The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-28

said he just tell the grand duke that after the
going to have much that pay his old taxes
ten times and know it, for, to tell you the
truth were wise enough to buy some gold Seed and
the prospects excellent for fine crop
The tax gatherer went back full of wonder, and the
grand duke no less amazed when he heard the
We certainly must go to see this said he. II
there way to grow gold in the fields, must have
government monopoly of it Immediately y
So he set forth for Tinkletown.
It was in November, and at that time of the year
the grand duke always loved thing passonate and
that pumpkin pie. Therefore he stopped at every
town and demanded tribute Of home -made pumpkin
pie nowhere could he get single bit because the
people Of Nickeown had bought all the seed for
hundred miles around in order to sell it to the folk at
The less the grand duke could get smell Of
pumpkin pie the more he wanted it, until at last he got
ahead offering thousand pieces of gold for the tnest
sort of pie.
But he could get And when he entered the
gates of Tnkletown at last the mayor him and
cried: welcome, your royal hghnessi Our crop is
wonderful success! the grand duke said: 'tYess Is
that sos Well, would rather have good big hunk of
homemade pumpkin pie like mother used to bake than
all the gold that you raise But all the same it's
mighty lucky for you that you've got the gold, for
ness II you didn't pay your taxes you know Ia nate
do it, but this business of being grand duke demands
sacrifices my part, and I'm always willing to make
them.''
The mayor mounted his. donkey, which was hung
with ribbons for the OCCASION and all the people Of
Tnkletown procession to the duke to the
fields and show him the wonderful sight Of gold growing
vines.
AS they reached the first farm all the courti
in front began to laugh and laugh, and when the
mayor and all the people asked them why they were
laughing they said: 'sWhy, laughing at you.
That is not gold that you have raised but ord
nary pumpkins!''
The mayor and all the officials Of Tinkletown imne-
diately fell from their donkeys fright and lay the
ground, moaning, "Good-by, head goodby! You will
be cut off right away, and We will not see you again "
By this time the grand duke had come up, and he
too saw what the Tnkletown folk had raised in mistake
for gold.
t7Pumpkns! Pumpkins!'' he cried s'By my beard
tits the finest sight I've ever scenic
He drew his sword and laid it on the neck Of the
PROSTATE mayor. Arise Sir Pumpkin Of Pumpkins, "
said he. sYou could have pleased had you
command all your people bake all these pumpkins into
daily, and your taxes will be considered paid
on the shoulder and said GIVE knew that could not
do anything else but wise things, If did plant
pumpkins for gold.'
And the best Of it that the people Of MCKEE
town and Pennyville and all around got hungry for
pumpkins too, until they couldn stand it any longer,
and paid wonderful prices for single pumpkin pie at
last! Z"
So on Thanksgiving Day that year, when the price
of pumpkin pies had advanced to $3.50 pie, the people
of Tnkletown put up tablet in front Of the church,
saying:
ssWe give thanks because the very wsest peo-
pie in the word.''
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