Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-11-24


asked the pale, Ill old woman.
mot a word" admitted En- family.
"Lordy me! l kinder wish your pa
hadn't put all his money into Donalds-
Vile gas stock. Why. he even mort
gagged the house to buy more stock.
went on Mrs. Tatem. 1T was all right
as long as they paid dividends. but
nOw-why, it's six months overdue!
"Yes, ma"
You're q wonderful manager. EN-
TO make that last money stretch over
SO many months. | suppose you got
some left?"
En- thought of her worn purse. which
contained one copper cent.
"Yes. ma, some" she replied. getting
ND and smoothing the big pillows.
I'm going out TO get some dinner for
you. Could you eat an eggT
"Yes, Emmy. think ! could relish
an egg"
EN- Tatem stood by the kitchen win
dow looking out across the yard. now
brown and bare. swept by November
winds She was a sweet faced. pa
tient looking woman of thirty-hve. and
her still abundant fair hair and blue
eyes added to her charms. People said
that EN- Tatem had faded dreadfully
the past year. but they did not guess
It was because En- was slowly starv-
ing herself so that there would he
enough for the beloved mother.
IF it hadn't been for the gas stock
she murmured. with tears filling her
eyes. There came knock at the
door. MA wants to know if you can
spare dozen eggs" said Il little girl
EN- went into her pantry and counted
the eggs in the blue bowl. There We're
exactly fourteen. She would save two
Tor her mother. and with the IS cents
I'm hand she could buy some meat. En-
did not dare tell her mother that there
now remained in the poultry yard one
lone Plymouth Rock hen.
EN- put the eggs in the girls basket
How is your mother. Nary she
asked.
"Shes pretty WELL Miss Tatem She's
awful busy. though. You know TO
mOrrow's Thanksgiving. And. oh. Miss
Tatem. she says she'll pay you as soon
as she gets some change And Mary
ran down the path.
EN- stared after the child with hard.
reSentful eyes.
Its wicked. downright wicked! she.
cried fercely. They've all got none!
and food and everything. Tomorrow
will be Thanksgiving day. and lot
thing TO eat! Ill have TO Kill Eliza
Maybe ma could eat her if she was
roasted with sage dressing"
En- went down TO the chicken house.
where the solitary hen. Eliza. had
wandered disconsolately about.
1T will seem like killing a friend to
harm Eliza thought En- Where Is
the critter anyway She's laid her egg
this morning. and-Oh. Eliza!'
Ems surprise and grief were JUST
fed by the sight of poor Eliza's dead
body within the nest. Eliza had died
at her post of duty.
After EN- Tatem had given EliZa's
corpse decent burial she hurried into
the house and prepared pOached egg
and cup of tea for her mothers din
ner. After the meal Mrs. Tatem dOzed
OF into her afternoon nap.
the steep hill back of the house and
entered the little grove of locust trees
that separated her property from Dea
con Peppers farm. She approached
the boundary fence and looked over
into the deacon's lot. Here had wan
dered Deacon Peppers fine flock OF
turkeys. All had been sold save two
the giant of the flock and a small hen
turkey which no one wanted Oi
course the deacon would kill the COB
bier for his own table. Although he
was a bachelor. he often entertained
his many friends and relatives.
ave got TO look out for ma. and the!
can't want that little hen-and | hope
I'll be forgiven. but can't LET ma die!
with these mingled prayers and ex
cuses En- drew from her pocket a
handful of corn and tossed il toward
the turkeys.
They came running toward her. tn
gobbler greediIy pushing his small com
paniOn out of the way Em threw an
other handful and another. gradual!
Turing the birds toward the fence. Or
her side she had spread an old fish ne'
on the ground.
But. 10 her diSIlay. il was the bronze
gobbler which came TO her net. The
little hen wearied of the unequal chase
for grains OF corn and wandered on
Presently EN- Tatem was mnffiing the