The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-11-01
TOD" ELKUM'S
AUTOMOBILE TRAP.
BY Howard p. Garis.
q q q q q

mates of the Morrisvill,
T0~ poorhouse. 1t was held il
the common sitting-room, where the
men and women were allowed TO gath
or when they were not eating or sleep
ang. About all the unfortunates in the
aimshouse had to do was to eat and
sleep; few worked about the institu
tlon or in the garden. The convention
opened rather Unexpectedly, whel
Sarah Tooker remarked:
what dye s'pose we'll have fol
Thanksgivin'
. All the others turned and looked nj
her, for Sarah was the latest arrival
and consequently new TO the regula-
tions governing the Morrisville poor
house.
"Do they feed us on turkey or chick.
emp she continued. Pm little mite
fonder of turkey myself, but l s'pose
4 can eat chicken on pinch"
"Ho! ho" laughed Rodney Eckert.
"Ho! ho?' and his two remaining teeth
ratified together like corn in a parch-
ing-pan. Turkey! Chicken! Land
love ye, Sarah Tooker! If it amt roast
beef it'll be lamb stew, and If it amt
lamb stew it'll be roast beef, an We
can take your choice. l know. I've
been here nigh onto fourteen year now.
Most likely it'll be lamb stew. l call
to mind how we had roast beef last
year"
~ al 4n, al
old women nodded their heads in grave
assent. They also knew, from more
or less long experience, what the
Thanksgiving dinner would be. 1t was
only slightly different from the usual
meals of soup, bread and tea, served
regularly at the poorhouse Only Sarah
hoped for a change. The others
thought little about it.
Lamb stew" said Sarah, plaintively.
"Why, the idea! Thanksgiving, too!
We'll, all I've got to say is, that it amt
what I'm used to, not by a good deal.
don't see why we can't have a chick
en- potpie," she finished, with little
sigh.
Don't let Zeke Jedel hear ye," eau
TONED Bud Tunkert. Gas long as he's
been superintendent of this poorhouse,
he can't abide to have any one find
fault with the eatin'. Not that we
need to, most times; but since ye
brought up the Thanksgivin' subject,
1t kinder runs in my head. Turkey!
Ah! Umr'
my, oh, my! Thanksgivin', an lamb
stew" repeated Sarah. st doesn't
seem reasonable. Before I had to
come here I was used to big turkey
for dinner-a big, fat, brown turkey"
"If ye'd just leave off mentioning
such things I'd be obliged to ye,". said
Tod Elkum, with little quaver in his
voice. He awoke from the doze he
had been in. at makes a body feel
hungry" he went on. Specially
when the feastin' times so near. If
its all the same, ye might mention
somethin' about bein' shipwrecked on
a desert island, with nothin' to eat but
boot-legs an seaweed That'll give
us appetites for lamb stew" he con-
cluded.
A silence concluded, while each one
OF the twenty inmates of the poor
house was busy with his or her own
sad thoughts.
Sarah Tooker wagged her head de-
jectedly. 1t was a new experience for
her, for she had been in good circum-
stances until failing fortunes and the
death of all her relatives had obliged
her to seek refuge in that place dread
ed by all the aged.
"It does seem pity we can't cele-
brate for once" mused Tod Elkum, as
he walked out into the yard. II would
relish nice, brown slice of turkey,
with plenty of gravy an lots of dress
in'. And I wouldn't mind some cram
berry sauce. too. But l s'pose TIL
selectmen amt got money to waste
on such frills."
Out on the pleasant country road a
great red automobile rushed by, rails
ing cloud of dust. The State turn
pike passed through Morrisville.
an bet those folks amt worryin'
about where their turkey is comm
FROM" went on Tod. "Well, we can't
all be rich, and maybe it's a good
thing"
He strolled toward the road, walk
ing slowly, for his limbs were feeble
from age. He enjoyed the crisp air
of November and the genial sun, which
tempered the rather cool afternoon.
There was the delightful smell of aut-
ANN, coming from the brown earth.
and the dried leaves ratified as he trod
on them.
He reached the road and turned
toward the village. The dust from
the automobile was still flying lazily
in the sunlight. A little way ahead
Tod saw a figure. 1t was that of
man, and he was shaking his staff at
something in the distance. When Tod
came nearer he recognized Hank
Wright, the town marshal.
"What's the troubleT asked Tod.
Somebody tryin' to run over ye?"
"It's them pesky automobiles" said
Hank.
"What did it do? Most nip ye?" in
4uired Tod.
"No. But it was goin' twice as fast
A. to.,x rap1faI HopI- nd