The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-11-23
"Why did they call YOU that 9'' be

left me in Granny Coles house, wheI
l was little. He pinned paper OF
my dress that said on it, left to pay
the rent
4 The turkey man whistled, and asked
I if Granny Cole were good to her.
Pretty kind" said the child. weari
ly. Anyway, she didn't 'spise me,
like Sally did,
"Who may Sally be?" asked the
turkey-man.
"She's Granny Coles daughter
"Did Granny Cole send you alone
to the city," said he, watching her
| suspiciously.
| " She told me the other day." said
1 the child, mournfully, eff | ever
came home and found her gone, to 60
4 to the city and find my cousin. Yes
I terday she sent me off with Sally, and
when l come back Sally ran away from
me, an | couldn't find Granny"
Are you quite sure you can find
your cousin?"
She looked up in his face, and laid
her thin hand on his sleeve.
q never saw my COUSIN" she said,
calmly. If Granny has run away
from me l haven't anybody I know"
"Why, then, did you come to Me
city?' said the turkey-man, wonder
| ing where he could leave her.
81 know the city best?" she said :;
Granny used to live there, till week
! ago. 1t is 50 dark in the country,
| when you have to stay alone! There
are the market-men-see how bright
they are"
1t was the night before Thanksgiv-
| ing, in the city as well as in the cOun-
! try; the markets Shone, as they al
ways do the evening before the great
feast. Never We're garlands more
green, never apples more red, nor COB
blers more plump.
The turkey-man drove up and
stopped.
"Here is as far as | go, little one,"
he said, us he lifted her out and stood
her safely in the bright light of the
market.
She was pretty child, but pale now,
with blue lips and shaking hands.
Poor little thing" he muttered;
81 wish they hadn't tnamed her Mary"
and he entered the market
The market-men beamed on every
body. They rubbed their hands as
customer after customer vanished with
the cold form of some kind of fowl
neatly covered, all but its feet, in
brown paper.
1t was growing late; the turkey-man
had sold out; he waited only to get a
hot supper before starting for home.
He had been thinking entirely of dol
lars and cents; but as he walked out
of the market, he thought Of his home,
his wife waiting alone for him in the
great white house, and his little Mary
safe in Gods home abOve-he had for
gotten the homeless child left alone
outside the market.
\ heavy hand was laid on his arm.
"Stand back moment" whispered a
voice. He looked up and saw large
policeman watching child at barrel
of red apples.
1t is his little fellow-traveler.
"That's a sharp youngStern' half
| laughed the policeman, under his
breath. This sort of thing is 60
ing on here all the time. Nothing is
safe"
The little blue hand was already on
an apple. 1t faltered moment, then
grasped it tightly, then dropped it.
She hid her face in her hands. The
the turkey-man stepped up to her and
touched her shoulder gently. She had
not seen him; but without looking up,
the child knew who it vast was the
only friend she had.
Il couldn't do it. Oh, | Couldn't"
she sobbed "But Pm so hungry
and she fell against the barrel.
The stars were shining cold and
clear. The turkey-man's wife was
looking out, and wishing the thermOm
eter could go up without the price of
turkeys going down. cit is so cold
for John riding from the city alOne"'
she said to herself. She opened the
door, hoping to hear the wagon; but
the cold wind sent her back to the
blazing fire. She thought of year
ago, when she did not sit waiting
alone. She imagined she heard the lit
tie voice, though it had been hushed
nearly year-how plainly she saw the
sweet face, though it had been covered
so long. She wiped the tears from her
eyes as she heard the rattling wheels;
John must not see her sad. She opened
the door, holding the lamp high above
her head.
The turkey-man came in, with some
thing wrapped in the buffalo robe;
he laid it on the big dining-table.
"Don't say nor he cried; "let us do
something for Mary's sake, this
ThanksgivingH
care you crazy?' she exclaimed, as
he uncovered the pale face.
"Wait till 1 tell you all" said the
turkey-man.
When he had told his story he said,
earnestly, "How could go to church
tomorrow and thank God for his care
of us, if /, with no little one to care
for, had left this child alone in the
great city?"
"You did right, john" said his
wife; "you always do"
With these words, the woman
good, practical soul l-hastened to wash
the kind turkey-man went to take care
Of his horse.
81 remember this house." said the
child, as she looked out of large
blanket before the bright fire. 81 saw
it one day with Granny Cole; Istopped
and looked through the fence, and
threw stones at the turkeys. l didn't
know he was kind man then. Gran
ny hates rich men-I wonder where
Granny is-Pm sorry I threw the
stones-but they wasn't so very big"
The little head fell lower and lower
the pale lids closed; the little hands
grew quiet; but the little voice repeat