Middletown transcript., 1906-11-24

tea things and set out her slen
der meal on the end Of the sew
ing machine III front Of the
kitchen window which command
ed the Dawson house. She could
see the turkeys still pecking
basily while she ate her bread
and butter and apple sauce and
drank her pale tea. The turkeys
also finished their supper, apa1
tipping and tifstA sd oraa
their necks, edged over tG
barn yard fence frou. which thes%
mounted tothe branch Of ansela
box,elder just above. The da
brown one waited until the last,
but when the others were settled
be toe ssiled onto the fence- and
took his place at the end of the
line on the box-elder limb.
/When Mrs. Hills could no
longer distinguish the dark forms
of the turkeys in the rapidly
closing dusk, she pulled down
the shade, lit a lamp and washed
her dishes. Then she brought
.
up a pumpkin from the cellar,
and slicing it into great yellow
rings, peeled and cut them ready
for stewing. She chopped suet
and stoned rais1ns, glancing oc-
casionally at the clock. Finally
she opened the door and looked
out. The night was like a black
wall-still and starless.
She took down her gray shawl
from its. hook, hesitated, then
hung it up again, and, taking the
lamp, went into the bedroom.
When she came out her blue cal.
leo dress was pinned high out of
the way and she wore an old coat
and a felt hat the languid and
seedy droop of which looked
exactly like Joe Hills. But the
face of the little widow had reso-
lutte lines which Joe's had never
possessed as she turned down
the lamp-wick and stepped out
into the dark.
The night was rayless, but
John Dawson, preparing to read
the newspaper he had brought
from the postoffice and finding
he had left it in the buggy, did
moi think it necessary to take a
lantern when be went to the
barn to get it, The black colt
whinneyed softly from his box
stall and John put out his hand
and touched the velvet nose. He
stood stroking the animals
smooth neck when he heard the
swish Of feet over the frosty
grass and then the "Quit quit r
Of startled turkeys. He stepped
to the door and toHard the box.
elder ; a board creaked slightly
someone was climbing the fence,
With one stride he reached out
at random in the dark and,
grasping an arm in a rough coat
sleeve. jerked the depredator to
the ground.
Bill Meens, you snivelling lit
tie chicken thief Why didn't
you ask me for a turkey if you
wanted one? with a vigorous
shake of the arm. I've given
your family their Thanksgiving
dinner before now and / shall
probably have to do it again if
you don -
This righteous obiurgation
came to an abrupt halt as the
prisoner interrupted in a small
and breathless voice, 1t isn't Bill
Meens-it's-me while the free
hand gave him thoroughly
feminine push.
John Dawson dropped the arm,
realizing, even as his grasp re-
laxed, that inside the coarse
sleeve it was soft and round.
Mary, he said, stupidity /; Mary,
he reiterated. There are some
voices that a man knows on the
darkest night.
Mary Hills struggled for her
! only wanted my
my She justified herself
with hysterical asperity.
Your what? The voice sound
ed stern.
There came sudden outburst
II words and tears together.
That horried old turkey gobbler, /
and 1 wouldn't i ask you for him
not II there never was another
turkey, nor another Thanksgiv-
ing nor nor anything
Why Mary calculated John
Dawson, and what he said after /
that it is doubtful whether either
Of them could have told, and Ger
tainly no one else has any right
To However, when he left her
1T the door Of the low brown
house, he spoke with bis charac.
Ieristie clearness and decision f
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