(By: Floyd Dell)
In this story the writer tells us about the blanket given as gift by a son to his father. Peter, eleven year old did not see the while moon rising over the valley. His eyes were fixed on a red and
(By: Floyd Dell)
In this story the writer tells us about the blanket given as gift by a son to his father. Peter, eleven year old did not see the while moon rising over the valley. His eyes were fixed on a red and black blanker lying on the kitchen table. The blanket was a going away gift form his father to his grand-father. This was the last evening he and his grandfather would have with each other. Together they washed the supper dishes. His father had gone out with that woman she was to marry. The old man told the boy that he would play some of the old tunes for him. But instead of harmonica, he brought out a big, double blanket, he appreciated the blanket and said that it would be very useful in the cold winter nights. He tried to make his going-away easier. He told Peter that in that government place he would be with so many old friends, having the best of every thing. But Peter had not really believed that his father would send away the old man until this night when he brought home the blanket. Peter went into the house and brought out his grandfather’s harmonica.
The old man played a few notes and asked him to remember. The two sat for a few minutes in silence. Then the grandfather told him that his father would marry that girl who had said that she would try to be a good mother to him. It was not good for an old man like him to be in their way. They did not hear the two people coming down the street. But they heard her laugh and the tune stopped suddenly. The girl walked up to grandfather and said that she had come to say good-bye to him. The old man thanked her and showed her the blanket that his son had given him to go away with. She wanted to know whether it was costly. The old man replied in the affirmative. The boy suddenly walked into the house. He could hear she was still talking about the expensive blanket. He heard his father get angry. As she was leaving, she said that in any case he did not need a double blanket. Peter told his father that she was right granddad did not need a double blanket. The boy held out a pair of scissors and asked his father to cut it into two. Both of them looked at the boy surprised. The grandfather said gently that he did not need such a big blanket. The boy said that a single blanket was enough for an old man when he was sent away. The father asked the boy what he meant by that. The boy slowly told his father that he would give it to him when he grew old and he was sending him away. Then all three were crying together.