St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-28
BAB's TURKEY.
4 1hanI.s0irtnq Story.

the summer air, far above the hum Of eriek-
eta and grasshOppers in the grass: and the
4 little pink sunbOn net down the road came to
a sudden Itsndstil. barbara, CONS bask
here a moment"
''Yes, Mrs. Pettingin," and the owner Of
the sun bonnet quickly reirzced her steps 10
the farm gate, where stood the tall, rather
gaunt woman with the sharp voice.
o. "Ths young turkeys have all wandered of
into the woods yonder," she said, ''and a
shower 10 coming up fast. Would you mind
driving 'em up Tor me, Bsbl I've just got
my baking in the oven. The men folks are
all down in the lower meadow, and the
young brood win surely be killed II they get
wet"
Barbara glanced doubtfuIly from the heavy
cloud rising in the west to the woman's anx-
ious face, and then, being a gOOd-natured
girl, said:
Il think it will rain in ten minutes, Mrs.
Pettinsill, but III do tue best can"
That's good child! Be spy and I'll
give you loaf Of fresh breed and a pail Of
1Hk 10 take home TO your mother"
So, thuI encouraged, Barbara set forth
/ across the plowed field, where tae wheat aud
corn were sending up tender green shoots,
until she reached the little tract OF wood
land back of tie farn.
Still nothing Was TO be seen Of tho truan.
turkeys; aud the thunder now began to
rumble overhead and flashes OF vivid light
ming to play about the dark clouds, making
Barbara trenble with fear, for she had great
dread Of being out in q Thunderstorm.
sob, dear" she sighed, ''where can they
bel an afraid 1t will rain before 1 get
back"
Just then low, mournful ''peepl peepr'
made her look round. Something MAS iut-
tering In the long grass near az old, tumble
down rail fence, and going nearer she found
1t WAS one Of tue little turkeys, that, in at
tempting 70 squeeze between the bars, had
stuck fast, and Was struggling In vain to get
free.
You poor little dotr' she cried, show
came you herei aud where have your mother
aud brothers ali wandered toi'
But tho turkey only answered with its sad
little ''peepl peeyl" and helping 1t through
the narrow space Barbara popped the wee,
dowRy thing Into her apron aud stun bled on
through the underbrush, where she felt sure
that the speeklsd hen aud her turkey children
must have hidden themselves.
"DeGr mel" cried Barbara, in dlsmay,
'they will never get over such a wetting al
this. And what will Nrs. Pettingin sayr'
And she was half afraid to meet the farm
er's wife, to whom these promising young
fow.s had meant new black silk dress Al
Thanksgiving.
And Mrs. Pettinglll was angry enough
when Barbara drove the disconsolate-looking
brood iRtO the farmyard, and exclaimed in
temper:
''Irs all your fault, Bah, for not having
sense enough to look in the old pasture first
! Qor angry people are apt TO be unreason-
able). They are sure to pine away and die
now, SO / shan't bother with 'em any more.
You needn't have troubled yourself TO take
care Of that one forlorR little thing, for one
isn't worth rAising.'
Then take it home, Bah, aud see what
you can do with it," said goOd-natured
Farmer Pettingill, who came in time 10 hear
his wife's words. Never mind, Nancy;
accidents will happen, YOU know, aud IL thss,
die we can set the old brown hon, and have
plenty more turkeys In a mouth.
To which hrs. Pettingil only tossed bel
head, muttering.
Late turkeys never do amount TO any
thing, aud these would have been all right
now II had gone after 'em myself and no
sent carleSs chit like that" with such
scEthing glance at Barbara that she was GLAD
10 beat hasty retreat without either ia,
promised bread or pail Of milk, and she
walked slowly homeward with tears In hel
brown eyes and the baby turkey still rolled VI
in her apron.
The Widow Frick, with her sou Hans anC
daughter Barbara, or Bah, as she was usual,
called, lived in rickety little cottage At th,
foot Of Long bill, where everything wa
shabby enough, but clean and neat as a new
pin; although the poor woman had often
hard time TO provide food aud clothing fo
little family, especially since an attack oil
malaria in the spring had left her very veal
and miserable.
Halo, Babl what have you got thereP
: called Hans. from the doorstep, as his siste
entered the gate; "and you look as solemn
as old black Peters horned owl"
Il guess you would look solemn aud eros
too, IL you had chased over three rough field
torn your clothes, scratched your hands, an,
been cooped up in 4 hollow old tree during
{ terrific thunder storm, and then after all
. only get scolding for your palms, retorte,
Bah, thus giving vent to her wounded feel
e ings.
Poor Babbls-ds .babi Did you bring HON,
the scodiug in your apron .'' laughed Hans
2 ''No, indeed! / was glad enough 1,
( leave it behind me. This IL poor little tar
key"
l And Bah produced the wee, tremblin.
5 bird.
"Where did you get ita'' asked Mrs. FrIek
e appearing in the doorway.
: And, sitting down, Barbara related be
e mornings adventure at the Pettingill farm
: But The turkey won't live" said Hans
when she had finished. ''They are Tia
T hardest things in the world to rsise.''
~ shall try. ANYWAY" said Bah, geRt
: smoothing the soit, yellow down.
: Aud abe made the little fellow q eoOp II
i one corner OF the yari, and fed and tende,
him with such care throughout the summer
that, contrary to all expectations, be live
and thrived, aud grew into as dHe 4 turks
gobbler as any one would wish to see.
Mrs. Prttingilrs, however, fulfilled be
; prediction, took cold, and dWinpled away
= until not one was left OF all the ten.
! Bah named her bird Christopher Colum
i bus, because be was such an explorer, a
ways diving into odd and unexpected places
Now he tried the cupboard, next invest
: eating the oven. while, a moment later,
{ wss foraging among the eAbb2ges, and one
: almost singed his bill pOkDg 1t into pan c
U hot ashes.
Il II VAS devoted 10 ais little mistress an
e hoped Altsr her up and down stairs, AL
e around the garden, and, ike Mary's lanai
}, even '-fo' Owed her tn school one day"
e ''ie Is the dearest sweetest pet that eve
: live ~ Bah would excisim, huggisg Chri.
q 1 pher round the neck. I'D showering b
q he'd with kisses. "Aud did YOU ever &c
: more lCyey feathers-all green and blu
and goldi''
At which he would spread his tail, swe