The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-12-06

poultry. - dsnHiSd. ~fusks5v 6eu
awful scarcs this year and prices BID
low mebbe we'd better sen ali ourn
and eat Simon for our Christmas din.
ner. One goose amt any good and he
eats than any hog on the place"
Pears like Simon was Just made
to die young. anyhow" agreed Mary.
La the times I've reskewed him!"
Fully q month before Christmas city
people began to send out to engage
one or two OF Farmer Martins well
known turkeys. A week before the
day Mary Ann shut up all the salable
turkeys and Simon In q couple of large
carriage crates which served as coops.
They must have the choicest food and
be ready TO deliver into the hands
OF the many stiff. backed coachmen
who came for them daily. The COB
blers spread their fine young tails and
grew red with indignation: but Simon
took II all as philosophically as was
his wont, contentediy eating more
than was his share OF food and on
warm days w~allowing 10 the basin OF
drinking water.
Soon all but two OF the turkeys were
carried away. One OF the two, a hand
some young gobbler. Col. Robertson
and his grandson would call for on
Thursday. Proudly and stifiy the
young turkey strutted up and down
the now roomy cage, and gobbIed his
protest from morning till night at the
top OF his voice. Simon lay at his
ease In the basin and blinked at his
irate companion as II the air around
him did not fairly reek with garlic. |
Whenever the turkey came too near
In HIS swollen pride 1t was only neces.
sary for Simon TO open his mouth and
extend bis tongue.
At last the Colonel came for his
turkey and bore him away, sun pro-
testing volubly, Only Simon and an
understood hen turkey remained.
1T ain't much OF a turkey. that's a
fact, acknowledged Farmer Martin as
he and Mary Ann passed the pen Fri
day evening.
she amt worth much. Wouldn't
you ruther I'd kill her than Simon to.
morrow" tentatively queried Mary
Ann, with her eyes on Simon, who ran
to the bars to see II more food was
forthcoming.
Goose is good enough for me, and
amt no money value. Mebbe
turkey win fRtten up 'galnst
spring and make a right respectable
mother hen" replied Farmer Martin.
She's not likely to unless she
makes a better fight for her victuals.'
Mary Ann returned Pears like Simon
gets most Of EN- in spite OF all I can
10. He's sich a fool he don't know
he's got enough. Most seems a
Iity to kill such a silly crit.er."
That night Mary Ann had every.
hing in readiness for the morrow,
to rise early and prepare
before breakfast, for even Mary
acknowledged that a goose Is hard to +;
|
About four o'clock In the morning J
he was aroused by an unearthly
and kissing. Hastily throw. /.
ng a quilt around her shoulders and (
,lungtng into her shoes, she rushed to }
he chicken yard. A man fed toward I
be fence With a bloody turkey In one
and. {
Drop that, drop that" yelled Mary J
nm, hurting the cloths stick at him ,
nd bearing down upon him at full Z
peed as he neared the barbed wire I
.nce. !
The thief threw himself over, but !
is trousers and a turkey wing caught I
n a barb. Gaunt Mary Ann, in her
lotley quilt, doomed up before him. !
rmed with a chicken trough. With \
desperate wrench he freed himself, !
ut he lost his prize. !
Mary Ann grabbed up the turkey. \
head had been wrung of. She ran \
-antically to the coop. 1t had been \
yerturned. c
He's stole Simon, he's stole ST.
n %alleu MARY Ann as Farmer
appeared. hitching up his trou. r
ITS. r
Suddenly a familiar sound smo,e il
er ear. CHANGING up. she caught In
glimpse OF Simon quacking merrily h
nd ~wadiling rapidly through the (,
lsty weeds in the direction OF the n,
Urn pen. IN
We'll, | reckon we'd better have 81
Irkey for Christmas after all. Amt b
, use OF losin' two fowls" said Farm. VI
Martin, after relieving his feelings. @,
La" muttered Mary Ann, as she a
atched Simon bl~issfully quacking fr
I'd .gobbllng in the middle OF the &C
pen. Il do believe Simon amt o
Ich a fool after all"-N. Y Herald vi