The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-09-21
gravy: potatoes and fruit. =
Stnton rep ainted tho scratched WIT

~~AtOA rep 01uteu TIC oSA~s~0o~ "s
He mended the fence. with Bully hold
ing the nails and handing the pickets.
Then be filled tho old hole, digged Z
new one and set the hitchinE post.
Billy hoped on one foot at his task
Of holding tho post steady ~ tho earth
was packed round It. There was not
the shadow OF. trouble on his little
freckled face. Sinton threw In stones
and pounded the earth sold around
the post. The sound Of gulDlag sob
attracted him to Billy. The tears were
rolling down his cheeks. III I'd
knowed you'd have TO get down In u
hole and work no hard I wouldn't t.
hit the horses" he sa;l.
''Never you mind. Billy" said Sinton.
"You will know next t1.ne, SO you
can think over 1t aud noes up your
mind whether you really want 70 be-
fore you strike"
Sinton went to the barn to puc away
the tools. He thought Billy at his
heels, but the boy Jagged or the way.
A big. snowy turkey gobbler resented
the small intruder In his especial pre-
serves and with spread. tail and drag
gfng wings came ut him threateningly.
If that turkey gobbler had known the
sort Of things with which Billy was
accustomed to holding his own he
never would hare issued thak chal-
lenge. Billy accepted instantly. He
danced around with sti6 arms at bis
sides and initiated the gobblcr. Then
came his opportunity and hc jumped
on the big turkeys back. Wesley
heard Margaret's scream in time to
see the flying leap and admire It's dex-
terity. The turkey tucked its tail and
scampered. Billy slid from its back
and as he fell he clutched wildly,
caught the folded tail and tnstinctively
hung on for life. The turkey gave one
scream and relaxed it's muscles. Then
it fed in disfgurcd defeat to the hay
stack. Billy scrambled to his feet
holding the tail, aud his eyes were
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 turkey tail Of no ac-
count and flung that one high above
him, shouting with childish laughter
as 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 cooked supper baking
on the back of the stove, while Mar
garet with red eyes nursed a pair of
demoralized white kittens. .
us supper ready?" he asked, =
ut has been for an hour" answered
Margaret.
'Why didn't you call us?'
That "us" had too much comrade-
ship in it. It irritatcd Margaret.
1T supposed it would take you even
longer than that. to fix things decent
again. AS for my turkey and my poor
little kittens they don't matter"
II am mighty sorry about them, Mar
garet, you know that. Billy is very
bright, and he will soon learn
"Soon learn" cried Margaret. "Wes-
ley Sinton, you don't mean to say that
you think of keeping that creature
here for some time?'
mo; I think Of keeping a decent,
well 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.
"Ain't that pretty" he exulted. Il
wish Jimmy and Belle could see. We,
why, we list eat out Of our hands or of
a old drygoods box, ind when We Ak
up lot we have newspaper. We ain't
ever had a nice red cloth like this"
Wesley looked straight at Margaret,
so fntently that she turned away, her
face flushing. He stacked the diction-
ary and the geography Of the world
on a chair and lifted Billy beside him.
He heaped plate generously. cut the
food, put a 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 pa
t1ently 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 tho
night work. Then he 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 = lazy
bone in him. See how he works to pay
for his fun"
There goes his foot through it,"
cried Margaret. wesley, he shall not
ruin my hammock"
"Of course he shan't!" said Wesley: