The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-12-04
CHILDREN'S ROUND TABLE.
BEN AND sos's THANKSGIVING MEAL.
How the Boys Captured Their Turkey and
the Dinner That Fo1ow~d-A Hard
Earned Lessn-Other Stories For
Young FoIlxs-Problems.

The following unpretentious story was
written by one of the boys of the high
school and read to his class the day before
Thanksgiving:
Ben Kavanaugh and Bob Archer were
orphans. When quite young they had
been sent to the orphan asylum, and it
was there they had become acquainted. A
mutual friendship sprung up between
them, and when they we're about fifteen
for they were nearly the same age-they
left the asylum and took up their abode
in an old shanty near the town, which
had been given to them by a kind old gen.
tleman of the place.
They filed up the chinks, put new glass
in the window, new hinges on the door
and used bits of boards for shingles. With
an old dry goods box and few boards ana
nails they soon had table and a couple
of stools made. 4 small monkey stove
served as their range, fireplace and fur
mace. With the money the boys obtained
from carrying in several loads of coal they
bought codee-pot, tin plates, knives and
forks, teaspoons and pans.
The first of November was near and
they had lived in castle Small, as Bob
called it, a month. Ben had procured
work at grocery as delivery boy, but Bob
was still on the lookout for an honest job.
1t was perhaps better that Ben should
have the place instead Of Bob because Ben
could not cook and Bob could. Ben told
me that Bob could fix up cornbread and
potatoes in so many different ways that he
used to think that he was eating some
thing different every meal. Thanksgiving
was near and still Bob was without a job.
Bob's mouth fairly watered when he
heard Ben tell of the turkeys, rich, golden
pumpkins, mince pies and cranberries that
were on the market. Thanksgiving came
on Thursday Tuesday evening, after his
work was done, Ben came rushing home
and told Bob he had seen a
flock of wild turkeys. He said
that while delivering some goods
out in the country his hat had been blown
off into little ravine. He got out of the
wagon, tied his horse. and was soon after
his hat. He soon recovered it and, hap
pening to look around 4 corner OF the
ravine, he saw a flock of wild turkeys
about $50 wards from him. His plan was
to take Bob's gun and 90 and see ii they
could not get a turkey for Thanksgiving.
By the time Ben had finished his story
and had his supper it was $50 o'clock. AS
the moon did not rise until r little after
8 o'clock, they could have plenty of time
to get to the ravine. After cleaning up
they started off and arrived at the head of
the ravine a short time after the moon had
risen. Bob's gun had belonged to his
father, and this was the first time he had
had chance to use il. Perhaps this
accounted for the way in which he loaded
If. for certain it was he got too much
powder and buckshot in it. He told me
he had a sore shoulder ten days after he
shot his gun.
They finally got the gun loaded, and
then they stole cautiously up the ravine.
When they were at about the place where
Ben had seen the flock. they made a gen
tie rustic in the branches overhead, and
looking up they saw large turkey clearly
outlined against the sky. The boys almost
forgot they had gun. In moment Bob
raised il and endeavored TO steady il, but
he found this To be impossible 1t wab-
bled and wabbed, and he saw about half
dozen turkies instead OF one. He lowered
the gun to rest q moment, when a faint
rustic overhead caused MIN 10 Try again.
This time he was more successful. Whether
il was a mistake or not, l do not know,
but he pulled both triggers at once. The
next thing he knew he was on the ground.
with a very bad pain in his shoulder, but
the sight of a fat turkey gobbler, the re-
suit OF his shot. made Linn forget all about
his injury.
The walk home seemed very short, and
they dreamed Of turkey and guns al night.
Bob would not trust himself TO cook that
turkey, so they got an old colored woman
to cook it for them. She pronounced it
the largest wild turkey she had ever seen.
When Bob and Ben sat down to their
Thanksgiving dinner of turkey, cranberry
sauce, bread and butter potatoes and COT
fee. they pronounced it dinner fit for a
king.
"Bob," said Ben, "what areyou thankful
for?"
"Well," was the reply as he glanced at
the well-browned turkey, Il am thankful
we are not starving and that you have
situation and that we have house to live
in"
And ]" Ben replied, 81 am thankful
for whatever you are"
Ben told me that that turkey was rep
resented in at least one meal every day for
a week afterward. CARLOS, JR.