The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-11-26

i"hhN' iny VII hlo piIlONS III tuc uulOlu-
ing bedroom, looking ut them through
the open door with m expression on
his face almost rs sad MS Toms, not
quite, Tor Tom saw no way out oil the
coil, but the good man among his pill
lows knew that heaven willing, his
family would be Nil right when he
should be upon his feet again. But rs
Tom now aud then lifted his head and
looked round, 1t did seem very depress.
ing TO think OF that sick man, that tired
May, that dear mother that gentle little
Sue, without any Thanksgiving dinner
TO speak OF, and that Ned Twombly-
lie took up his cap and stole out OF the
house presently, not meaning to 20 any
where in particular, but just TO be NOV.
Ing. It was all unconsciously TO himself
that his feet followed tho path down
hill that led past tho Twomblys' house.
II was the ioot.path OF the pasture,
and the bars being down ior tho last
bringing in Of harvest across tho fields,
the path took him straight by the
Twombly kitchen and the pantry, whose
window was wide open. Tho light from
q window in tho wing OF the house
shone full upon the pantry, and there
on the window-shcli was plainly visible
abig turkey set to cool, just roasted. q
shining golden brown, shedding its
sayory aroma upon the frosty mir; and
near it stood glass bowl OF quaking
cranberry sauce, and, rs he paused a
moment and looked in, there was surely
n dish OF cracked walnuts with some
great punches OF raisins, and pan OF
Juicy red snow-applcs, and-yes--a
huge mincc pic, one OF the kind. Tom
knew without tasting it, full OF raisns
and citron and cider and all good spice
it made his mouth water to think OF
it.
And this goodly array was Just the
beginning OF the Twomblys' Thanksgiv.
ing. This turkey they were to have
cold evidently; the other would be hot.
Two turkeys Tor Ned Twombly, ana he
and Sue with hone! And then and there
hungry impof evil whispcredin Toms
car, why not take that turkey and carry
it home?
1t would be stealing, 10 be sure. But
the Twomblys would never feel the loss
Of it. They didn't need, nobody needed
two turkeys. 1t would not be hurting
any one. And he could tell his mother
it had been given to him, it would be
easy enough to get up story that
would convince her. And that would
be lying. One sin always tumbles OH
the heels of another.
But could he not sustain the burden
OF the two sins for the sake of giving
his mother and the girls such dinner
as that turkey would make? There was
no trouble at all about it; he could
reach the shelf on tiptoc. He had only
TO put up his hand and take it by the
ends OF the two drumsticks; he could
lift it up SO gently no one would hear,
and he could make off with it into the
darkness entirely unseen and unknown.
But it never could be traccd-for were
not turkeys all much alike, and did not
everyone have turkeys OH the day be-
fore Thanksgiving?
And Sue could have her wishbone,
and his father perhaps just one bit out
OF the sidebonc; and his mother should
have that luscious morscl OF the brown
outside wing-hc could see them all en-
joying it; and he himself-he was hun.
cry for that turkey down to his very.
toes. Oh, how tempting it was. How
delicious it would be! He would carve
it himsclf-and to be able to give Sue
that wishbone!
Suddenly Tom turned and took to his
heels. and ran asst that whispering imp
OF evil were after him. Up the path
through the gate he went, across the
pasture, through the fallen bars, over
the field into his own yard, through the
shed till he coul burst III at the kitch-
en- door. The gloom seemed to be full
OF live things OF darkness, seemed TO be
swarming with evil essences OF which
he had been about to become one; they
were close upon him. all about him, he
thought he felt them; he knew there
was no such thing-and yet ii he did
not gain his fathers doorstep, his moth
cr's side, they would have him, he
would be one OF them. He had almost
been thief. He had almost been a
liar. He Tom Powers! lie would
never be able to look his father in the
face, to hold up his head under the blue
sky, to say his prayers again!
He tumbled in at the door; but his
motheronly thought that he had tripped
his foot, and held up her finger warm
ingly, for hiT iathcr had fallen asleep.
And he sat -own again on his stool by
the fire and looked about him Il while,
and wondered presently il he had not
been asleep himself, and ii that terrible
moment had not been dream. May
had come home; and little Sue, sitting
beside her, was repeating her Sunday
school lesson: ''Thc Lord is my Shep-
herd; l shall not want" and Toms
blue eyes were taking it in, and he was
thinking that after all it didn't need 4
turkey to be thankful for his mother
and Sue and May. and that his father
was getting well, when there was a rap
on the door, and Mrs. Twombly opened
it. Nov, Mrs. Powers, my dear"
she said, while Toms heart beat
in his throat. as he felt sure she
had come to dcnouncc him as a
thief, "now. my dear, you're not to be
offended. But know what house is
where there's sickness, and there's no
time or strength to spare for stuiiing
and roasting fowl. And I've cooked
this turkey and brought it up to YOU
myself, that you needn't DO bothering.
hope you'll like the dressing; l always
put raisins and breadstutIing in the
crop, and mashed potatoes with 4 dust
OF pepper and sage in the body. And
here's the cranberry sauce; and here's
the mincc pic. l darcsay it isn't as
good as yours; but want you TO taste
mine. OH and here arc some nuts for
the children. l thought the noise OF
cracking them might be bad Tor their
father: You came as near losing it all,
though, as four pence to 4 great; for
Jane was sure she heard stcalthy
step outside the pantry window rs she