The Newtown bee., 1909-11-26


 the turkey pen, There was nobody there but old Mother salVia, Homer tossed her handful of corn. "Pnor old lady, l s'pose you're lonesome, aln't you, now? Never mind; when spring comes ya'll be scratching around with a hun raft of nice little chlckies at your heels. We'll teach them fine trick or two, won't We, old Salvia?"
 salyla clueked over the corn appre- Ciatiyely.
 Homer, Homer, come here Quick!"
 Down the frozen path through the yard came Mrs Tidd with the little brown shawl wrapped tightly about her head. She fluttered yellow en- velope in her hand.
 Homer, boy, it's a telegraph come. can't read 1t. I've mislaid my glasses"
 Homer was by her side in minute, tearing open the flimsy envelope.
 "It's from Finch & Richards, moth- er," he cried, excitedly. "They say, Take the first train to town without fail"
 What do you suppose they want you for?" asked Mir Tidd with an anx- ious face.
 "P'r'aps the stores burned down." gasped Homer. He brushed one rough hand across his eyes. Poor Dan'l Webster an Gettysburg! I didn't think anybody could set so much store by turkeys"
 Maybe 'tain't nothin' bad, Hom- er." Mrs Tidd laid her hand on his shoulder. Maybe they want you to give an extra early show or some thin" She suggested it cheerfully.
 Maybe" echoed Homer. But, mother, I've got. to hurry to catch that 7.30 train"
 Let me go with you. Homer"
 "You don't need to-" cried the boy. Tt probably ain't nothin' serious"
 "I'm goin'," said Mrs Tidd, decis- ively; "you don't spose I could stay here doin' nothin' but waitin' and wond'rin'??"
 Mrs Tidd and Homer caught a car at the city depot. Five minutes later they stood in front of Finch & Rich ards big market.
 Mother" whispered the boy, as he stepped off the car, mother, my tur- keys! They're not there! Something's happened. See the crowd"
 They pushed their way through mob that was peering in at the win dows and through the windows of locked doors. The row of plump turkeys was not hung up this morn- ing under the big sign; the magnifi- | cent window display of fruit and vegetables had been ruthlessly de- molished.
 What do you s'pose can have hap pened?" whispered Mrs Tidd, while they waited for a clerk to come hur rying down the store and unlock the door.
 Homer shook his head.
 MT Richards himself came to meet them.
 Well, young man," he cried, 'T've had enough of your pesky bird show. There's a hundred dollars worth of provisions gone, to say nothing of the trade we are turning away. Two days before Thanksgiving, of all times in the year."
 Good land," whispered Mrs Tidd. Her, eyes were wandering about the store. It was scattered from one end Q the other with wasted food. Sticky 'ivers trickled here and there across he floor. A small army of clerks was lard at work sweeping and hopping. -"Where's my turkeys?' asked Hon. ,r. : "Your turkeys, confound them!" ;narled Mir Richards. "They're safe lnd sound in their crate in my back tore, all but that blasted old gobbler you call Dan'l Webster. He's doing lis stunts on top shelf. We found Jim there, tearing cereal packages ! nto shreds. For mercy's sake, go { lee if you can't get him down. He las almost pecked the eyes out of | very clerk who has tried to lay a finger on him. I'd like to wiring his lgly neck!" MT Richards face grew red as the omb of Dan'l Webster himself. |, Homer and his mother dashed lcross the store. High above their { eads strutted Dan'l Webster with a low, stately tread. Occasionally he eered down at the ruin and confu- ion below, commenting upon it with lordly satisfied gobble. ' "Danl Webster" called Homer, oaxingly, good old Dan'l, come an ee me-" The boy slid cautiously along to vhere a step-ladder stood. = "Dan'l," he called persuasively, wouldn't you like to come home, 4 'an'l?"
 Dan'l peeked down with pleased re- \ ognition in his eyes. Homer crept D the ladder. He was preparing to " hand on one of Dan'l black legs rhen the turkey hopped gleefully long the wide shelf. A row of bot es filled with salad-dressing stood in Q anl's path. he cleared them out of I le way with one energetic kick. | hey tumpled to lower shelf; their Il ellow contents crept in sluggish ,ream toward the mouth of a tea OK.
 "I'll have that bird shot!" thun- cred MT Richards. That's all there = about it..
 "Wait a minute, sir" pleaded Mrs ' idd. "Homer'll get him." Dan'I Webster would neither be ,ayed nor commanded. He wandered D and down the shelf, gobbling vo- sts ferously into the faces of the ex- h ted mOh il