The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-16
had selected the spot where We were
stopping at that moment

| had selected the spot where We were
stopping at that moment.
WELL" she said. 'if you do not OBJ.
ject to sharing your camping place Wiz
us, we will all camp together Hardly
waiting for reply, she was off like a
flash, and before / got my horse UNI
hitched young Texan of rather pleas
ing appearance came UP with an axe or
his shoulder, followed by the van q
the flock of birds. They gathered about
him, uttering their low calls as if they
knew that he was going to do some
thing for them.
Our BIRDS he said, fare very fat,
and they are so tired / will have to fix
them a place to roost.'
While l was wondering what he was
going to do to cut the bushes SO that
he could bend them over almost hori-
zontally. The birds were so thick about
his feet that he could hardly move
without stepping on them, and they
seemed to know exactly what he was
doing and We're eager for him to finish
the job. They gathered about him, ut
tering their low calls of distress, land
the moment that he bent a bush over
they would fly upon it in such great
numbers that many would be crowded
off. The big gobblers seemed to prefer
to secure positions in the branches OF
larger trees. There appeared to be no
end of the flock for they were still COM
ing over the hill, and the moment they
heard the sound of the axe they would
turn their leads to one side, and after
listening for an instant they would run
to their master, manifesting the great
est delight when they discovered that
the days journey was ended.
The young girl, accompanied by her
brother, who was driving a light wagon,
came into camp laughing and chatting
as if they were in the happiest possible
frame of mind. She had no sooner dis
mounted than the birds showed their
preference for her care by gathering
about her in great Numbers, Several
of them flew up on the pony's back,
while one succeeded in reaching the
young girls shoulder. She talked to
them as if she was sure that they I'M
derstood every word she said, and after
she had procured a Ratchet they follow
ed her from place to place. while she
assisted in cutting down the bushes.
After few moments the great flock
was restlessly occupying places on the
roost. though they watched their little
mistress very closely. and frequently
two or three of the birds would fly from
their places and run to her. uttering
their low calls. They would look up in
to her face, and turn their heads to
oIlt siut, DIS IL lilGy tApetlCu llGl " w
something for them.
They are all right now,' said she as
she stood looking at them in evident
admiration.
They are so tame and seem to have
so much affection for you said I, that
it certainly must distress you to part
with them
"Oh, you have no idea she said,
chow much it grieves me; but I have
ut at lN+ Ir
able to raise another flock next year"
There We're so birds in the flock, and
during the evening while talking with
the young men about the campfire I
learned that the young 1ady's name was
Alice Joyce, and that she had already
made quite a handsome fortune rails
ing turkeys Her brother laughingly
told me that she was known in the
Western country as the Turkey Queen
of the Guadalupe. He said that she
had been raising 200 or 800 turkeys every
and that she got "her start" as he put
it, from a setting of wild turkeys eggs
that she found in the woods. THE
BIRDS he added. ARE much larger and
the meat of better flavor than the Or
binary tame turkeys They certainly
live in region of country which is the
natural home of the willy turkey for I
do not believe there is another spot on
earth where these birds are as album
dant as they We're a few years ago in
the mountains on the headwaters of the
Guadaloupes. Even at this time it is
doubtful if there is another locality in
the United States where big gobblers
are more plentiful, but from the fact
that the wild birds feed on cedar ber-
fleS, there are only certain seasons
when their flesh is fit for the table.