The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-12-23
WHAT ONE TURKEY DID

~~O~>>>
laughter from the house next door.
Just then Jasper dashed into the
room crying joyfully; "Hurrah. Ma
ria! We're in luck Here's Aunt Jane
writing that she wants to be sure that
we have a fine Thanksgiving turkey.
and so she is sending us live one.
l can just fancy how good he will taste
with some of your prime dressing"
Maria beamed. She was proud of
her cooking.
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 turkey she had ever seen, inf
nitely finer than any belonging to the
house next door
But alas, there was no chance for
comparison. Others besides Marion
had evidently watched the growth Of
her turkeys and took an interest. pro-
prietary interest in them. The next
morning her turkey house was empty.
| Marion cried. Here it was only two
days to Thanksgiving dinner and her
fathers long expected visit and there
was dearth of turkeys in Oreville.
She was at an upper window gazing
, disconlately toward the empty poultry
house when her glance happened to
stray to the yard of her neighbor. She
saw the turkey tethered to the post.
it as her favorite gobbler 1t was a
case of mistaken identity, but there
is much of a sameness in turkeys.
All, so he was the thief! But where
were the others? Doubtless he had
made way with them. Here her tears
/ flowed again. 1t was IA melancholy
satisfaction to think how perfectly she
had diagnosed the strangers char
acter at that chance meeting so many
weeks before, but it was not a mate
rial comfort.
i Meanwhile there was equal distress
in the house of Peyton. Maria's sister
was ill., and she must come at once.
She had departed with many tears and
lamentations.
Jasper after seeing her of had re-
turned home in a 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 Cartoons
loss. Why not give her his turkey?
But a very astonished face met him
next door. Was his conscience already
troubling him. Marion's cheeks were
scarlet with anger as the unconscious
| most polite manner.
| He had scarcely finished when the
| avalanche 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 pre-
| viously stolen.
Jasper's bewilderment had changed
to anger.
| You accuse me-me?" he exclaimed
| incredulously But it is only on 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 veri-
fy my words. l can only hope that you
| will enjoy my turkey as much as if 1t
had been one of yOdr own" And be-
fore the girl could speak he had bowed
ironically and was gone.
1t was the next evening that there
came timid rap at Jasper's door. 1t
was the girl from the next house. Her
long lashes hid the dark eyes and the
scornful mouth trembled. Only the
nase still tilted aggrag atingly. II
have come" she said in a very small
voice, ito say that l am sorry. The
express agent told me how your aunt
had sent it. They have caught the
thieves who stole my turkeys"
+ Jasper was silent. 1t was undoubted-
ly cruel of him, but he had suffered
much.
The girl went on bravely, though
there was a choke in her voice: And
-and-Tve come to ask you whether
you won't come over and have some of
your turkey with US tomorrow. Father
will be home, and l 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 come, he said quietly.
But it took Maria a long time to get
used to the new state of affairs