The Huttig news., 1907-12-14

aWIul scarce this year and prices big. l low mebbe we'd better sell all ourn and eat Simon for our Christmas din- her. One goose ain't any good and he eats more 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 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 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 gob- blers spread their fine young tails and grew red with indignation; but Simon took 1t all as philoscphically as was his wont, contentedly eating more than was his share of food and on warm days wallowing in the basin of drinking water.
 Soon all but two of the turkeys were carried away. One of the two, hand some young gobbler, Col. Robertson and his grandson would call for on Thursday. Proudly and stif1y the young turkey strutted up and down the now roomy cage, and gobbled 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 if the air around him did not fairly reek with garlic. Whenever the turkey came too near in his swollen pride it was only neces- sary for Simon to open his mouth and extend his tongue.
 At last the Colonel came for his turkey and bore him away, still pro- testing volubly. Only Simon and an undersized hen turkey remained.
 It ain't much of a turkey, that's fact acknowledged Farmer Martin as he and Mary Ann passed the pen Fri day evening.
 "She ain't 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 if more food was forthcoming.
 Goose is good enough for me, and Simon ain't no money value. Mebbe that turkey will fatten up 'gainst spring and make a right respectable mother hen," replied Farmer Martin.
 She's not likely to unless she makes better fight for her victuals," Mary Ann returned. Pears like Simon gets most of em in spite of all I can do. He's sieh fool he don't know when he's got enough. Most seems a pity to kill such silly critter."
 That night Mary Ann had every thing in readiness for the morrow. planning to rise early and prepare Simon before breakfast, for even Mary acknowledged that a goose is hard to dress
 About four o'clock in the morning she was aroused by an unearthly quacking and hissing. Hastily throw ing a quilt around her shoulders and plinging into her shoes, she rushed to the chicken yard. A man fled toward the fence with a bloody turkey in one hand.
 Drop that, drop that!" yelled Mary Ann, hurling the cloths stick at him and bearing down upon him at full speed as he neared the barbed wire fence.
 The thief threw himself over, but his trousers and turkey wing caught on barb Gaunt Mary Ann, in her motley quilt, loomed up before him, armed with chicken trough. With a desperate wrench he freed himself, but he lost his prize.
 Mary Ann grabbed up the turkey. Its head had been wrung off, She ran frantically to the coop. It had been overturned.
 He's stole Simon, he's stole Si- mon!" walled Mary Ann as Farmer Martin appeared, hitching up his trou- sers.
 Suddenly a familiar sound smote her ear. Glancing up, she caught glimpse of Simon quacking merrily and waddling rapidly through the rusty weeds in the direction of the corn pen.
 Well, I reckon we'd better have turkey for Christmas after all. Ain't no use of losin' two fowls,' said Farm CT Martin, after relieving his feelings.
 "La!" muttered Mary Ann, as she watched Simon blissfully quacking and gobbling in the middle of the corn pen. q do believe Simon ain't such a fool after all."-N. Y. Herald.
 When to Moralize.