The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-25
THE EVENING STORY
The Turkey That Came Too Late.
(By Temple Bailey.)

10Y temple 6dll0y.J
They stood together in the bare
grayness of the November forest.
There's snow in the sky said the
man, and smiled down at the girl
whose scarlet shawl was as red as her
lips.
IT want snow" she said, ''for
Thanksgiving. It seems as If the snow
Ley dinner
For moment he hesitated, then he
tnere won't be any turkey, honey"
=. oh" she looked up at him quickly,
out you said-you said that you
would get one, Jed"
Il know. but there don't seem to be
any wild turkeys in these woods; I've
hunted and hunted" said her lover.
with some dreariness.
IT seems as if you couldn't have
hunted very hard" She drew away
from him. Think how disappointed
the children will be-Jed."
Il know. But If there amt any tur-
heys. there amt any
But you promised
Yes. I said I'd get one IL there was
enc to be got. but they don't grow on
trees, you know"
But she did not smile Sometimes
I think" she said, YEARLY. that you
are just like Dad. All my life he has
promised and promised that he'd do
things. and he amt ever done them.
!
though that I'd found a man that was
different, and I loved you because you
were strong, and because you weren't
lazy like Dad-but sometimes lately"
His lips were set in straight line.
well, what have you thought lately?"
ne demanded.
'sThat-that as you grew older you'd
he like the rest of the men of the
mountain. You'd just let things slide
"Apd oil +b;s hao,,s. x,o,, 1ro~,+
rave turkey for Thanksgiving" he
flung out.
Her eyes met his squarely "You
know it isn't that she said. "You
know it's because I want you to show
that you are different from the others
before I marry you, jed
Her hand was on his arm, mutely
asking his forgiveness for her criti-
cism. But he jerked himself away.
Before I'd make such fuss about
a turkey he said, and was gone.
That afternoon he tramped the
woods in futile search. He ragged at
her arraignment of his manhood. In
the depths of his soul, however, he
knew that she was right. He had let
the days before Thanksgiving pass
about the turkey, and now, at the last
moment, he would have to disappoint
her.
And all her life little Mandy had
met disappointment. Motherless, and
with four small sisters, she had lived
drudge for her shiftless father. When
he had won her love Jed had, for
the time, been inspired with a greater
industry than that of the men about
him. But gradually he had dropped
back, and he knew, and Mandy knew,
that before them both stretched the
dull dreariness that was the common
lot of the mountaineer of that section.
You could get out of it If you
would" Mandy had said. And when
Jed had questioned her helplessly,
Howl" she had flung out, "Oh, If
you were a man you would find
way"
And that had been the first quarrel.
Since that, there had been many
little quarre1s, and Jed knew that
of his Incompetence. And she was
right. By all the vigor of young
manhood that was in him, he knew
that he should be doing a mans
work somewhere, not stagnating
among the hills.
He thought of IT all as he tramped
after the turkey. 1t seemed to him
suddenly that his quest took on a sa
cred significance. He had promised
Mandy a turkey. He must keep his
promise or be less man.
The blackness of the November |
came out upon craggy turn of rhe |
path he could see, far up, the light |
n Mandy's cottage window. He knew |
hat she was making her simple pre- |
)arations for the Thanksgiving din
ler without the turkey there would |
De only the usual fried meat and corn
,read, with perhaps little festivity
added in the way of a simple pudding I
With raisins in it. Jed had bought |
he raisins at the store in the city
many miles away, on one of the rare
md tedious trips when he laid in his
stores for the winter.
With the thought of the city came a
yision of the shops as he had seen them
hen. Men did not hunt for turkeys I
here-they bought them from the
butcher, above whose stalls the big
birds hung in rows.
He laughed a little as he thought OF
hem, and laughed again as a resolve
grew slowly in his mind. Then he
the money in his pocket. 1t
vas enough. There would be many
lgain. But Mandy would have her tur-
Key for the next days dinner.
All that night the snow fell. By
morning the roads were almost Inn
,assable. Mandy, high up In the little
,abin. looked out with anxious eyes.
lad been lost in the forest? Such things
lad happened even to experienced
voodsmen, when they were overcome
~ cold. She prepared a simple dinner,
gearing patiently the complaints of her
ather and of the disappointed children.
Jed amt no good" said the old man
Is he stuck his fork into the fried meat.
I thought he said he'd bring a tur-
zey."
HE did say So" Mandy responded.
but they amt any wild turkeys left
n the woods"
''They's plenty of turkeys for them
Is hunts them,'' sneered the old man.
Jed amt no good
Hes better than the rest of you"
Mandy f1ared, and then apologized PEN
tently. 81 didn't mean to be hateful.
'ather."
But the children's disappointment
was harder to bear.
ct don't want to be thankful" little /
Annabel walled, when Mandy tried TO
.alk of the reason of the feast. az /
want some turkey-and want it before /
7 If.