Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-02
QUILL'S YARN.
The Story Of an Old Time Thanks.
giving Donation.
Deeds Of Charity Done Under Cover Of
Night Are Dangerous.

husks seven days before Thankseiy-
ing and living on the turkey bone seven
days after was pretty generally OBJ
served in this vicinity. In many a
New England home there was Thanks
chair was filled. for the prodigal had
returned to the old roof tree and the
proverbial fatted calf was killed. There
is always something about Thanksgiv
ing that is conducive to charity. The
air seems 20 be filled with benevolepce
and kindness and many a family, who
have found life's pathway a little up
hill through the journey and the walk
ing a little difficult. have abundant rea-
sons for giving thanks on this day
above all others. for that golden sign,
THE Lord VIII Provide" has been YER
flied in their cases.
Speaking of charity reminds me of a
case that came to my notice some time
ago, a case where l unconsciously
played the title role, the heavy villain
in the drama, as it We're. a case where
charity covered a multitude of sins
Like unto poor Tray of Sunday school
fame l was not only caught in bad
freight. This is how trouble COM
menced to come my way. A certain
merchant, who did business on the
street for many years and whose heart
was more than normal, always made it
q point to give a certain amount of
the dross of this earth for charity
And Thanksgiving time to him was one
of the proper days to spend his sub
stance. He evidently went on the sup.
position that one cannot convert a
heather on an empty stomach, SO it
was his custom to send round to the
poor, the day before, two legged ami
NAL with wings, with all the trim
mings The merchant had a faithful
employee who had grown old in his ser
vice and to him and his family he al
ways made it point to send the best
and the biggest turkey the market af-
forded.
One Thanksgiving. this one in par
ticular that got me into trouble, the
merchant had ordered a nice home
grown bird to be held for him until
called for. AT the same time he con-
ceived brilliant idea of making the
faithful employe think that he had
been left out in the shuttle and then at
the eleventh hour he would call around
to his home and present him with a
bird. He took me into the scheme and
told me SO much about it and what a
surprise it would be that |. like an in
nocent lamb, fell into the trap all over
eve waS2the time set for
the presentation, but during the day
something happened to upset his plans.
The emplOye not seeing any signs of
wings or hearing any gobbler sounds
around his premises, decided that this
was an off year and that he was not i'm
it, so went out on the street and pur-
chased a small bird for home .cOnsump-
ton. which he carefully hung up in the
store stairway. My friend the mer-
chant, promptly impartedz theinforma-
ton to me and added that he had
stolen the bird and sent it up to a poor
family on the hill. There was a dill
gent search for that lost bird, but he
failed to materialiZe and they finally
gave il up and the faithful clerk went
home fully recOnciled to the fact that
he must feed his family on bone liver
and bakers bread.
We conspirators waited until well in
the evening, then picked up the third
man and with turkey carefully
wrapped up in a paper started across
the bridge toward his house. Now,
unfortunately for our peace of mind
and also for our anatomy there had
been several burglaries in that section
about that time and everybody was
sleeping with an eye open. The night
e oil 20
Thanksgiving ewes with plenty of
snow and a crust that would hold up
a pair of oxen. We approached the
house stealthily >and reconnoitered.
And after a while we hung the turkey
on the door knob and crept across the
street to the vacant lot and awaited
further developments. After waiting
some time. not seeing or hearing any
signs of life. the merchant crawled
down from the high, rail fence where
we were perched and started across to
make tour of the premises. He had
just about reached the front door, when
the window up stairs was cautiously
raised and the business end of a gun
was poked through the opening. We
two on the fence We're so busy whis-
pering that we did not see this new
factor in the game and was not aware
of his presence until the merchant gave
one terrified look behind him. and
rushing across the street. he struck our
top rail like a Yale half back, which
was a little too much for the old stick
to stand. Consequently we all went
down i'm a rush together, and i'm going
down. it being on side hill, the crust
acted like a toboggan slide and in five
minutes time we had covered a half
mile of crust and landed at the foot of
the gully covered with burrs and
bumps. We learned afterwards that
the turkey was rescued from his perch
on the door knob feet up. and peace
and quietness reigned on the east side
once more. While picking the burrs
off from my raiment. the next day,
mentally resolved that the next time
any philanthrOpist wanted to borrow
me to make one of party and add re-
spectability to the crowd he will be
obliged to use chloroform or steal me
when l was asleep.