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

BY TIE AUTHOR ov "uELEN's BABIES"
Nobody can have everything while in
this world: it was probably il accord
ancc with this wcl-known law that Frank
and Hester Gracely, who thought that
they had the lovclicst child in the world,
had very little else Indeed, their all.
aside from their little daughter, seemed
alarmingiy little, except at such times As
they mad to change their abode, and
wanted to keep moving expenses at the
lowest possible ti@ure>.
But their bare room seemed cyouisitcly
furnished when under the influence Of
their daughter Poonthic. OF course, the
child's name was rot rs outland;>h as
here spelled; she had been christencd
Prudcncc-partly. her father explained,
so there might br prudence of some kind
in the family; but the pronunciation Of
the name had been changed by the
child herself whose lisping tongue
could not approach any nearer to the
original sounds. She certainly was i
delightful little witch: her hair WAS mass
of sunshine. her cheeks wcrefull Of roses,
a I'd her eyes were really as mitch like
violctS as her mother thoa9hs them.
Her parents were not much Older than
she when they played with her, which
one or the otllcr did most OF the time
when she was awake. so She was general
II full Of smiles, and abounding in quaint
speeches, such rs ere made by most child
rem who have adults Tor company.
While Poonth:c's parents were looking
at her, they were the richest couple alive {;
but when they were obliged TO look into
their closet or pantry they wondered how
any other couple could be poorer They
had married solely on love, and their
capital had increased largely by natural
accumulation, but twas not the sort Of
thing with which one would Try to buy
bread and Lu'tcr, CT pay ml'kman,s
bill. Frank lad fallen in love with
Annie because she was lovely, and Annie
had loved him because hc sang charming
", composed music for his own songs, and
played the violin. Their plan had been
to live on the proceeds OF such songs as
Frank might compose and sell, for had
he not once sold two in single week,
and cot fifty dollars for them?
But the music publishers had no soul
for really exquisite songs, Annie said, so
for several years the little family sub
sisted on what Frank could earn by play
ing the violin in the orchestra tso-callcdD
of a little theatre in little city, where
there were performances two or three
times a week. There always was enough
food for Poonthic, and the parents did
not starvc, but sometimes, when they
pretended they were not very hungry,
they could not help thinking how dread
full starvation must be when a mere ap-
proach to it was so shockingly discom-
forting.
Poonthie had no such troubles, how
ever; her nearest approach to them was
when, one day, she diverted her attcn-
ton for ore instant from buttercd toast.
poachcd egg and mug of milk, and
lisped:
"When getth to be big folkth will I
like water instead of milk, an not eat
any butter on my bwcad?'
Her parents, after choking little. and
wrinsing each others hands under the
table, told her they hoped not, but
poonthic was thoughtful for at least
two minutes. Then she seemed to recall
something, and exclaimed:
"Thay, do you know watth comm
pity soon do: its Fank~ givin' Day" "
eyes" sighed Frank with d plying
look at his vile. Thanksgiving ces-
tainly is coming, but what do you know
/ ahout Il Poonthie -