, 1896-04-04

Sidct, d lat, proud IellOW, whose only
virtua was hat baby loved him. He
was ntr only pet.
"hri J-r-.'' exclaimed the mother.
% Case. We can take hi with
US shen We go"
Sic Fastened away. The little girl
dio NJ. follow her. She q aoas -&atu
in her chair. All or misery g
reached elimination. She cried ar size
had never cried before in all her life.
Even now i. was subdued and hushed.
AS she cried her father passed
through the kitchen. He had cever
seen her like this. He had fancied her
all passive. He bent down quickly, and
somehow did what he had never done
before. he gathered the little one in his
arms.
"What is it, little girl?" he said:
what is it,"
She could not speak for her sobs. He
stroked her hair gently and even kissed
her awkwardly. He held her close I'M
til she told him between her gasps and
sobs that they were killing Jerry" He
did not comprehend exactly, but said:
Come, we shall see; they shall not
hurt him" He put her down. and,
taking her hand, passed out. Father
and daughter became friends then for
ever.
So they saved the turkey. but all the
chickens. young and old, were slain. 1t
was rather a festival for the young
Phil, who did the Staying. His SENSIBLE
tiles were not troublesome. His mo-
Their, too, forgot the pain, and reckon
ed as to what they might bring. But
the father and daughter walked hand
in hand into the meadows, and the tur-
key stalked behind, wholly uncon-
scious of what he had just escaped.
That afternoon a strange thing hap
pened. AS the mother stood at her
work, preparing the chickens for a
ket, she felt her hand touch something
hard. She found hat the something,
when examined. cleaned in her hand,
She gazed for a long while in astonish-
ment at what seemed a tiny gold drop.
then she sighed at the thought of what
gold might do. and what misery its abb
sence brought. She laid the button
as something which might please
Phil. poor boy" She sighed again,
and went on with her work. Nothing
happened for two or three chickens,
then again she touched something
hard. She repeated her previous oper-
atoms, and brought to light this time
a button as large as her nail. For 20
times the same thing was repeated.
Twenty pieces Of gold, of all sizes,
shapes and conditions. lay before her.
She was full Of subdued excitement.
She went to the door and called her
husband and son
When they came she only pointed to
the pile. saying nothing. Phil cried
out. To him it seemed a fortune. His
father turned pale. 1t meant nothing
to him. a as a sign OF something
more. "Oh. look at the gold!" persist
ed the boy. How rich we are!" The
man asked quietly where she had OBJ
tanned It. The woman answered. 1t
seemed a strange thing to her husband.
and that was all. His wife did not
know where it had come from original
ly. and they g nc better of than be-
fore. Perhaps they we're worse of than
they had been. for but a moments hope
meant added disappointment and fu-
tile pangs. He said this rather rough
ly and left them. He had been deeply
stirred by the event, but did not show
it.. When he left the room, the little
girl stole after him. Phil turned over
the gold in great glee. The woman be-
gan to cry again. Her husband seemed
heartless to her. All looked darker
than before. after the momentary ex-
element.
Outside, the baby walked with her
father. The turkey stalked before
them, and they followed him mechani-
cally. 1t was a beautiful June day, a
day that seemed hushed in expectancy.
1t had rained in the morning and
seemed likely to rain again, but there
was no chill or gloom in the thought.
The sky was gray, but the sun could
be seen shining behind the gray. The
earth lay in her freshest green with
drops on each leaf and g~rass-blade. yet
she seemed eager for more rain or sun
shine. Somehow the mood OF the day
became the mood Of the man. So he
followed the turkey.
Right up the valley went the bird,
alike over wet earth and slippery rock.
Now and then he stopped to eat some
what, tapping his wings and calling
out. Then again he went on. The man
still followed, and the child. Presently
the valley became more uneven. They
passed over several little ascents. Sud-
denly the turkey took to fight and left
them. The man started as II from a
dream, and followed him. The rising
over which the turkey had flown was
a trifie steep and rocky. He picked up
the child, and carried her over. On the
other side lay q little dell, and the tur-
key wa there. The stream here wild
ened out and flowed more slowly, and
was very shallow. 1t seemed to be-
come entangled In the sandy earth. The
turkey had found rich food. and was
digging rear the water.