LizzyGizzard Celebrates a Happy Halloween"

<p ALIGN="CENTER"><i>"LIZZY GIZZARD CELEBRATES A HAPPY HALLOWEEN"</i>

1
"LizzyGizzard
Celebrates a
HAPPY
HALLOWEEN(1)"�

This story is dedicated to the child in all of us.

Once upon a New Moon, a very long time ago, a child�s broom was left standing in the far corner of Cabot�s General Store.

��~LizzyGizzard (I�ll call her Lizzy for short) loved to watch all the little children come in to buy candies and sweets. They made her laugh. She stood in that far corner for many years and watched children grow up to have children of their own!

��~Lizzy grew less young and more thin. The children grew up, too. She was beginning to feel lonesome. Oh, mind you, Mrs. Cabot was very kind to Lizzy and always made sure she was standing up straight. BUT�Lizzy was getting tired of standing in the corner. She felt sad.

��~Mr. Cabot came in to count the cash and lock up for the night.

��Goodnight, LizzyGizzard.� shouted Mr. Cabot as he blew out the lamps.
��Guard the store! I�ll see you in the morning.�

��~Lizzy was a favorite of Mr. Cabot�s but no one knew the exact reason. He talked to her a lot because it was better than talking to himself. Sometimes, he would deal her a poker hand or play checkers with her. Lizzy and Mr. Cabot kept each other company when the store wasn�t busy.

��~Lizzy had watched all of the Cabot children grow up and move away, except for Nan. She still lived at home and had a job at the hospital. She no longer wanted to play with Lizzy. To Lizzy, grownups were no fun, except for Mr. Cabot.

��~The Harvest Moon (2) rose high and bright in the sky, like a big silver dollar. Lizzy watched it through the front windows of the store.

��I think I�ll close up early tonight, Lizzy,� said Mr. Cabot.
��The Mrs. and I would like to take a walk on this beautiful Fall evening.�

��~As Mr. Cabot opened the drawer to get the key, there came a knock from behind the half-pulled window shades.

��~He walked across the wooden floor and unlatched the door.
��Come in, how may I help you?� asked Mr. Cabot.

��~A pretty woman came in and, with Mr. Cabot�s help, a little boy in a chair with wheels.

��Do you remember me, Mr. Cabot?� asked the lady.

��Well, I�ll be! Rachel Mills! I haven�t seen you since you were knee high to a grasshopper!�

��~They hugged, cried, and laughed.

��~You see, Rachel and her family moved from Hartford about twenty years ago and she had since married Kurt Miller from Topeka, Kansas. The little boy in the special chair was her son, Matthew. He had just turned six.

��~Rachel�s family used to live in the mansion on the far hill. Grandma Mills still lives there.

��We�re visiting for the Fall holidays. I wanted you to meet Matthew and to let him pick out something special for our Halloween party up at the old house.� Rachel talked on.
��By the way, Mr. Cabot, your family will be most welcomed to attend.�

��Thanks, I think we�ll take you up on that. We haven�t been to a Halloween bash in a long time. Set a place for the missus and me! I�ll tell Nan and she�ll ring you up later to let you know.�

��~Mr. Cabot wheeled Matthew around while Rachel looked at dry goods and materials for sewing.

��~Matthew looked at everything, three times. He was a happy child.

��I�d like to go behind the counter, if you please, Mr. Cabot,� said Matthew.

��Matthew, please be less bold! That�s a private place for the storeowners. You need to stay in front of the counter,� scolded his mother.

��Oh, it�s all right,� said Mr.Cabot.
��How is Matthew ever going to be a storekeeper? He needs to see how things get done around here.�

��I�m going to be a doctor, Mr. Cabot. I want to help children in special chairs like mine,� said Matthew as he poked at the wheels.

��~Matthew was born with Cerebral Palsy (3). He could walk slowly if someone helped him. When he walked by himself he would fall and bump into things. So it was best for him to sit in the wicker, wheeled chair. People were always willing to help Matthew wherever he went. He always remembered to say �Thank You�.

��~Matthew had fun opening drawers, ringing the register and pulling wrapping twine from the box in the ceiling.

��~He was having great fun.

��~Matthew wanted to see all that was on the back counter. Mr. Cabot lifted him out of the chair and he picked out a few decorations for the party, some penny candy, a tin clicker toy shaped like a spider, a paddleball set, and a small silver bell. As Mr. Cabot placed him back into his seat he spotted Lizzy.

��Oh, Mother, Mother, come quickly! I found what I want for the party!� he shouted.

��Look, look, a little broom, a teeny-tiny broom. May I have it, may I? Please?� he begged.

��Rachel came running. �Of course you may have the broom, if it�s for sale.�

��Mr. Cabot, may we buy the broom?� asked Rachel.

��~Mr. Cabot called his wife into the store. She was thrilled to see Rachel, to meet Matthew, and to accept the invitation to the party.

��Emma, Matthew would like to buy our little broom. What do you say?� he asked her.

��Matthew, I want Mr. Cabot to tell you a story and then we�ll decide,� she said.

��~Mr. Cabot sat in the old rocker next to the coal stove and put Matthew on his lap.

