The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1896-12-11

Hiss Carman in London Weekly Sun.
"A HARD WON TURKEY.
Use been looking, ] have. so l ought
t to know" said Lucy, withsa fearful face,
IAN there's only beans and pork an Il
wee, wee piece of beef pop bought: from
the cowboys. There's no Cranberries an
there's no turkey an MANS not making
no-no-p-pie."
"Mom's busy looking after pop, Loo,'
said Ned, in great worriment, IAN he's
awful down with 'laria. I guess Wen
have to do without pie this Thanksgiv-
ing" = Etl~
mo pie. An no turkey! We always
have pic an turkey on Thanksgive.
Ned. else it amt no Thanksgiving. 1t
can't be Thanksgiving"
But We amt on the farm now, Loo
her big brother demonstrated: 'wc're in
the lujpn territory.
Il don't care" crir, Miss Loo. Amt
there turkeys an cranberrics III the In
jun territory"
II guess there are. hut b amt sure
about cranberres. ss
"'rbcn why don't you buy one:"
"'Cause there's nobody round here
for miles IN milesssan' miles to buy
from, and,' he added ,lolcfully to him
self; there's no money to buy one with ,,
Miss Loo reproachfully, Il once caught
a turkey all by myself in the yard,
She rose from the bank of the creek
and walked slowly and tearfully back to
the wagon. She was only 8 years old,
but she was already positive about the
right Of little women and one of these
was unalterably the proper, celebration
of Thanksgiving.
Her brother Ned sat by the chilly wa
ters and thought dismally. He was
thinking. and just old enough to realize
plainly that things with his family had
gone all wrong. He knew that times
had been hard in Wyoming, where they
had come from. He knew that his ia
Their had lost all his cattle and had to
leave the ranch. He knew they were
travelling With their few household goods
down to- join his uncle in Texas-travel-
ing i'll the slowest, most laborious but
cheapest way. with his fathers last wag-
Oh and his fathers last four horses.
They had left the North late and here
vet out OF Indian territory, his father
sick with chills and fever, his mother
worried and tired out, his little sister fret
full and wearied. and he, small boy,
the only able one of the family.
They had hauled the wagon off the
trail a bit. until the father could get
better. and camoe1. and Gambling there,
with the chills Of winter almost upon
them, Thanksgiving day had come.
Poor Loo! She was vet unable to I'M
derstand that Thanksgiving might oc-
casionally arrive without either turkey
or mince pie.
Ned sat until the falling sun warned
him it was time to fetch wood for she
fire and help his mother make the Door
meal they We're getting accustomed to-
Mother he said as they hung over
the. fire. together, tomorrow is Thanks
giving
"a poor one for us. sonny" she an
swered ''No pie for little Loo tomor-
now I'm afraid-poor child. But We'll
soon be in Texas, Ned
"Ain't there turkeys III this territory.
nom: Wild turkeys, mean:
$50 I'm told; but gracious, you can't
expect; your father to get up, sick as he
is, and shoot turkeys
Couldn't I? I've shot pops gun off
twice. IN Loo wants turkey. She's
tired of pork and tlapjacks.'
our father said. when we left home,
you were never 20 leave the trail. You
HE said unless necessary and when
we entered the territory the people told
US we were quite safe. The Indians lire
all quiet on their reservations. and we've
only seen two all the way through. so
there's no danger off the trail
Get the coffee. Ned said his mother.
land don't talk nonsense"
But Ned thought long over the fire
that. night, and early, next morning when
- fhn1. xsf1o i'm,
fire ready lighted, and Il ragged piece of
paper attached to the wheel Of wagon.
She read it with difficulty
Ned has gone to ketch turkey for
Loo. It's nessary."
His mother looked quickly into the
wagon. and one glance at its usual place
told her that her husbands qbreechload-
ing shotgun was gone. She looked where
the horses were picketed and found one
missing. Their only saddle and bride
was absent, too. The poor worried
mother turned pale and cried little,
but never said word of the missing
boy to her sick husband. and succeeded
IN quieting the too curious Loo. But the
morning passed slowly away, and there
was no sign of either Ned Or the turkey.
At early daybreak the lad had slipped
from his nest of blankets on the. ground
beneath the wagon, and struggled out
to the conclusion that this was one of
the necessary occasions OH which he
was to be allowed to leave the trail and
pros oect. as it WERE on his own account.
Loo was crying for the proper Thanks
giving dinner: he would try to give it to
her in some measure. His father could
not eat their coarse food: the white
breast of fat turkey would tempt his
appetite. There was no doubt this was
necessary occasion. = -'..,.
Far off OH the never-ending plain he
rode on his fresh and willing horse, the
gun resting. both barrels loaded, on the
pomn,el before him. The chill of the
morning air was speedily softened by
the rays of warm sun. The boy began
to feel the real glory of the plains. as
the wind swept past him, and the gallop-
ing hOofs Of his horse made music in his
ar. His cheeks flushed; his uncut hair
aoated behind him; his eyes shone, and
he shouted with the novel delight But
he saw 10 turkeys. IF he had known
more he would have got mp at night and
"potte1' them from their roosts in the
branches of the scanty trees-,lnsports-
manlikc,: but effective. Now they were
far abroad feeding. -.. J.,
Ned stopped shouting but he did not
halt in his pursuit At length his eager
eyes noticed a ffutter among a clump of
tall dead sunfiowcrs. and his Wyoming
learning taught him that these birds We're
feeding on the fallen sunf1owers seeds.
But he did not want prairie chicken. he
wanted turkey. Once again he looked
and there was a heavyHfutter and move
lnent among the tall sunfowers. They
were turkeys-a big Scovey. Shaking
with excitement. the boy picketed his
horse and crept OH foot near the busy
birds. He was afraid they would hear
his heart thump and take fright, but still
he got nearer and nearer, with his finger
on the trigger. Then all old wise gobbler
ty yards, and the coyey started half run
ming half flying in Il great state of ex-
element. Ned fired almost blindly into
the midst Of them, both barrels. He saw
something drop and ran to it. s Tnr-
was Hopping away among the suntlowcrs.
Ned ran ito that, ands killed it with Il
blow Of his gun. Two! He sat down