On New Year's Eve, Daddy drove down to Great Grandma Sophia's and hooked up one of the horses to a sleigh.

The sleigh was black and had two seats in back for people to sit, facing each other.   Daddy put a lantern on the back so cars wouldn't run into us.  

Daddy came up the driveway and Momma and I got all bundled up and got into the sleigh.   We rode down to Grandma's house and picked her up.   She and I sat in the seat facing Momma and Daddy.   Daddy slapped the reins and off we went.   The horse had bells on his reins that jingled as he trotted along.

He pranced along and kicked up a few snow showers, but we were all wrapped under nice warm wool blankets.

Too soon we arrived back at Great Grandma Sophia's house and went inside while Daddy put the horse and sleigh back into the barn.

Great Grandma had her dining room table stretched out and all set with beautiful china, candles and a lace tablecloth.   Everyone was wishing each other a Happy New Year's.   I went into the living room and looked up at the tall Christmas tree.

Way up on the top branches, near the ceiling, were four ornaments that looked like clusters of grapes.   There was a blue one, a purple one, a green one and a silver one.

I climbed up on the horsehair couch so I could look at the tree.   The couch had a rounded seat and the horsehair was very slippery.   Everytime I moved, I slipped off the front of that couch.

Momma came and got me for supper.   We had bowls of some kind of soup on our plates.   Everyone started eating their soups and smacking their lips.   I took a taste of mine and it tasted real good.

I took another spoonful and there was a glob of something in my mouth.   I tried to chew it and it was gritty, like sand.

I nudged Momma and whispered, "Momma, what is this thing?"   I stuck out my tongue to show her what was resting on it.

"That's an oyster.   It comes from inside a sea shell.   Isn't it good?"  

"I can't bite it," I said. "It's sandy."

"Don't chew it." Momma said. "Just press it against the roof of your mouth and then swallow it."

I tried to swallow it, but that slimy thing would get in my throat and then pop right back up on my tongue.   I tried again and gagged.   So I spit that oyster right out in the center of the table.

Everyone laughed.   Except Momma.   She did not look very happy as she picked up the oyster with her napkin.

Daddy had a grouchy face and shook his head "no" at me.

Grandma took my bowl away and brought me back a clean bowl with more broth in it.

"Does it have those oyster things in it?" I asked.

"No," said Grandma. "It's just the broth."

I ate it right up and it was very, very good.