The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-12-25
Mud PEs IND TURKEYS


| N0W, Kot0f, ~ ~ Homo unD
afternoon and keep An eye to the
house, and to the turkeys as well.
There seem to me Indications Of .
shower, and you must be sure and not
let the young turks get wet" said
Farmer Garland, az he stepped into
the buggy In which his wife wen a.
ready seated. Yes, sir" drawied
Peter slowly; but he locked slnm
enough as he watched his parents out
of sight and then glanced up at the
blue sky overhead, muttering. "Stuff
and nonsense! Nobody will run away
with the house, and there is no moro
danger Of rain than Of snow. might
! just as well 90 fishing with the other
fellows He did not dare, however.
to disobey 80 positive command of
his fathers and pretty soon, with his
hands in his pockets, sauntered
round to the back of the farmhouse, to
| look at his own especial brood Of tur-
keys, fine young fowls, that he was
raising himself and which, before his
minds eye, he could already see sent
To market and transformed into the
jingling coin of the republic, and that,
in turn invested in the desire Of his
heart, a bicycle. And Thanksgiving
win see me spinning along on my
metal steed. and growing over all the
other boys" he thought, with pride
and delight.
The Garland homestead was q very
old Fashioned mansion, and in the rear
stood one of those brick Dutch ovens
n which our forefathers- rather,
,oremothers--were wont to bake their
famous milk pies and pan dowdies;
and close to this, Peter came upon his
two little sisters, deep In their Satur'
day baking, and merry as grigs, as
they concocted their pies OF rich
brown mud and fresh spring water,
and to which they gave as high-sound.
ing names as any French chef.
What silly girls play that Isl"
sneered Peter, as he gave one Of the
little tarts a kick, making wee Polly
, cry out that he had spoiled her best
Patty Foggarty," by which we sup
pose she meant pate-de-fois-gras, and
caused Tressy to turn on him a pair
of big, reproachful eyes. But as he
leaned idly against the fence, watch.
ing the young cooks, he gradually be-
came interested in their employment.
Thus, the afternoon wore away, un-
til Tressey, looking up, suddenly cried:
why there is a big bank of black
clouds coming up in the west! We
are going to have rain, and the tur-
keys must be driven under shelter"
But Peter. who had now turned mis-
attention from dirt pies and was alb,
sorbed in erecting mud fort, only
said: Don't worry; the shower won't
come here; twill go round most
likelyr'
Uneasily, Tressey waited five min
of cloRds continued to advance. start
ed up, saying: 1T is best to be on the
safe side! Let us get the fowls to-
gether, Peterv'
II tell you, it is not going to rain"
returned Peter, obstinately; there is
enough blue sky to make trousers for
a dozen sailors"
But Tressey thought otherwise, and
summoning Polly, the two little girls
were soon racing all over the grounds,
driving the turkeys into the henhouse,
while Peter shouted after them:
That's right! run and tear till you
are out of breath; but don't dare to
drive one of my brood indoorsv'
Mr.. Garland often remarked that
there never was boy SO set In his
way as Peter" and he now plodded
away sullenly at his fortifcatiou, un.
til a large drop Of rain, splashing ON
his hand, made him spring to his feet
in hurry and look wildly around for
his young turkeys, which were scat.
tered in all directions. "Tressey, Pol.
ly, do come and help me" he shouted,
as he rushed distractedly hither and
yon; and kind-hearted Tressey re-
sponded quickly, but mischievous lit.
tie Polly only sat at an upper window,
laughing at his distress. while the
lisped, "Deth you think dirls are
thum dood now!'
But it was all of no use: the tur-
keys seemed determined to rush on
to their own destruction, and soon the
rain came pelting down in such tor
rents as to drench them to the skin.
II was sorry night for Peter as ne
worked over his pets. as he watched
his young turkeys dwirldIe and die,
one by one, and with them all his
hopes of the long-desfred bicycle, he
bitterly regretted that hour spent SO
obstinately over the dirt fort.
His father refrained from even g.
word OF reproach, although he reward
ed Tressey well for her care. But
whenever Peter was inclined to lord 1t
over his sisters. and think he knew
better than every one else, It was only
necessary to say to him. well. Peter, \
SO you prefer mud.pies to turkeysG'