The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-01-18

the flock of birds. They gathered
about him, uitering their low calls as if
they knew that he was going TO do
something for them.
"Our BIRDS" he said, care very fat,
and they are so tired | will have 10 fix
them place to roost."
While l was wondering what he was
going to do he began to cut the bushes
so that he could bend them over almost
horizontally. 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 were eager for him to
finish the job. They gathered about
him, uttering their low calls Of distress,
and the moment that he bent a bush
over they would fly upon it in such
crowded off. The big gobblers seemed
branches of larger trees. There APP
peared to be no end of the flock, for
they were still coming over the hill,
and the moment they heard the sound
of the axe they would turn their heads
to one side, and after listening for an
instant they would run to their master,
manifesting the greatest delight when
they discovered that the days journey
was ended.
The young girl, accompanied by her
brother, who was driving light wag-
on, came into camp laughing and chat
ting as if they were in the happiest
possible frame of mind. She had no
sooner dismounted than the birds show
ed 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
understood every word she said, and
after she had procured Ratchet they
followed 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
into her face, and turn their heads to
one side, as if they expected her to dc
something for them.
"They are all right now" she said as
she stood looking at them in evident
admiration.
"They are so tame and seem to have
so much affection for you," said /
"that it certainly must distress you tC
part with them"
"Oh, you have no idea," she said
show much it grieves me; but have
others at home and doubtless will be
able to raise another flock next year.
There were 500 birds in the flock
and during the evening while talking
with the young men about the camp
name was Alice Joyce, and that she
had already made quite handsome
little fortune raising turkeys. Hel
brother laughingly told me that SHE
was known in the Western country al
the Turkey Queen of the Gundaloupe
He said that she had been raising 20(
or 300 turkeys every year for the pas
seven or eight years and that she go
, "her start" as he put it, from settin
of wild turkeys eggs that she found il
the woods. "The BIRDS" he added
''are much larger and the meat of bet
ter flavor than the ordinary tame tur
keys" They certainly live in regior
of country which is the natural home
of the wild turkey, for do not believe
, there is another spot on earth where
these birds are as abundant as they
were 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 bird
feed on cedar berries, there are only
, certain seasons when their flesh is fl
. for the table.-Sunday Sun.