ll have to wrap a slice for you to tote back with you, won’t we?”
    Joy filled his heart. He would have mince pie, after all.
    â€œThank you,” he said. “Thank you for the meal, too.”
    â€œYou’re welcome, boy.” Mistress Donaldson smiled at him.
    The oldest girl followed him to the door. Howard noticed her as he turned to go out. She looked as if she wanted to speak to him, but her mother came, took her by the hand, and led her away, as she would lead a small child.
    On the way home, he stopped for a minute, ignoring the cold of the night and looking up at the sky.“Christmas stars,” he said aloud to himself. “Christmas stars.” He stared as if he had never before seen such beauty.
    Back in the barn, he first gave Molly the apple slices he had slipped into his pocket. While the mule munched, he sat cross-legged in the straw, and very very slowly he ate his Christmas pie.

3
I HAVE A FRIEND
    Howard carved his third message a few days after Christmas. Cyrus had gone immediately back to his cranky ways, and the boy was not invited again to his house. Once, just after a fresh snow, Howard saw three sets of footprints, and knowing they belonged to the girls, he followed them over a hill.
    A small frozen pond lay at the bottom of the hill, and the girls skated there. They looked carefree and happy. Howard wanted to watch them, but he knew the girls would object. A cedar with low green branches grew halfway down the hill. While they were turned away from him, he dashed for the tree and slid in among the branches.
    They were good skaters, gliding easily around the pond. The oldest of the three was especially graceful. Her legs seeming to move without effort, she was a willowy streak, her fair hair flying out behind her and shining in the winter sun.
    He was not surprised to see that Sarah was different from her sisters. They laughed and called to each other as they skated, but Sarah seemed unaware of them. Watching, Howard remembered how it had been the middlegirl, Laura, who had spoken to him on the path. It had been Laura, too, who opened the door to him on Christmas Day. Howard knew from his life with Jack that the oldest