Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-08-01

I brought him for. It's likely ne never
had good square meal OF decent
food in his life. He's stnrved to tho
bone"
Margaret arose deliberately. removed
the white cloth from the supper table
and substituted an old red one she
used to wrap the bread. She put
away the pretty dishes they commonly
used and set the table With old plates
for pies and kitchen utensils. But she
friod the ch'rscn and was generous
with milk and honey, snowy bread,
gravy. potatoes and fruit.
SintOn reprinted the scratched wheel.
He mended the fence. with Billy hold
Ing the nails and handing the pickets.
Then he filled the old hole. digged q
new one and set the hitching post.
Billy hoped on one foot at his task
Of holding the post steady az the earth
was packed round 1t. There was not
the shadow Of trouble on his little
freckled face. Sinton threw in stones
and pounded the earth solid around
the post. The sound Of a gulping sob
attracted him to Billy. The tears were
rolling down his cheeks. If I'd
knowed you'd have to get down in q
hole and work so hard I wouldn't a
hit the horses" he said.
Never you mind. Billy" said Sinton.
You will know next time. so you
can think over 1t and make up your
mind whether you really want to be-
fore you strike"
Sinton went to the barn to put away
the tools. He thought Billy at his
heels. but the boy Jagged on the way.
A big. snowy turkey gobbler resented
the small intruder in his especial pre-
serves. and with spread tail and drag.
cling wings came at him threateningly.
If that turkey gobbler had known the
sort of things with which Billy was
accustomed to holding his own he
never would have issued that chal.
lenge Billy accepted instantly. He
! danced ound with stiff arms ut his
sides and initiated the gobbler Then
came MS opportunity and he jump I'd
on the big turkeys back. Wesley
heard Marsa.C.'s scrln In time to
4
terity. The turkey tucked it's tail and
scampered. Billy slid from It's back
and as he fell he clutched wildly.
caught the folded tail and instinctively
hung on for life The turkey gave one
scream and RELAXED its muscles. Then
1t fed in disfigured defeat to the hay
stack. Billy scrambled to his t
.n, IL
bullying.
"Why, the blasted old thing came
Off" he said to Sinton. holding out
the tail in amazed wonder.
Sinton, caught suddenly, forgot
everything and roared. Seeing which,
Billy thought a turkey tail Of no &C.
count and flung that ono high above
him, shouting with childish laughter
us the feathers scattered and fell.
Margaret, watching. burst into tears.
Wesley had gone mad For the first
time in her married life she wanted
to tell her mother. When Wesley had
waited until he was so hungry he
could wait no longer he invaded the
kitchen to find a cooked supper baking
on the back Of the stove, while Mar
garet with red eyes nursed pair Of
demoralized white kittens.
"Is supper readyw he asked.
ut has been for an hour" answered
Margaret
"Why didn't you call us?"
That "us" had too much comrade-
ship in 1t. 1t irritated Margaret.
II supposed it would take you even
longer than that to Ak things decent
again. AS for my turkey and my poor
little. kittens they don't matter"
Il am mighty sorry about them. Mar
garet, you know that Billy is very
bright, and he will soon learn
"Soon Learnt" cried Margaret. yves.
ley Sinton, you don't mean to say that
you think of keeping that creature
here for some time?"
mo; think Of keeping a decent,
we'll behaved little boy"
Margaret set the supper on the table.
Seeing the old red cloth. Wesley stared
IN amazement Then he understood.
Billy capered around in delight.
Amt that pretty?" he exulted. II
wish Jimmy and Belle could see. We,
why. we list eat out of our hands or of
old drygoods box, and when we fix
up lot We have newspaper We amt
ever had n nice red cloth like this"
Wesley looked straight Mt Margaret,
so tntently that she turned away, her
face flushing. He stacked the diction-
arr and the geography Of the world
ON chair and lifted Billy beside him.
He heaped plate generously. cut the
food, put fork into Billy's little fist
and made him eat slowly and properly.
Billy did his best. Occasionally greed
overcame him. and he used his left
hand to pop bite into his mouth with
his fingers. These lapses Wesley ma.
tiently overlooked and went on with
his general instructions. Luckily Billy
did not spill anything ON his clothing
or the cloth. After supper Wesley took
him to the barn until he finished the
night woEk. Then no went and sat by
Margaret on the front porch. Billy ap.
propriated the hammock and swung by
pulling rope tied around tree The
very energy with which he went at
the work Of swinging himself appealed
to Wesley.
Mercy. but he's an active little
body" he said. There isn't q lazy
bone In him. Sec how he WORKS to pay
for his nm