Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-11-24
MISS PODD'S TURKEY.

elud pS COlHe OuG OeIlSI Will VI
than | expected" said Phoebe PodC
across the barnyard fence to her neigh
Dor, Mrs. Trip, who said:
They're as fine lot o'turkeys as
ever see, Miss Podd, and you'd grea
luck to do so we'll with 'em. Turkey
are dreadful hard things to raise
Don't you think so ?"
Eyes, they be; an l do'no as
shall ever try it again. They need SC
much coddlin' when they're little
things an they eat so much | doubt i
it pays to bother with 'em. But
thought I'd try it once just to see how
l come out, and Ididn't lose single
one. One of EN- had the pips, too
but coddled it through all light"
you'll sell some OF EN- at Thanks
giving time, l s'pose?"
"Oh, yes; callate on selling al
but that young gobbler, an I'm goin
to eat him. I'm short Of grain and il
won't pay me to buy feed for lot o
turkeys. They'd eat their heads of
in six weeks"
eyes, l s'pose so. Who you goin
to have for comp'ny Thanksgivin'?"
81 amt quite sure yet; but guess
it won't be hard to git some one t(
come in an help eat a plump, juicy
young gobbler like that"
"No, indeed. We're all goin' over
to Hebron to eat dinner with my hus'
bands sister. They're goin' to have
big family reunion there, an sister
counts on havin' over forty to din
ner."
ut must be nice TO have that many
own folks" said Miss Phoebe, with q
sigh. "Here I amt got any kin al
all"
There S your cousin Thyrza," " said
Mrs. Trip.
W don't connt her as kin" SAID
Phoebe coldly, and she manifested hel
resentment of Mrs. Trips suggestion
by turning about abruptly and walk
ing into the house, while Mrs. Tripr
walked down the country road towarC
her own home, saying to herself, "I
ever there was set piece Phoebe
Podd is one. There nobody on eartl
she'd ought to have and she'd like tc
have help her to eat that young COB
bier as Thyrza Deane and her boys
but she'd die, Phoebe Podd would, be
fore she'd own up to it.
Miss Podd lived on a profitable lit
tie farm left to her by her parents, whc
had also left her cash and stocl
enough to make her one of the "bes
off women in the neighborhood il
which she lived. She lived alone
with the exception of a hired man.
Miss Podd and her cousin Thyrzj
had been more like sisters than cousin
in their intimacy until a trifiing dis
agreement had resulted in their com
plete estrangement, and it had beer
FIVE years since they had spoken t
each other.
Mrs. Deane had become widow dur
ing these five years, and she had beel
reduced from a state of ease and plent.
to one of hardship and poverty. Blu
these facts had apparently made n
difference with Phoebe Podd, for sh
continued to utterly ignore the exist
ence of her cousin.
I'D like to see myself askin
Thyrza Deane and her young ones
come and help me eat that turkey |!
said Miss Podd spitefully, as she wen
into her spotless kitchen and bange
the door behind her. I've a goo
mind never to speak to Sarah Trip
again for mentioning the name {
Thyrza Deane to me +
Three days before Thanksgivin
Miss Podd engaged the services {
Jane Gray, woman who "wOrke
out" in the neighborhood, and the tw
women dressed the entire flock of tul
KEYS for market after Job, the hire
man, had done duty as a butcher.
The plump young gObbler alone wa
spared, but his end was to come o
Thanksgiving day.
although it'd be a mercy to XII
i'm now, said Miss Podd to Jan
Gray, "hel feel so lonely without h
mates. I'll have Job kill i'm earl
Thanksgivin morning, and put i'm
the ice-house to cool off fore l roa'
i'm, an l don't think III have anyon