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

~ 40 NnIislilaS eve. ana your poor
frdu with next to nothing in the house
TO cat. Think OF your children. your
three little children, looking forward
to gifts from Santa Claus. Oh, Pete,
shame, shame"
Betsy paused. out of breath. The
mems cackied loudly; Peter. partly, from
shame, u more from fright. began
to biabbcr like Il bigs boobie. But her.
the dog, having Il word to say 20
ms own account. stepped to the fore
ground and began to speak. Peter
Gru1, said Muggins graveiy. many
ana many Il time I've been tempted to
bite You. Yes indeed. j have. Why do
You cuff me. kick me. drive me from
the nre cold winter nights when I'm
&c ns no harm? Haven't l been a tr,is-
~ OLD friend. keeping the boys from
yo II orchard. bringing home the COWS
AMI guarding your house at night?'
t'eter was about to answer when
Poly. the cat. unexpectedly bounded
for Ward and 20 the floor. Peter
Grlff, she shrilled in q high. cater
\ Mau! voice, II 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
II some one were to drown your chill
dren? Often I've just longed to dig
you good n hard; can do it. too.
But. instead. I've killed the rats and
mice so h a 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 eghorns suddenly cackled, Come.
come. Polly. times nearly up: give us
a chance!"
The cat politely moved to the back
ground. and the hen few from her
perch. What happened now was quite
an accident She had no intention Of
Il doing N hllf Shn lo nIol r{ol< ar row
Of Peters bald head. scratching it fear
fully. This completed Peters terror,
for he really thought his time had
come. He fell to the ground. g%rovell-
ing.
'Lieber Hilnmel! Iieber Himmel!" he
screamed. c%lutch;ng his head; leaf me
go leaf me go! / be all time goot new
er go drunk again!"
The hen regained her equilibrium and
a~pologized. II didn't intend to scratch
you, Pete, though I've had plenty Of
cause. and to peck YOU. too. But what
l want to say is this: Stop stealing our
beautiful white eggs Stop telling Frau
Gruff that We're no laying, and stop
hooking the eggs for drink. You see.
we know all. What do you think-we
to lSve you sell them when they should
be Kept to feed YOUR family"
All times goot, all times goot, Meier
go drunk. Pete continued to humble
inns over and over, at the same time
weeping very bitterly. and gingerly
feeling the scratches.
Suddenly he fell oven to one side and
bumped his head rather hard against
q beam. He sat up with a start and
gazed dazcdly about him. The lantern
stu burned brightly. suspended from
It's hook In the wall. All was quiet.
Betsy. halterless. reposed in sluinber
upon the floor. Mnggins lay asleep in
the manga The cat Polly lay curled
round as a ball in Il soft mound OF hay.
The six leghorns sat side by side upon
the perch. each with f.,r head under
her wing.
Peter got painfully to his feet. He
felt Very stiff and lame, but he crept
warily. oh, SO warily. from the stable.
in deadly fear of frousing the ami
mails.
And as he limped slowly along
through the %barnyard up to the house
ne 1ormed two good resolutions which
he never broke. The first was thar
he%nceforth he would be a total abstain-
er. which he was. The second that he
would always treat dumb animals with
kindness, which nc did.
Sometimes when he relates his
strange experience his friends nudge
one another and wink. .Ach. Peter"
they exclaim. laughing. dot vas a
dream. nicht wahr??' But Peter is of a
different opinion: SO am I, and to any
doubling Thomas CHANGING to read this
story let ME say Just a word. Creep
to the barr on the night Of Christmas
eve. crouch unseen in some dark cor
ner: now listen. and near the animals
talk.