The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-12-16

the orange to the baker, and put The
pudding in his basket.
He ran faster than ever after leaving
the baker, and would hive been at
home soon, if he had not overtaken two
sailors who were quarreling.
AS soon as they saw Davy, they
stopped wranging between themselves
to ask him what he had in his basket.
Z" 1t il a Christmas pudding that Pm
carrying home for dinner" answered
Davy.
"IC's the very thing we want, Tom,"
said one of The sailors.
" SO it is replied bis companion, and
then without more words they snatched
the basket from Davy's hand and ran
off, leaving the boy crying bitterly.
While he was still sobbing and wip-
ing away his tears with his coat sleeve,
he heard a queer, creaking voice ex-
claim:
what's the matter? It's awful
dark, what's the mattei?'
He looked about him, but could see
nobody. 1t was very strange, for the
world was so white and so still every
where, that any moving thing could
have been seen for long distance.
It's awful-darkl" This time DAvy
thought that the voice came from an
old pea jacket that one of the sailors
had thrown away as he ran.
But what was it? He was a little
afraid as he went near it curiously.
"Oh, dear mel Oh, dear mel Oh,
dear mel What's the matter?" said
the voice.
BY this time DAyy was used to it, and
STOPPING over the jacket carefully to I'M
tie the string with which it was fast
ened, the talking still going on. AS he
opened it, a beautiful red and green
parrot flew out and perched itst If on his
shoulder. Davy was hardly more de-
lighted than frightened. When the bird
flew out it laughed violently, but in a
few moments it began to SILVER and
cry with the cold.
Hoo hoo" cried the parrot, climb
ing down from Davy's shoulder and
putting his head inside his coat.
You'd better go in the basket and
be covered up" said Davy, who felt
quite at home with his prize by this
time, and had arranged the sailors
jacket in his basket. The parrot made
no objections, but just as Davy had him
safely slowed away, he poked his head
out to exclaim, "Pretiy little boy;"
and then settled down muttering, "aw-
full dark! awful dark"
Davy had been too busy with the
parrot to notice that some one was ap.
preaching; but when he looked up now
he noticed that Silas, the superintend-
ent of the governors farm, was cl) se
by. He was driving fine red cow,
and was hurrying home to be in time
for his Christmas dinner.
Merry Christmas, Davy, have you
got turkey in your basket?" he cried
out.
Davy ran up to him, and opening the
jacket, said eagerly:
"But see what have got, Mr.. Su-
perintendent"
Whew, what beauty! The gov
ernor's lady would give hundred dol
lars for that"
"Who are you, who are your
screamed the parrot, nesting closer in
the basket.
Polly want a cracker-Polly want
some coffee?" asked the superintend-
ent, insinuatingly.
"Polly want cracker-Polly want
some Coffee" replied the bird doubt
fully.
Davy had been thinking the matter
over, and told the superintendent the
whole story, asking him if he would
give him the red COW in exchange fol-
the parrot.
The superintendent, who remem-
bered how the governors lady had
grieved about her parrot that had died
few days before, felt sure she would
give him more than the price of his
COW for it. So he took the bird anC
gave Davy the COW, and told him thai
he would take the risk of the sailors re
turning.
He would have been no end o.
fun" said Davy regretfully, as hi
handed over the basket; "but after all
it was red COW that l wanted I OF
mother"
When he stopped before the door {
she is, mother, here she isl' his mothe
could hardly believe her eyes.
Isn't she a beauty, momkins?
Davy exclaimed.
i should think SO; such beautyl
never saw 30 me cow, MS motne
answered. But-Davy-?" she adde'
doubtfully.
But Davy insisted upon putting tn
COW in the stable, while he told hi
story. His mother kept wiping tn
happy tears from her eyes while h
talked, and when he had finished, sh
could only exclaim, between her laugh
ter and her sobs, :" Well, never!"
When Gilbert came that night, wit
black eye and torn clothes from hi
day in the village, he found Davy milk
ing the COW under the shed.
"Where did you get her?" he aske
in establishment.
} From the toe of my stocking" re
piled Davy, laughing.
After Gilbert had heard all about i
he had to acknowledge that, thong
Santa Claus had only brought spri
of holly, Davy had made such good us
I of his present, and had such good TO
, tune with it, that the red cow had CON
a out of the toe of his stocking aftt
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