The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-11-23
THE KIND TURKEY-MAN.

IT was the evening before Thanks
giving.
The sun had gone down behind the
hills of Greenville, leaving them cold
and bare against the dull sky. The
squirrels were safe and warm in their
own little houses, cracking nuts for
their thanksgiving dinner. The trees
waved their tall. bare branches in the
biting cold, but they knew that their
roots were sheltered by the kind earth.
The cold wind shouted a merry good
evening" to everything, as he rushed
over the frozen ground.
He raced over the bare hills; the
squirrels drew closer together, and ex-
ulted over their crowded store-hOuSe;
the trees bowed stately goodnight,
as he whisked away: but he calmed
down as he met It little figure on the
frozen road, and gave her time to
draw her faded cloak tighter over her
blue hands, before he rushed on
again.
A wagon was heard. Rattle, rat
tler' Even the wagon is cold, the
child thought, as she heard the loose
spokts rattling III the wheels.
She stepped aside for the wagon to
pass, the driver, pleasant-looking
man, stopped his horse, and asked
whittier she was going.
"To the city" answered the Child.
"To the city, cried the man.
"Why you will never get there, un-
less you are blown there, Or l take
you"
"Will you take me?" she asked not
eagerly, but like one accustomed to re-
iusals.
His answer was to reach down his
hand to help her up.
"Now," said he, as he put her un-
der the heavy buffalo-robe, "what's S
your name?'
"Mary-only Mary, ,"-she answered
hastily.
"Mary," said the man softly, more
to himself than the child, 81 wish it
hadn't been that"
"Why, there's lots of Marys,' said
the child.
"Yes, l know it," he said, Il had
little Mary last Thanksgiving. II
don't like to see any one named Mary
in trouble"
81 amt crying" said the child,
smiling, "because I'm in trouble, but
cause I'm SO cold. l ought to have
trouble, Granny says"
"Ought to have trouble, heyr' said
the man, stopping his horse, and
drawing from under the buffalo-robe
a can of hot coffee. "That hasn't
been off the stove more than five min
utes,' he said, as he filled a little tin
cup and handed it to her. "Take that,
and drink to your Granny
at is very nice" she said, when
she had drank it all. She did not say,
have tasted nothing before to-day,
Why should she, when there had been
so many days like this in her short
life?
The man replaced the can, pulled the
robe up even with her chin, and told
the horse to 'get up" and ego along"
then he whistled awhile; then he said,
cit is mighty cold. hope it will keep
sop'
go, don't" exclaimed the child
'cos it makes turkeys cost so much,
poor folks can't have any,
"Don't you care anything for me %
cried the man, pathetically; "here's
my wagon full of turkeys"
"I didn't know you were turkey
man," she said, gently.
"Yes, l am a turkey-man,' and I
think even poor people can afford
to buy a turkey once year, if they
are high. The turkey-men have been
waiting year for this day."
There was a twinkle in his eye she
did not see; he looked down into the
little pale face. 81 am afraid you
don't care for the turkey-men" he
said, soberly.
She hung down her head, started to
say something, but stopped.
"Well, what is it ?" he said, laugh
ing. ..
81 do like you," she answered, ear
nestly; "but the poor people, have
knowd them always" lE- 80
They rode on for awhile in silence.
The hot coffee had worked wonders
the blue little hands had stopped shak-
ing, and the child smiled as she saw
the city lights in the distance. ou-2
"Now, you,are little more com
Portable" said the turkey-man, "let
us hear where you are going, and what
your other name is" zsa--
"My name is only Mary and am
going to find my cousin" s
"Nonsense" he said, a little sharp
ly. "Of course you have got a
name"
"They call me Mary Rent, but l
hate it, and 1 won't have itv' she
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