8  Awakening

Then--then--but it was a new voice that was speaking to him.

Pumpkin (fibre optic)

"Get up!" it said.

It wasn't Ole Man Pumpkin that was telling him to get up on that table, so he could scalp him. It was Mother telling him to sit up in bed!

"I knew they had too much pie," she was saying, and, "come, dear, open your mouth; take this and you'll feel better in the morning."

She was on one side of the bed, and Father was on the other, ready to take a hand, as he always did under the circumstances.

They weren't pleasant, either, the circumstances, for they were,--first Father's grip on his arm, then a tablespoon--not a teaspoon, or a dessert spoon, but a tablespoon, such as a giant might use--full of a thick yellow liquid from that bottle they hated so, and pointed right at his tongue.

However, he took it pretty bravely, swallowed it, gulped, then choked back the tears. But the orange-juice, which followed the yellow stuff, almost made up for it. He always did like orange as a color better than yellow, any day.

And there was Ole Man Pumpkin again, on the dining room table, grinning, not wickedly but cheerfully. He winked at Jehosophat, just like the Ole Man in the Moon, whom he strangely resembled--as much as to say:

"We'll have a good time yet in spite of that bottle."

After all, he wasn't an enemy of the children, who would cut holes in their heads and scoop out their insides--he was their friend, was Ole Man Pumpkin, and Jehosophat felt much relieved at that.

THE END

[an error occurred while processing this directive]

ShiningRise - home

The Story of Ole Man Pumpkin
A charming story of a country Halloween in rural 19th century America.

1  Fall Harvest
The corn has been harvested, but the best pumpkins have been saved for Halloween.

2  Pumpkin Pie
The children watch mother make pumpkin pie.

3  Jack - Ole Man Pumpkin
The Toyman has carved a face in the pumpkin.

4  Jack O'Lantern
After dark a candle is placed in the pumpkin to make a Jack O'Lantern.

5  Ducking for Apples
The children play 'ducking for apples', then its bedtime.

6  Cornfield Rebellion
But out in the cornfield, the scarecrow is making a speech.

7   Prisoner
Jehosophat is taken prisoner by the corn soldiers.

8  Awakening
Jehosophat awakes from his nightmare, and Ole Man Pumpkin is still grinning.