The Holly chieftain., 1898-11-25

did this one, but 1t was OF no use; she
wasn't equal to il.
"Melyiru," remarked Mr.. Dassy to
his wife, as he looked .nto the coop,
"Mslvira, If | didn't know different,
rhou!d say you was natural'born
fool"
william Henry" snapped Mrs.
Dassy, Il am uaturai-born fool, or
Id never married you"
"Mebby you're right, Melvira," he
.aid, uneasily. But | wish you'd ex-
plain why you didn't pick cut bigger
hen"
That hen was the biggest one on
the place that wanted to.set," returned
Mrs. Dassy. 81 suppose you'd have set
those eggs under hen that didn't
want to set, wouldn't you?'
well, not exactly that. Melvira. a
hen that hasn't fully and thoroughly
made up her mind to set isn't very
stationary critter. But why didn't
you keep the eggs till more sizable
hen got the setting notion into her
head?"
Would you have kept those eggs on
ice, or would you have boiled them,
William Henry?" inquired Mrs, Dassy,
with vigor.
well, dunno what I'd have done"
| sighed Mr.. Dassy, but I'd have done
something fore I'd set nine turkey
eggs under little speckled hen like
| that. You'd better sew fringe on that
| hen SO she can cover the outside eggs.
| Though what do we want a lot of tur-
keys gawking round for anyhow"
We'll, you'll see wha; we want of
them about next Thanksgiving. Will
litm Henry, II you don't eat your share
of those turkeys, then lose my guess"
"Ail right, Melvira, all right" as
scented Mr.. Dassy, cheerfully, as he
went back to the pump. "OnE
don't like the gobble OF the pcsky
things. Makes me want to choke
| the m"
| The Dassys lived on the northern
edge of Nebraska. Their farm lay on
the open prairie, but right al the head
of Lone Tree canyon, an abrupt crack
on the ground which ran down to the
Niobrara river. The lone tree which
gave the name to the canyon was n
high and spectral pine standing n
dozen yards from their barn.
Never was tree so deserted Nv its
kind before. There was not another
in sight anywhere, although there
were others down the canyon and
along the river; but as you stood or
the prairie you looked over them, anC
over the river and canyon as well, so
that in whatever way you turned your
eyes from the Dassy ranch YOU saw
nothing but ;reeless prairie; though
/ of an evening the wind sighed through
the top of the lone tree quite industri-
ously, and did what it could to suggest
forest. The Dassy boys. Thomas
Jefferson, Andrew jackson and George
| Washington, often talked about
climbing the lone tree, but they never
did so.
One day month later Mrs. Dassy
came out of the coop and said: We'll,
she didn't do so bad, think"
How many?' inquired Mr.. Dassy.
Seven"
NO. that isn't bad, considering. Are
they likely-looking crjtters?'
We'll, they don't handsome much
now, of course. Young turkeys never
do. But I'm reckoning that next
Thanksgiving the biggest one o. 'em,
baked to turn, OF the blue platter,
with his legs sticking up in the air,
will be just about as pretty a sight
as you'll see. William Henry!"
Her husband smiled and rubbed his
hands. "Oh. I'm not saying a word
against juicy young turkeys on plat
ters bout Thanksgiving time. What
I object TO is their gobbling and strut
ting around and feeling so big"
Don't say anything. William
Henry" replied his wife; "Tve known
you to gobble and strut around and
feel big"
1t was still early in the spring. and
the weather was cold. Perhaps /, was
from this cause that the next day one
of the young turkeys died. But the
careful nursing of Mrs. Dassy, to.