�Many years ago, the tiny broom belonged to a little boy named Samuel Cabot. Samuel was my grandfather. The little broom was very special because it was made and given to him by his grandma, Lilly, on his fourth birthday. A broom is a handy tool for a farm lad to have because he could finish his chores quickly. He named the broom �LizzyGizzard� - such a silly name!

Well, Samuel grew up, worked this store and a small farm with his father; then he married and raised a large family. Lizzy was always with him in this corner to help him keep the wooden planks clean. She has been a good luck charm to all of us. We believe in those things, you know.

She was small enough to sweep away the dust and cobwebs and big enough to make wishes come true for everyone. Lizzy has always been a very special little broom.

She has danced and played with many children. They would come into the store, pick up Lizzy and have a grand time. I�m sure she�s kept many secrets! If a broom could smile, she certainly could. There have been many happy days with Lizzy.

When Grandpa Samuel passed on, I was cleaning up and found Lizzy all worn and tattered in this corner where he kept her. I fixed her up with new broom twigs and attached them to her old handle. Emma put the new ribbon on her a few days ago, just to �gussie� her up for the Fall holidays.

Lizzy has been standing in that corner far too long. If she could talk, she could tell us many stories. The last little one to play with Lizzy was Nancy; she�s our youngest. At the age of eighteen, she doesn�t play with Lizzy anymore, just greets her when she comes into the store. Lizzy needs someone to play with.�

��Matthew, how much do you think Lizzy is worth?� asked Mr. Cabot.

��She�s worth more money than I have,� said Matthew.

��Show me how much you have,� said Mr. Cabot.

��~Matthew dug deep into his pocket. �Here!� said Matthew.

��Hmm..25, 50, 75, one dollar, gee, what�s this?� asked Mr. Cabot.

��Oh, that�s my lucky penny. I won�t spend that,� said Matthew.

��I�ll tell you what, Matthew. I�ll trade your lucky penny for my lucky little broom. Does that sound like a deal?� asked Mr. Cabot, winking at the ladies.

��~Matthew hesitated. He thought for a long time.

��OK, it�s a deal.�

��~Young Matthew and the storeowner shook hands.
��Young man, you�ve made a good deal. Lizzy is yours.�

��Gee, Thanks, Mr. Cabot. I�ll take good care of LizzyGizzard,� said the little boy, happily.

��The night of the Halloween party came and the whole neighborhood was getting ready to celebrate. Rachel had invited all of her old friends. It would be an old-fashioned get together!

��~Emma and Charlie (that�s Mr. and Mrs. Cabot) arrived first, bringing goodies from the store for all of the children. Emma placed the huge tray of candy and caramel apples on the dining room table. She filled the punch bowl with apple cider.

��~She spotted Lizzy standing proudly by the hearth. Matthew had put more ribbons on her and the little silver bell he bought at the General Store the day before. Emma smiled and caught a happy tear.

��~The guests began to arrive and it was Matthew and Lizzy�s job to take the coats.

��~Lizzy recognized many of her old friends � they were all grown up now and had families of their own. They ALL remembered LizzyGizzard and told stories to their children.

The guests talked about the old store and the little broom all night long.

��Remember when we would run down to the store just to play with Lizzy
��...on a hot Summer afternoon?�
��...on the way home from school?�
��...after dinner on Sunday?�
��...when our chores were done?�
��...when we had nothing else to do?�

��They all chimed in.

��~The little broom heard those words many times on that special Halloween night.

��~Lizzy wasn�t sad anymore.

��~November arrived at the stroke of midnight. As the oil lamps dimmed, Matthew wished LizzyGizzard a very Happy Halloween and left her among her special friends.

��~Mr. Cabot carried Matthew up the stairs. The little boy whispered, �I�ll always love Lizzy, just like you do. I�ll take good care of her. I promise. Always!�

��~Mr. Cabot smiled as the little boy drifted off to sleep.

Ten years later�
~When Matthew returned to the mansion on the far hill to commute to the local University to study Medicine, he brought LizzyGizzard with him.

Eight years later�
~When Dr. Matthew Miller opened his office in the mansion, LizzyGizzard was there.

Three years later�
~When the young doctor married Sarah Reynolds, Lizzy-Gizzard was there.

~LizzyGizzard stands proudly in the playroom of the doctor�s office. She loves to play house and make children laugh.

~LizzyGizzard will make children happy for a long time. How do I know?

It�s four years later and
Pssssst!...come here...can you keep a secret? You can? OK then, come closer!

�� ~I�ve heard some news from the mansion on the far hill.

~Dr. and Mrs. Miller are the proud "Momma" and "Poppa" of a beautiful baby girl. She�s two weeks old and her name is Lilly Cabot Miller.

~LizzyGizzard wears the tiny silver bell from Cabot's General Store.
Sarah has graced Lizzy with a delicate pink ribbon.

~LizzyGizzard stands proudly in the corner of the nursery and will wait patiently
for Lilly to play with her.

~LizzyGizzard has never been happier!

for October

WORD LIST FOR THIS STORY

(1) HALLOWEEN - the Witch's New Year; SAMHAIN; believed to be the night on which the veils between two worlds, that of the dead and of the living, are at their thinnest point; great magick can be done on this night

(2) HARVEST MOON - the October Moon

(3) CEREBRAL PALSY - a disorder of the central nervous system which is characterized by decreased movement, especially of the arms and legs

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