Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-10-10

rhrt b. days Of tbs lot may be lenzthene'
Ana ife tame Of thy wors ike a pumpkii
And ,hy life be As sweet, and It's last sun
/ Go,sels-.lal5i and fair as thy own pumpk:.
pie. john Greeulcaf Whittier.
. The D9lGOn'S Nhi.e Turkey.
wen. mother, the big white turkey:
gone" said Deacon Paften. as he tooa
of his great coat and sent a shower Of
snowfakps down upon the kitchen floor.
Gone" repeated Mrs. Pattcn setting
the steaming coffee pot in her hands upon
the supper table and looking inquiringly
M the deacon Gone whcrcE'
Don't know seating himself by the
fire and kicking off his wet boots. "Didn' /
come round when | was feedin' the rest.
Looked high an low, but didn't find no
signs Of it,. "Taint likely 1t would 20
off in such a storm when it had plenty
10 eat here. If anything has been round
an took IL the tracks are all hid by the
snow. | allowed I'd kill it tomorrow. ain
hang it up for Christmas. I've set such
a store by hayin' il then I won't be any
kind Of Christmas without it."
Perhaps it will turn up by morning.
Come to supper, father And as the
deacon seated himself before the steam
ing coffee and helped himself to the eaky
biscuit and golden honey, the lost turkey
was for a time forgotten. But the search
was taken MP again the next morning.
After bringing in the milk the deacon
returned to the barn and Mrs. Patteu
caught glimpscs Of him hunting about
as she passed back and forth before the
kitchen window, doing her work. Final
~ he left the yard and went out into
the road. The houseWoTk was finished.
row Of crisp pies on the paltFy shelf
told If Mrs. Patterns dcft handiw0rk,
and she was pairing potatoes for dinner
when the deacon returned. Removing
his wet garments. he seated himself near
the fire and slowly rocked back and forth
in his chair, moOdily holding his head
between his hands.
Ibid you get the turkey back. father
asked Mrs. Patten after an interval "
mol" cnrtly answered the deacon.
Mrs. Pasten looked surprised at his
sharp tone and waited for him to speak
again. The deacon gaZed steadily Mt the
floor for a time. then dropped his hands
into his lap and raised his head.
Mother he said in a convincing tone,
them Dayids took hat turkey"
why, father exclaimed Mrs Patton
dropping her knife. 'Tain't like you 10
speak so Of anybody" and she leaned to
the floor and took up the knife again.
Course it amt. Wouldn't say such a
thing if 'twasn't SO. You see, thought
I'd 60 down the road a piece and see if
any the ueiehbors seen the turkey. an
when | got long by the Davids' barn |
thought Id peek in an see if twas in
there. Sure 'nough. there was white
heap on the mangcr."
''Snowdrift, probably" iaterp0scd Mrs.
PatteH.
"'Twasn't no snowdrift, Snowdrifts
don't flop their wings, | guess. While !
was tryin' to find crack where | could
get square look at it, Dick David an
the girls come to the door on t0thcr side
an Dick says, Now I'll open the door
Il hit an You put your head in an take
Il laon. Then he fused with the door
an after minute the girl says Hahn
h. Il biz, fellow? But you ought to have
II loci. on the door. Dick. Somebody
might open in an let him get away.
An then they fastened the door an
went to the house. | knowed where NY
turkey was right 'nough.
Perhaps s0-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 il. then
I'll like to know Everybody knows |
raised the only white turkey in the couu,
try round this year. and everybody
knows | was savln' It for Christmas
L.krly they don't know where It b,
long'. Il didn't 60 there without hands,
Nov. now. father -"
Didn't / see Dick David skuIkip,
round my barn ycSto rdayE What else
was he after bit my white turkey: Buj
he won't have il. I'm going down Their,
tomorrow an tell 'em | seen my turkey
in their barn an come to take it home
Yes, | wiN"'
And BE- did. Gentle Mrs. Pattcn In
bored IN vain 10 make the deacon take q
more Chnritahla view Of the cirrum
stances, hut his resentment, nouriShet
over night. had grown into paSSiO,
when he set out for the David hunrstea,
the next day. Mrs pattcn watched hi,
depart with 4 sinking heart. Her eve.
followed him down the road MS he wen
with great strides through the almost I'm
broken snow. Then she dropped into
chair by the window and watched for hi
return. Almost before she expected +.
see him he came in sight Mrs. Patton
| rose To her feet. shaded her eyes with hp,
| hand and peercd anNiouSy out Mt him n
! he approached. He was empty -hondnd
! On he came, stumbling along through IN,
| snow, pausing here and there In rIr
| hack and shake his clenched fist tovar,
| the rcceding home Of the Davids II,
! had started ont full of anger. he was nv
| turning in a tower Of passion Mrs PA
| ten sank back in her chair with SOY
her heart filled with forebodings as +,
what might have happened. when fh'
| deacon entered closed the door brb;n.
him with bang and threw himself i INF.
| his chair. 81 '"''
You need never say another word f.,
them payidS." he gasped. >trns.,5ns. =,
| recover his breath
Nov, father. whucvcr has h3oo.,,,,l
| there's no use Of yo, getting So ry'ft,l
NO use getting excited, Tmm David.
have eat M my wslte ;urkryy'
Did they say So" gui,.-Iy osl.., A..
Patten.. IF they d.l Say :, If v,s !" L>
cause there was q mistake >Gm~W Her.,
and If they didn't say so. how J /" '', Wv,
know they atc the tufkey;" '' '"'
Eant / see am hrar:' Ana m,}5,,, ~.
effort to get control Of his yni's F 6a o'