The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-03-14

UQl
Turkey :" echoed Frank in trae'cal
tones.
Turkey ~ echoed Annie plaintively.
"Ycth," said Poonthie, ''you'll bwlng
a big turkey home an we'll jus cat an
eat, an eat till we can't eat no more. !"
Then Poonthie attacked her egg and
toast and milk again. and her parents
looked at her until something in their
eyes made them see double and then
kept them from seeing at all.
IF only we could have a turkey on
Thanksgiving Day" said Annie that
night, after Poonthic had fallen asleep.
'I'm ashamed of myself for the way my
mind has run on the subject ever since
that blessed darling mentioned it."
'I'vc weakness that way myself, ,
Frank admitted, "but even the smallest
turkey on Thanksgiving Day would
mean a row with the landlord on the first
of the month. )"
''Don't let us think any more about ii, !"
said Annie. well feast royalty en-
an Irish stew that won't cost twenty five
cents; it'll taste as GOOD as lurkey-if we
! look ut Poonthie while we eat it."
But the thought of Turkey would not
disappear for Poonthie forbade. When
ever her father came into the room she
would look up cXpcctantly and shout:
''Did you bwing the turkey"
The excuse that it was not time for
the turkey answered fairly for several
days, but beth parents soon became NOR.
bid on the subject Frank tried again
and again, to find something in the
room which could be spared and sold for
the price of q small turkey, and
Annie spent wretched day in wonder
ing whether she could muster up
courage enough to sneak into the one
pawn-brokcr's shop in the city, and
pledge tiny gold pin-Poonthies
own-for money enough to buy 4 turkey
for Poonthics sake. Bnt both were
unsuccessful, and when, the very after
noon before Thanksgiving, Poonlhic
greeted her father with the usual shout,
Frank took her il his arms and said:
Its too bad for anything, little
darling. but Papa couldn't find turkey
anywhere.
:'Why," said Poonthic, with a wonder
ing gaze eth that the way folkth get
turkeys 2-juss find EN- -
Yes" said Frank, that's the first
thing to do.
s'My," drawled the child, as her father
dropped her 50 rs to put his arm around
his wife, who seemed to need his atten-
ton Just then. \ call for Poonthic to
90 play with the "littlc gyle down
thtairth," gave Frank IN opportunity to
use all sorts of severe language regarding
his luck, and his foolishness in dragging
sweet woman dowa to poverty,
anl his wicke,lncss in bring up
an angel child Ike q bcggar's brat. 1t
also gave Annie chance to tell her hus
band what a manly, brave. uncompsain-
ing fellow he was, ard how Heaven would
appreciate him, all in good time, even if
music publishers didn't; in the end they
| both felt a great deaf happier THANH if they
had been rich enough to buy whole
market full of turkeys.
Indeed they were so absorbed in each
other that hours might have passed un-
needed had not the couple been dis
tLrDed by some vigorous kicks at the
door, Frank turned the knob and in
staggered Poonthic, bearing in her arms
turkey apparently as large a. herself.
"Yorthca thi!ly old papa, she painted,
after carefully seating the turkey in her
little rocking chair rs ii it wcrca baby.
" You couldn't find i turkey an could.
I iuss athked the little eyle down
thwairth where her papa found a turkey,
an she thaid down to the r;ahkct at the
cornncr. Tho went there and thurc
enough there wath 10Th of ''cm
Gracious" exclaimed Frank, ''didn't
the market man say anything to you:"
"No, , said Poonthic, Scornfully; she
only thaid 'watth YOU goin' to do wifi
that turkey an thail 1.-The only goin'
to take ii 20 my papa. 1!:rn coined
along, only 4 whole lot Of people coined
along bchire me, m all Of 'em was latfin
like ev'rytin.
"a nice spectacle for child OF honest
parents to lie making" said Frank,
snatching his hat in one hand and Poon-
THE with the other 81 must get it back,
with an explanation, before there's a
complaint against us FOR theft;
When he reached the sidewalk he found
himself face to face with man who re-
Garllcd him intcnt!y. He was not the
benevolent old gentleman who. in books,
follow poor children to their homes on
holidays, but Il sharp-faccd fellow with
lis hands in his pockets.
Your young one asked the man
noddinS at Poonthi'.
eyes, > said Frank, hurrying along and
praying that the fellow might not be an
officer.
Say" continued tic nun fol!owing
Frank, I'll give you 4 five dollar bill if
You'll come across the street and let me
have a photograph taken of that child
and turkey just as they came down street
together
Frank hcsitatel an instant, then he
shook his head, frowncl and hurried
along.
.'You needn't feel insultcd, =" said the
man still following, I'd do it if they
were mine; l haven't seen anything so
cunning since-sincc the time when I
had Il little girl who luGgcd around a
doll as Big as herself. We buried them
IN the same coffin
Frank stopped. "I'll do it," he said,
'if you'll advance me enough to ray for
the turkey first, SO the owner WON'T
That's all right. said the man. Il
paid for it when she started out-my
hardware store is next TO the market
50 rs not to have the fun stopped. Why,
man alive, that child's made more fun
to-day than a hundred people will get