The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-12-01

she mixed for us morning and night
Her husband was stern, gruff man,
who had no patience with anybody but
Dan1, who was regular Satan, and
his mule, Sligo, who kicked every
hitching-post down on the place.
Things were going wrong, even scat
tered-brained turkey could sec that.
nd we soon learned what it was all
about. While quietly feeding in the
yard during the milking and the doing
up of chores, 1 gathered stray bits of
talk which alarmed me dreadfully.
There was heavy mortgage (what-
ever that was) and the talk of a fore.
closure soon unless something was done
The crops were all bad, the hay had
been spoiled by the rains, and Farmer
Thompkins needed money badly.
al don't see as can help it, Mary"
he said, putting up the bars after Sue
and Bess, the cows. "I hate to part
with Bess she fine mixer, but Pve
been offered a good price, and 1 am
going to take lot of chickens and tur-
keys to town for Thanksgiving. They're
a nice gang, and ought to bring twenty
or thirty dollars more"
Freddy sitting on the chopping block
gave little cry and ran to me instantly
tying faded bit of red flannel around
my neck. "Not my Mustapha, father
Il couldn't eat him IL l starved myself,
let alone seeing other greedy things
doing it,"
"Well, you needn't see it, You know,
SAID Farmer Thompkins. with laugh
"You won't know nothing about it, |
guess. He amt no better than the
other turkeys. AS like as not he'd be
knocked over for our own Thanksgiv-
ing diDner. Ifl'd let you boys alone
I'd have lot of played-out old turkeys
on the place every year, eating their
heads off, because you can't bear TO see
them killed. All bosh!''
Poor Freddy! l must say that 1 felt
staggered myself, but he cried so loud
that Charley came running, and he
joined in, and Kitty came out in a fresh
clean apron, and she began to cry
which look all the starch out of it.
"Well. boys" said Mrs. Thompkins
in troubled way, "this ends your hav-
ing pet turkeys and chickens. l can.
not stand such scenes every year.
sympathize with you, but your father
is right; he is sadly vexed now, and
you mustn't add to it. am sorry for
poor Ali and Mustapha, but it isn't as
if hex bad souls .v"' 'snaj" snvulu sne
know about turkeys souls?
cali and Mustapha have got SOULS"
said Charley, in great rage. "We
baptized them and christened them,
and they amt like no common turkeys
l ever see."
Kitty felt our misfortune keenly,
bu. she rather grieved the most for Bess,
who was kind and lovely creature
and as soft as silk. Bess looked at
Kitty with her mild eyes wonderingly,
as Kitty leaned over the bars and sob.
bed as if her heart would break.
"Oh, dear, what hard old world
this is Darling Bess, shan't ever 60
over TO the daisy meadow after you any
more"
Mrs. Thompkins wiped her eyes
slyly and went into the milk.house,
while that ugly Sligo carried OH scam
dalously and laughed if ever mule did
in this world. IIo hatod ne oil, bo-
lieve, and Dan'l put him up to it.
cannot dwell on the sorrowful scenes
connected with the severing of those
home ties, nor tell how Freddy swore
he'd run away with circus, nor how
Charley in fit of rage strangled poor
Ali at early daybrak, while his father
was putting Dolly aud Sligo to the
wagon.
We were all dreadfully hustled and
crowded, and horribly fat goose stood
on my corns the whole way, and this
with grief for Ali and the loss of Fred.
dy, made me really hardened and care
less. Even turkeys chm feel after they
have been christened.
We were all glad to get TO the
butchers. 1 hoped it would be over
soon. Great red-faced cooks and lean
old men came in and poked and squeez-
ed us until there wasn't sound spot
left on our bodies. l think | actually
grew thin in two hours. I couldn't
cat nor drink. was so homesick for
the old barnyard and Freddy, aud Bess,
and Sue, and Kitty and the old trough,
and all the rest lost to me forcver-I
would have given worlds to have been
strangled like Ali.
One by ono the chickens and geese
and turkeys went, and at last wander
ed around alone. Everybody praised
me beauty, but nobody bought me.
"Why, Schneider" said one man to
the huckster, 81 wouldn't eat that
turkey for farm. He's got eyes like
human being. He's too knowing"
ard like to know what's the matter
with that DANCED yellow turkey" said
Schneider to his wife, at last. ~ be-
lieve he's sick. If didn't think so
I'm blamed If l wouldn't have him for
my own Thanksgiving dinner, for
spite. lie cost me an awful sight"
"You might get the hydrophoby,"
said Mrs. Schneider. ~ don't want
to eat him. "I don't like yaller turt
keys, nohow."