The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1906-10-13
What!saTe[rapin?
Copyright. by Joseph B. BowissS
By KATHERINE MANN.

bedf Ole man Tarrypin Wux at nome,
I tell you. honey. Kerblinkty-blink.
The company Of Britishers clapped
their hands at the close Of the recita-
ton by the small boy.
But what Is tarrapin?" asked the
hostess. who always spoke as II she
had cold In her head. Il thick by
self it Is kide OF bowl"
"A towl!" exclaimed the man at her
side. but, my dear Mrs. Dudgeon, a
bowl. to begin with. hasn't tail"
Excuse be, Blister Bacfarlade. but a
bowl certaidly has a tail. Why, we
caught wud Id our garded yesterday"
"Oh! Of course-beg pardon. was
thinking OF china bowls"
"Ah! yes, shouldedt wodder II they
were difTeredt Id Chida."
Il hardly think 1t could be mole"
remarked the only young lady of the
party, because 1t didn't drown when
Brer Fox let 1t sink in the water"
mo, 1t only went 'Kerblinkty-
blink, piped the voice of little girl.
"Barjory, dod't Interrupt. What is
your cpidiod of the terrabid. Bliss Sib-
bods"
The lady addressed was small, ner-
vous-looking spinster. II imagine 1t
must be Of the rat species"
Here all the ladies' screamed.
"a rat! Why. dever thought OF
that!"
mot unlikely" added an evidently
uninterested man of 40.
The next suggestion was made by
youth.
Il think t-t-t-terrapin is a k-k-kind
Of ot-Ot-ot-otter."
Indeed, shouldn't be surprised II
MI. Tupper's conclusion is correct"
spoke again the uninterested man.
An old gentleman OF learned appear
ance. with long, white hair. apparently
thought 1t was his duty to say some
thing.
These Americans" he began, give
such peculiar names to common OBJ
jects. that perhaps, after all. terrapin
may merely be a badger. weasel.
wild duck, a frog, or even a cat"
Yes, a cat can swim; but kittens
can't, because we tried"
Here the small girl was silenced by
look from her mother.
After having delivered his category
OF possibilities. the old gentleman nod
ded familiarly to an austere parsonage
of the opposite sex.
Go On, my. dear. what do you make
OF it,"
II en- not playing" was the curt re-
ply. y hate games.
At This threatening juncture the I'M
lrtn tod rtO ma
look at the last speaker. but on be-
holding her withdrew 1t again imme-
diately. The hostess lost not mo-
ment in deity diverting the general
attention.
Now. Bisses Weakly, it's really your
turn!"
Thereupon all eyes were fixed on the
unfortunate Mrs. Weakly, who whim-
pered IN an aggrieved tone:
Il really can't think of any other
animals; all those had In my mind
have already been mentioned-unless
Unless 1t could DO buffalo"
"0h, dear, no! surely mott" exclaimed
several voices.
"A Sheep" said some one from a
back seat.
This opened up new train Of ideas.
for Immediately there ensned shouts
of Dog" Wolf" Lamb" Cow"
The attention of the company was
Mt last captured by Frenchman. who
had been distractedly fumbling in his
pockets for some time, and who had
now risen to his feet.
Madame he calculated. II hef
seen Il terrapeen." On the instant there
was silence. "Mais oui, l hat seen
Il terrapeen yesterday" Most of the
guests had also risen to their feet.
"Yees-in my dictionnaire." There
was a collapse upon the chairs.
vat a peety I leaf 1t behind to-
night, cherche for re vorrd terre--
Ii terre-and l find ground, CART.
observation-disclosures vas four worlds
-grround, CART, world, and globe
yees, globe. Bon. I see terrapeen on zee
same page-but hat no Of 1t attention
paid. Eat ees zee way. madame. cen zis
world. Wee not learn zing ven wee
hat zee chance, and ven zee chance
ees-ess partie. wee desire to take her.
Zis terrapeen resembles moch see
yorrd terre, zen link zee terrapeen
ees, an animal vat goes on zee ground,
world, globe. Eat is vat I link a ter
rapeen ees."
Sitting down, he mopped his brow.
The others followed his example.
Capital explanation" said the I'M
interested man, as he crossed to the
hostess and murmured that he must
slip on to catch his train
Soon afterwards the party broke up.
and everybody went home vowing to
hunt dictionaries, natural histories,
and, II necessary, museums. in order
to solve the difficulty.
When they had all gone the small