Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-11-26

"
ling-block to temptation in the way
of Sam Whipple and Dick Spangler
Ia pair Of light-minded youths
who could see great deal of fun in
a very poor joke.
s'What capital sport it would be
to steal that turkey Thanksgiving
eve" suggested Sam, with a wink
at Dick.
"And get Tom Grill, the colored
cook, to roast him and then call in
a lot of the boys, and have a glori-
, gus time" added the latter.
tThen, as we're both among the
youngsters invited TO the oleacon's
dinner, won't it be jolly to hear
his lamentations over the missing
fowl ?-they'll beat out of sight all
the signs ever heavec for the flesh
pots Of Egypt,u chuckled Sam.
''Hei he ! he !" giggled Dick.
shaw hawl nav !" guffawed
Sam.
q Lets do it," said the one.
"Agreed 90 returned the other.
After laying their heads together
half an hour, a plan was matured,
and the two separated in great
glee.
The deacon'st turkey roasted IN the
wOod-house, which had a shutter
opening On am adjacent alley and
fastened by hook and staple inside.
On q visit which Sam Whipple
made to the premises on Wednesday
afternoon, under Pretext OF borrow
ing the deAcon's saw-buck, he man.
aged slyly to undo the hook, thus
leaving the way clear for the nights
operations.
At safe hour after dark the con-
spirators started on their errand,
first casting lots to decide who
should enter the wood-house and
bring off the prize, and who should
keep watch-the former task falling
to Sam, and the latter to- Dick.
"You stand here" said Sam, as
they neared the mouth of the al
ley.
Dick took his station, and Sam,
advancing stealthily, soon reached
the shutter, which he had no diff
Guilty in opening. Then Ginning in,
he was not long in finding the OBJ
ject of his search.
"Put put ~ squawked. the tur-
key. and flop, flop, went his wings,
as Sam grasped his legs and pulled
him down from his perch.
After a sharp scuff1e, Sam was tri-
umphant, and held his gObblership
fast under one arm and securely
gagged him with the other hand.
/, The noise of the struggle had
aroused the. deacon's dog, who
growled and barked fiercely; but
Sam kept quiet and soon all was
still:
ais that you Dick ?" he whisper
ed, as he heard steps approaching
softly outside.
S'Yes," was the answer in the
same tone.
"Here, take him" said Sam, pass
ing out the turkey, which the other
received.
4 Then climbing out himself, which
fUbk q little time, for he moved eau
tipusly, he looked about for Dick,
but neither he nor the turkey was
in sight. He walked up and down
the alley, but the search was in
vain.
oWell, / call that shabby trick,
muttered Sam, after my taking all
the risk, too. But may be he'll
turn up ali right in the morning.
He had, better, tell him ~
So saying Sam walked sulklly
home.
Next morning, bright and early,
he started in search of Dick, whom
he met shortly apparently on a
similar hunt for him.
HWhere'S that turkey "' was
Sam 'sfirst question.
= Where is he, yOurself?" retorted
Dick
IT handed him out to you," re-
turAed Sam.
.ssYou&idn't," replied the other.
sstWhen the dog barked, / lodged
round the corner. When l came
back, went'up>to the wOod-hOuse,
and called you as loudly as dared,
bat YOU had gone"
tsfhat's too thih," sneered Sam. |
'tW11at do you mean ?"
tsFhat you've turned traitor, and
made,MAy with the turkey"
THAT'S q lie :"
For the space of three minutes |
there was rapid and promiscuOus |
motion OF four fists, at the end of
which time Sam hauled off with a
blackened eye, and Dick with a
bloody nose Both seemed to have |
had enough Tor the present, and |
went their respective ways.
When, at the appointed hour,
they severally entered the deacon's,
ps rlor-each fearing that if he stay
ed away he would be liable to sus-
picion-Sam had concealed his /
damaged optic with pair of Cog
giles, worn, he said, for sore eyes
brought on by excessive study, and /
Dick accounted for his swollen nose
on the ground of violent catarrh.
The deacon, so far from appearing |
chopfaller, looked unusually cheer
ful, and when the guests walked in
to dinner, what was Sans and |
Dicks establishment to see at the
post of honor on the table the finest
latest and biggest turkey that ever
aroused mortal heart to thanksgiv-
ing.
81 tell you what, friends" said
the deacon, when he had finished
saying grace, "we have more to be
thankful for than most of you are
vet aware Of. You don't know
NAAaA u hUAAOW CcNdBC We We 1
had from losing the best part of
our dinner. Last night heard the
dog bark, and going down the alley
back of the wOod-hOuse, found the
shutter open. Somebody inside
rs that you Dick?'
Yes, 1 answered. for you know my
name is Richard. Here, take him,
said the other, handing out the tur-
key, which l quietly took and bore
away"
The mystery between Sam and
DICK was thus cleared up, but hap
PLY not, as we have seen, till they
had sufficiently punished one anoth-
er. From twinkle in the deaconis
eye they more than half suspected
that he knew all. AT any rate,
neither Sam nor Dick ever Ventur-
ed again to visit the deacon's pretty
Edith Turner, who, six
sfter, married another, and
let us boz ,, better man,
CT.
m. Taylor. Boston, is Well