Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1895-12-27
THE DEACON'S WHITE TURKEY.

Well, mother, the big white turkeys gone, ,
said Deacon Patten, as he took Oft his great
coat and sent shower of snowfakes down up
on the kitchen floor.
Gone" repeated Mrs. Patten, setting the
stealning coffee pot in her hands upon the sup
per table and looking inquringly at the deacon.
"Gone where ?"
"Don't know" seating himself by the fire
and kicking off his wet boots. "Dldn't come
round when wuz feedin' the rest Looked
high ar low, but didn't find no signs of it.
'Tain't likely it wonld go off in such storm
when it had plenty to eat here. If anything
has been round an took it the tracks are all
hid by the SNOW. l allowed I'd kill it to-mor-
row, an hang it up for Christmas. pve set
such store by havin' it then It won't be any
kind of a Christmas without it."
"Perhaps it will turn up in the morning.
Come to supper, father" And as the deacon
seated himself before the steaning coffee and
helped himself to the flaky biscuit and golden
honey, the lost turkey was for time forgotten
But the search was taken up again next morn
ing. After bringing i'll the milk the deacon
returned to the barn and Mrs. Patten caught
glimpses of him hunting about as she passed
back and forth before the kitchen window, do
ing her work. Finally he left the yard and
went out into the road The housework was
finished, row of crisp pies on the pantry
shelf told of Mrs. Patterns deft handiwork,
and she was pairing potatoes for dinner when
the deacon returned. Removing his wet gar
ments, he seated himself near the fire and
slowly rocked back and forth in his chair,
moodily holding his head between his hands
!'Did you get the turkey back, father, ~
asked Mrs. Patten after an interval of silence.
"No' curtly answered the deacon.
Mrs Patten looked surprised at his sharp
tone and waited for him to speak again. The
deacon gazed steadily at the floor for time,
then dropped his hands into his lap and raised
his head.
'Mother," he said in. convincing. tone,
'"them Davids took that turkey"
''Why, father!" exclaimed Mrs. Patten,
dropping her knife. "'Taint like you to
speak so of anybody" and she leaned to the
floor and took up the knife again
'Course it amt. Wouldn't say such
thing if 'twasn't So You see, thought I'd
90 down the road a piece and see if any the
neighbors seen the turkey, an when | got
long by the David's barn | thought I'd peek
in an see if twas in there. Sure 'nough,
there was a white heap on the manger.'
"Snowdrift, probaby,' nterposed Mrs
Patten.
tTwasnt no snowdrift. Snowdrifts don't
flap their wings guess. While was trying
to find a crack where | could get square look
at it, Dick David an one the girls come to the
door on t'other side an Dick says, Now I'll
an take look Then he fused with the
door an after minute the girl says, 'Haint
he big fellow? But you ought to have a lock
on the door, Dick. Somebody might open it
an let it get away an then they fastened the
door an went to the house l knowed where
my turkey was right 'nough."
"perhaps so-and perhaps they found it in
their barn and shut it in till they found where
it belonged and perhaps it isn't your turkey
at all.'
"Not my turkey! Whose is it then, I'd like
to know? Everybody knows raised the only
white turkey in the country round this year,
and everybody bnows was savin' it for Christ
mas. Likely they don't know where it belongs.