Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-12-20
THE NSFORMAT
OF OLD PETER GRUFF

~ As &sH iSlIIstS eve. ;lIU your DOOE
frau with next to nothing in the house
TO cat. Think OF your children. you,
three little children. looking Onward
to gifts from Santa Claus. Oh. Pete.
shame, slaane."
Betsy paused. out of breath. The
hens cackled loudly. Peter. partly from
shame. but more from fright. began
to biubbcr like Il bigg hoobie. But her"
the dog. having Il word to say upon
ms W account. stepped to the fore
ground and began to speak. Peter
GruH' said Muggins giaSely, many
ana MANY Il time I've been tempted to
bite YOU! Yes indeed. / have. Why do
you cuff me. kick me, drive me from
the tlre cold winter nights hen I'm
dc ng no harm? Haven't / been a trus-
ty old friend, Keeping the boys from
YOUR orchard. bringing home the cows
ana guarding your house at night?"
Peter was about to answer wlen
Polly, the cat. UNEXPECTEDLY bounded
or"ar and took the floor. Peter
GruH. she shrilled i'm q high, cater
\ wau' voice. III want YOU TO stop drown
ing my babies monster that YOU are.
Pray. isn't this farm large enough for
both me and my poor little kittens"
Cruel, cruel man! How would you feel
If some Que were to drown your chill
dren? Often I've Just longed to dig
you good and hard: l can do it. too.
But. instead. I've killed the rats and
mice so that they wouldn't ruin Your
crops and nibble your barn to bits.
Furthermore
There's no telling how much longer
Polly would have talked. but one of
the leghorns suddenly cackled, Come,
come. Polly. times nearly up: give us
a chance!"
The cat politely moved to the back
ground. and the hen flew from her
perch. What happened now was quite
an accident She had no intention of
doing 1t, but she landed right on top
OF Peters aid head, scratching it fear.
fully: This completed Peters terror.
for he really thought his time had
come. He fell to the ground, grovell-
ing.
"Lieber Himmel. lieber Himmel.." he
screamed. clutching his head; leaf me
go leaf me go! ] be all time goot: new
er go drunk again.
Tho hen regained her equilibrium and
apologized. II didn't intend to scratch
you. Pete. though I've had plenty of
cause. and to peck YOU. too. But what
! want to say Is this: Stop stealing our
beautiful white eggs. Stop telling Frau
Gruf that we're not laying. and stop
hooking the eggs for drink! You see.
we know all. What do you think-wc
are to take all that trouble and then
to lave you sell them when they should
be kept to feed your family?"
"AI times goot. all times goot. nefcr
go drunk" Pete continued to humble
this over and over. at the same time
weeping very bitterly. and gingerly
feeling the scratches.
Suddenly he fell over to one side and
bumped his head rather hard against
a beam. He sat up with a start and
gazed dazedly about him. The lantern
still burned brightly. suspended from
its hook in the wall. All was quiet.
Betsy. halterlcss. reposed in slumber
upon the floor. Muggins lay asleep in
the mangar. The cat Polly lay curled
round as Il ball in q soft mound of hay.
The six leghorns sat side by side upon
the perch. EACH With rlar head undo
her wing.
Peter got painfully to his feet. He
felt Very stiff and lame, but he crept
warily. on. 50 warily. from the stable.
IN deadly fear of rousing the ami
mails.
And as he limped slowly along
through the barnyard up to the homse
he formed two good resolutions which
he never broke. The first was thar
henceforth he would be a total abstain
er. which he was. The second that he
would always treat dumb animals With
Kindness. which he did.
Sometimes when he relates his
strange experience his friends nudge
one another and wink. .Ach. Peter"
they cNclaim, laughing. dot vas a
dream. NIGHT wahr %. But Peter is of a
different opinion; so am l, and to any
doubling Thonas CHANGING to read this
story let ME say just a word. Creep
to the barn on the night of Christmas
eve. crouch unseen in some dark cor
ner; now listen, and rear the animals
talk.