96 FARMING IT 



pulled both arms a foot or more beyond their 

 normal reach while so doing. 



I was so anxious to release my turkeys that I 

 neglected to unhook the mare, and when after 

 considerable difficulty I dragged forth the cock- tur- 

 key by one hind-leg, he beat my hat over my ears 

 with his huge wings, covered me with dust and 

 dirt, and so frightened the mare that she went 

 through the narrow door like a flash of lightning, 

 leaving a pung with broken shafts and a goodly 

 part of the harness on the outside. 



I was too much occupied with the turkey to pay 

 much attention to the mare, and after a brief sea- 

 son of collar-and-elbow,Grseco-Roman, hitch-and- 

 trip, and catch-as-catch-can, I dragged the un- 

 willing old bird from his retirement, left him in 

 the loft, swelling and spreading, and dashed down 

 after the hen, suddenly reflecting that I had left 

 the crate open. 



I found her standing in the open, with out- 

 stretched neck and tail half^spread. Awed by 

 my commanding appearance, or possibly by the 

 fact that I had so many feathers on me that she 

 mistook me for a strange turkey-cock of disre- 

 putable appearance, she started off at a high rate 

 of speed and I followed at a hand-gallop. The 

 going was heavy and I soon overtook her, fell 

 over her prostrate body, half-buried in the snow, 

 and arose with her clasped to my bosom. 



