Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-11-23

49, f@1E0s - aRAAAA
on some subjects. Your father is surely
insane on his hobby. Ordinarily he Is
as you well knew, the gentlest of men
and not only that, he Is. aside from his
hobby, a liberal-minded man"
II don't know and don't
care anything about the cavaliers. Fl
lZilda answered. II am a thorough
American. / have never enjoyed my.
self more than | did at that 1hanksgiv.
ing dinner, and next Thanksgiving Day,
which will only be two weeks from now,
am going to have a Thanksgiving
dinner here at home"
Your father will not hear to 1t. II
he is so avowed an Englishman, why
does he vote in this country? Why did
he run for the legislature year before
last? He ought TO know that his foolish
ness beat him at the polls; and by this
time l should think hat he ought TO
know that the people arc not in
sympathy with his silly romanticism.
] don't like to speak thus OF my father,
but / can't help it. Why, Thanksgiving
Day is quite as popular here now az it Is
in the east. Nearly all our neighbors
! observe it,"
What has caused you to change SO,
lilly? Was il your visit TO the east?
Hitherto you have been indifferent with
regard TO the day."
My eastern trip, OF course, has had
something to do with it, but how much
and in what manner | shall not say.
I've got my eye On that big gobbler out
there, and unless his death warrant be
signed by the master of this household,
i shall resort TO mob violence
s.lkplI there A ito ffeu I'm sOeakfffw tn
your father about it,"
I'm going TO speak to him, any way"
"He viii be angry"
It can't help 1t; but n we not con-
vince him of his f~Oolishness?"
No. / fear not"
as there not some way by which we
may prove to him that he is insane?'
NO: be Is stubborn"
"lYell, but are we 10 be slaves TO his
stubbOrnness? / love my father, under
stand, but he should not expect me to
embrace so silly a prejudice. / think
that you have been altogether too weak.
You ought 10 have cured him OF his fool
ishness long ago"
Zilda said nothing more with regard
to the subject. Two days before
Thanksgiving, while Zilda and her
mother were sitting in the big ROOM"
as the negroes termed it, the Major
entered. He had been hunting, and
placing his gun in a corner, he took up
one Of SCOTS novels and was soon fol-
lowing the nodding plumes of the
BLACK Knight" Zilda took up the
GIN and went 10 the window. She was
acquainted with the use of firearms.
She placed the gun on the window sill
and sat looking out into the yard.
Don't cock that gun, said the Major.
1T might go Of"
Again he was following the noddi1g
? plumes of the BLACK knight lie lad
begun 10 smack his lips, as though he
were eating a ~venison pasty with Friar
Tuck, when Bang went the gun. Mrs.
Carter sprang to her feet and exclaimed:
Gracious alive, child, you have
killed the white gobbler.''
The Major threw down the book. Il
told you o 10 cock that gun said he,
Now look what you have d~one-killed
the finest turkey in the state. ! could
have gotten s. for him any time"
Major, you know that accidents have
a habit OF happening" Mrs Carter
answered. 'Weli, well have to cat
him"
geaasne nexc day at dinner Tic major
said: Thought you were going to cat
that turkey?"
1--WE are" Zilda answered.; "but
turkeys are not good. you know, until
they have been dressed a day or two"
well, then, when may we expect the
feast?"
Let me see, mother, do you think
that tomorrow will be time ~enough?"
II think So"
"Well, We will have him tomorrow"
The next morning the major went to
the village, a short distance away and
when he returned he was snorting mad"
This is a fine trick you have played
me" he exclaimed.
why, what is the matter?' Zilda
asked with pretended innocence.
You know what the matter is. You
and your mother, too, know we'll
enough. You are trying to trap me
into this Thanksgiving foolishness,
that's what you are trying to do; but it
won't work, | can tell you that"
But, Major" said his wife, 1.-THE
white gobbler is done now"
Makes no difference, I will not eat a
bite of it ] won't come to the table.
Won't have anything to do with it.
Won't give IL countenance. I'll take a
piece of bread and q piece OF hog meat
and go of down into the woods. If o
and Zilda a to make Roundheads OF
yourselves, all right"
lie sat down with a thump aud began
TO munhie over "IvaHhoe." The ladies.
paying no attention To him, proceeded
with their preparations for dinner. As
the weather was fine the table wa set
on the long gallery. When everything
was ready-when the great turkey had
been placed on the table-the major,
putting his book aside, stretched him
self y%awningly and remarked:
Sarah, have You got any baoon?"
mo, / didn't cool any,
You've got some beef, hayen't you?e
mo. 1 hnvc uot."
"Weil, hang it! what sort of meat have
you?"
Turkey"
bat l told you | wouldn't cat any
OF it,
well, you needn't"
But what am | going to take down
into the woods with me?'
bi.There's some corn bread and cold
scuit in the boiler
do you reckon l want to eat bread
and nothing else%'
There's some dried venison in the
smoke house."
II hate dried eenison..
ANAL \ fxoltaua fhara 4. ..,..n ..-~