Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-11-30

L
of heart. It was as death blow to the
plans John Austin had made for their
Thanksgiving dinner. He had INDUCED
in no fanciful dreams of turkey and
huge chicken pie, of salad and jelly.
They were as far beyond his means as
| oyster pate, terrapin, canvas back and
| champagne. A practical man. he had
| thought out no sumptuous or elaborate
menu, but had resolved to be up early,
take his gun, go to the woods and see if
he could not 'knock over'' something
for Thanksgiving feast.
Under ordinary circumstances hunting
would have been recreation and one
seldom INDUCED in, for necessity COM
PEELED uninterrupted labor. "Whew!"
he whistled under his breath as he saw
how deep was the snow, strong the wind
and freezing the air. But it was Than ks
| giving and the children must not be dis
appointed. So, after building rousing
fire and bringing in plenty of wood, he
kissed his wife. promised to be back as
early as possible, took his gun and
started upon the uncertain quest. for
| game. like money, has perverse fashion
of being out of the way when most
wanted
Trampiing along over the unbroken
| fields and in the full sweep C the ICY
| OlooCoJ AO was SIdO W IcetCA q 11lblO
| grove where he could find shelter and
regain his breath. He seated himself
| upon a stump and to him came the
| greatest temptation of his life. In
tree, within easy shot, roasted numerous
turkeys. Hatch d from the eggs of
wild ones and with the distinctive
feather marks, it would be the easiest
thing to secure one and pass it off, if
seen, as legitimate game. Great fat,
| luscious fowls they were, and the vision
of how happy his wife and children
would be in the eating arose before
him.
Almost before he was aware of the act
his gun was raised and aim taken. Then
conscience whispered: "They are not
| yours, John AUSTIN" and turning his
steps away he answered mentally if not
vocally: ''No, and I'm not gong to be
thief, even for Thanksgiving dinner"
Pushing on again over the broad
| meadow he struck the road-an unbroken
| one now-that led to the forest where
game was likely to be found, and was
| passing the log cabin of a family even
| poorer than his own, for the husband
was lying very i'll. He glanced up at
the chimney-the most natural thing to
do upon such a day-and saw no smoke.
Either the poor man must be dead or the
supply of wood had given out. In
stantly his own situation was forgotten
and he was not long in finding out that
| his latter surmise was correct.
Don't worry" he said to the anxious
wife, gathering and bringing IN all the
wood he could find. 'I'll run over to
neighbor SIMPSONS and borrow his
team and get you load. There's lots
of dead timber on this land, and he
isn't the meanest man in the world by
long shot,
To accomplish his purpose he was
| forced to retrace his steps and again look
at the temptation of the turkeys.
Certainly no birds ever looked so large,
| and they stretched out their necks and
gobbled at him in the most provoking
fashion and as if they knew what was
passing in his mind.
Eyes, john" said the farmer in an
swer to his request, stake the oxen and
| get as much wood as you can haul. But
you will have to cut it. Everything
| down must be showed under except it
may be some rotten stuff that is of no
account"
''An right, but you will have to lend
me an axe. Istarted to find some game
for dinner, but now the children will have
to get along with whatever their mother
can manage to fix up"
| 'Well, heres an axe, and you had
better leave your gun here till you come
back. I'd like to use it if you can tell
me where 1 will find my flock of turkeys
- the tame-wild ones l mean. believe
they know it's Thanksgiving and have
run away"
Austin told him where the birds were
to oetound, thought of how little there
would be upon his own table, and
/ has<eced upon his errand of mercy
fastened as fast as an OK team, discon-
tented with being out such cold morn
ing and wading through such deep snow,
could be persuaded to go.
Tramping along after the sled Austin
at last reached the woods and looked
for a convenient tree to fall" An oak
stood near and tap of his ak convinced
him it was hollow. That suited him
exactly. He could easily cut off couple
of logs, roll them upon the sled and re-
duce them to burnable size afterward.
/ A strong armed and willing hearted
man, he was not long in separating the
trunk, drawing and unloading in front
of the house of his sick friend. The
poor wife thanked him heartily and said
her brother had come and would do the
chopping.
Gail right-no thanks" he replied in
his hearty way. Hope your Thanks
giving will be brigh :er than you antici-
pated. ''Now I'll get my gun and see