The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-27
.TWO---AND A TURKEY
By MARY WINTHROP

evening the young folks trooped to her
door, and through the partition walls came
bursts of laughter and snatches of mu-s
sic. That they all followed Mapions ex-
ample in leaving him strictly alone was
partly Jasper's fault After the first few
rebuffs his free and easy manner had
char ged to one of moody aloofness.
Maria sighedsas she noted the change.
and it's the hard hearts you're all after
| havin','' she said as she satin her kitchen
and listened to the laughter from the
! house next door. ~ ~
| Just then Jasper dashed into the room
crying, joyfully, 'Hurrah, Maria. We're
in luck! Here's Aunt Jane writing that
she wants to be sure that We have fine
| Thanksgiving turkey, and so she is send
ing us a live one. l can just fancy how.
good he will taste with some of your prime
dressing" .-..=
/ Maria beamed. She had pardonable
Jasper went to the freight office the
next evening and escorted the turkey
home in person. When it was tethered
to stake in the back yard, Maria could
not but declare that it was the finest tur-
key she had ever seen, infinitely finer than
any belonging to the house next door.
But, alas there was no chance for COM
parison. Others besides Marion had evil
IDENTIFY watched the growth Of her turkeys
and took an interest, proprietary inter-
est, in them. The next morning her tur-.
key house was empty.
Marion cried. There it was only two
days to Thanksgiving dinner and her
fathers long expected visit, and there was
! a dearth Of turkeys in OreviAe. She was
at an upper window gazing disconsolately
toward the empty poultry house when her
glance happened to stray to the yard OF
her neighbor. She saw the turkey teth-
cred to the post. Instantly she. thought
she recognized it as her favorite gobbier.
1t was a case of mistaken identity, but
! there is much Of a sanneness in turkeys
All, so he the thief. But where
were the others? Doubtless he had made
way with them. Here her tears flowed
again. 1t was a melancholy satisfaction
to think how perfectly she had diagnosed
the strangers character at that chance
meeting SO many weeks before, but 1t was
! not material comfort.
| Meanwhile there was equal distress in
the house Of Peyton. Maria's sister was
| ALL and she must come at once. She had
| departed with many tears and lame1ita-
| tons.
Jasper after seeing her off had returned
home in melancholy frame of mind. No
| Thanksgiving dinner for him now. He
must eat at the hotel. And the turkey?
| Just then a most brilliant idea came to
| him. He had heard of Miss Cartons
loss. Why not give her his turkey?
But a very astonished face met him next
| door. Was his conscience already trou-
| bling him? Marion's cheeks were scar
| let with anger as the unconscious Young
| man presented the turkey in his most po-
| lite manner.
| He had scarcely finished when the ava
| lanche fell. His turkey! For how long
| had it been his turkey? Since last night.
1t was adding insult to injury to return
as a gift what he had previously stolen.
Jaspers bewilderment had changed to
! anger. g.
you accuse me-me:" he exclaimed in
credulousy But it is only on a par
with your previous actions. Permit me,
| madam to inform you that the turkey
| arrived by express last night. You can
| get the express agent to verify my words
1 can only hope that you will enjoy my
! turkey much as if it had been one OF your
own" And before the girl could speak
he had bowed ironically and was gone.
1t was the next-evening that there came
! timid tap atAJaSper's door, 1t was the
| girl from the next house. Her long lashes
| hid the dark eyes and the scornful mouth
trembled. Only the nose still tilted ag-
! erava tingly Il have come" she said in
| a very small voice, Ito say that am sor-
~ The express agent told me how your
aunt had sent it. They have caught the
/ thieves who stole my turkeys.
! Jasper was silent. It was undoubtedly
cruel of him, but he had suffered much.
The girl went on bravely. though there
was choke in her voice: And-and-
! I've come to ask you whether you won't
! come over and have some of your turkey
with us tomorrow. Father will be home
and 1 know he will be glad to meet you.
| Won't you Gomez
! JASPER saw tears shining behind the long
lashes. His heart beat strangely as he
! took her outstretched hand. Il shall be
! glad to corne,'' he said quietly.
But it took Maria a long time to get
used to the new state Of affairs.