Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-03-13
BAB'.S TURKEY.
A Thanksgiving Story.

OF crlckcts and grasShOppers IN the
grass; and the little pink sunbonnet
down the road came to u sudden stand
still. barbara, come beck hero Il
moment"
Yes. Mrs. Pct,ingill," and the own.
er of the sunbonnct quickly relraced
her steps TO the farm gate, where stood
the tail, rather gauut woman with the
sharp voice.
''Ihe young turkeys have all wand
cred Oft into the woods yondcr," she
said," land a shower is coming up
fast. Would you mind driving 'cm up
for me, Bah? I've just go, my baking
in tho oven The men folks are all
down in the lower meadow, aud the
young brood will surely be killed if
they get wet"
Barbara glanced doubtfully from the
heavy cloud rising in the west to the
woman's anxious face, and then. being
q good.natured girl, said:
Il think il viii rain in ten minutes,
Mrs. Pettingill, but I'll 10 the best l
can"
That's 3 good child! Be spry and
I'll give you q loaf Of fresh bread and
a pail Of milk TO take home to your
mother
So. thus encouraged, Barbara set
forth across the ls.owcd field, where
the wheat ant corn were sending up
tender green shoots. until she reached
the little tract of woodland back Of the
farm.
Still nothing Was 10 be seen OF tho
truant turkeys; and the thunder now
began to rumble overload aud flashes
OF vivid lightning to play about the
dark clouds, making Barbara tremble
with fear. for she had great dread OF
being out in thunderstorm.
'Oh, dcar:' she sighed. "whcro can
they be? 1 am afraid it will rain be-
fore l get back
Just then Il low, mournful peep!
peep:' made her look round. Some
thing was iluttering in the long grass
near All old, iumblc-down rail fence,
aud going nearer sI!o found it was one
Of the little turkeys. that, in atlempt-
ing to squeeze between the bars, had
stuck fast. and was struggling in vain
to get free, -.
chow came you here? and where have
your mother ani brothers all wandered
top
But the turkey only answered with
its sad little peep! peep!' aud help
ing it through the narrow space, Bar
bara popped the wee. uowny thing in-
to her apron, aud stumbled on through
the undcrbrush. where she felt SURF
that the spcck!ed hen and her turkey
children must have hidden themselves.
"Dcur met" cried Barbara. in dis.
may, ''thcy will never get over such a
weiting as this. And what will Mrs.
Pct:ingili say?"
Au; she was half afraid to meet the
farmers wife, to wnom the promising
young had meant 4 new black silk
dress at THANKSGIVING.
Aud Mrs. Peltingili was angry
enough when Bart ura drove the lis.
consolate-lookiny brood into the FARM
yard, and exc.a,med in temper:
ut is Ill your fault. Bau. for not
having sense enough to LOOK in the old
pasture first" (lor angry people are
apt to DC r~nrcasonab.r). ''Iney are
sure TO pine away ana die now, SO /
s!"n'l uolilcr with 'cm amy more. You
needn't Iav. troubled yourself 10 take
care Of that one for,orn little thing, for
one isn't wort, raising.
''Ih"n take it home. Bah. and see
what YOU can do with it," said good
natured Farmer Petting:ll, who camo
in in time to hear his wife's words.
''Never mind Nancy; accidents will
happen, you know, and ii tlrso die we
can set the oil! brown hen, and have
plenty more turkeys in II month";
To which Mrs. Prttin"ill only tossed
her hea.i, muttcring:
Late turkeys never do amount to
anything, and these would have been
ali right now if had gone after 'e!n
myself and not sent n careless chit like
tnat." with such a scathing glance Il,
Barbara that she was glad to beat y
hasty retreat without either the prom
ised bread or a pail OF milk. and she
walked slowly homewarL With tears in
her brown eyes and the baby turkey
still rolled up in her apron.
The Widow Prick, with her son Hans
and daughter Barbara. or Bah. as she
was usually called, lived in a rickcty
little cottage at the foot Of Long Hill.
where everything was shabby enough.
but clean and neat rs u new pin; al.
though the poor woman had often IL
hard time to provide food and clothing
for her little family, especially since an
ATTACK of malaria in the spring had left
her very weak and miserable.
Halo. Bah! what have you got
there?' called Hans, FROM the door
step. as his sister entered tho gate;
land you look rs solemn as old black
Peters horned owl"
IL guess you would look solemn,
and cross, too, if you had chased over
three rough fields. torn your clothes,
scratched your hands, and been cooped
up in u hollow old tree during a terrif-
ic thunderstorm, and then, after all,
only get y scolding for your pains"
retorted Bah, thus giving rent to her
wounded feelings.
Poor BabOlc-de-bab! Did you bring
home the scolding in Your apron9"
laughed Hans.
no, indeed: l was glad enough to
leave it behind me. This is q poor
little turkey"
And Bah produced The wee. tremb.
ling bird.
:Wneye did you get it," asked Mrs.
Frick. appearing in the doorway.
And, sitting down. Barbara related
her mornings adventure Il. the Petlin.
gill Farm.
but the turkey won't iiye." said
Hans. when she had finished. "They
are the hardest things in the world
to raise"
II shall try. anyway" said Bah.
oontIv smoothinv the soft roilou