The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1891-12-30
HENRY L. BlOSSAT, Business Manager.

VERY WELL" pa said, still laughing
"If l weie you, Molly, I'd change my
hiding-phce now and then. 1t won't
do any harm
She didn' answer, but went about
looking troubled until grandma had to
scold her for being SO absent-minded
that she put sugar instead of salt in
the souB and burned the chickens to
crisp.
what is the matter with you,
Molly?N says grandma.
''It's The evil one that's got into me,
think ma'am," Molly said. "I'm
just daaed, and feef as if some great
trouble was comm"
That was at night, and the next
morning there was the greatest hula
baloo you ever heard. Molly's bag of
money was gone from her chest, and
she was in Mysteries. The strangest
thing Of all was, she always wore the
key ofthe chest on a string around
her neck, and it never came off day Or
night. The key was in its place, and
the chest locked as usual, but when
she opened it the money bag was gone.
''Who was here last night, Molly?"
asked pa.
at was Terry" she screamed. cts
him, the thafe, that's got my money!
We counted it, and he says as how
there was enough to get married on
afther New Year Have him arrested,
Misther North, for the howly Vargin's
sake
"But how did he get the keys?" pa
| asked.
''How can know?" she groaned. 81
had awful dhrames all night av walk
| in and climbin', and l was that sore
this mornin' He's got my money some
way;i and then she began to howl
| again.
Pa went to town, but sure enough
| Mr. OBrien wasn't to be found, and
the man where he worked said he had
gone off on the north bound train, but
said he would be back in day Or two
San where did the dirthy thafe get
the money for his ticket cries Molly
| "whin niver red clint did he have in
his poclzet?"
Pa told her he had put the police on
his track, and that quoted her so she
managed to cook the dinner, but she
cried quarts between times.
That was the day before New Year,
and after dinner grandma took us into
the pantry to see the things. Oh, ]
couldn't begin to tell you what loads
of pies and cakes and fruits and
candies there were, but we hardly saw
anything for looking and wondering at
a monstrous turkey that hung from q
big Hook in the ceiling. 1t was a
mammoth, and grandma said that Ole
as she was she had never seen any,
thing like it. 1t was of big breed, tt
begin with, and had been fattening il
a coop for year.
''For two MONTHS" grandma said
"the turkey has been fed on pecan:
andwalnuts. and just look at the fat
If it isn't delicious, then I'm no judge
of q fine turkey
Even Molly got up her spirits ovel
that turkey, and told us how she was
going to stuff it with truffles, and sucl
a gravy! After that she had another
crying spell, and took herself off tt
bed.
The next morning. after breakfast
she took the keys out of her poke
and started for the pantry. | went
along, but she was ahead She opened
the door and gave little start ant
cried out: where's the turkey?"
Sure enough, there was the hook, bu
no turkey. Molly looked on tn,
shelves, behind the barrels, and il
every nook and corner, as if the mice
could have moved that monster Thel
she says to me, looking as white as ;
sheet:
Bob, run to the MISTRESS and b.
asllin' her if she moved the turkey?"
"The turkey" cries grandma, jump
ing up. "What does that girl mean
Has she lost her senses? Where SHOULD
the turkey be but in the pantry wher,
she hung it??'
1T isn't there, grandma" | said, ant
then every body ran to the pantry. Molly
was sitting in a chair, looking scared
to death, and gasping for breath.
"Its gone! it's gone" she hollered
Jumping up and clapping her hands
fIt's gone like my money! The doc
was locked, and the key in my p ocket
The window is barred, look! They
haven't been touched! Howly saints
but it is bewitched the house isl"
| & Well, it was just as she said. Every
thing was in its place, the ducks ant
geese and mutton, and no single pie