Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-09-07
emmy andhe 7 urtles
Mrs. Annie A. Preston.

pasture and woodland was plocked al
the foot Of slope.
1t seemed so inconsequential that
no culvert or thing was considered
necessary. The road foundation OF
rock and loose stone through which
the little stream was expected to filter
formed a dam, and the water, as
water has way of doing, proceeded
to find it's level and. as ii it fancied
that for the first time it was proving
it's individuality. it filled to overflow
ing an inconspicuous, fern-hidden
grassy hollow and then stretched it.
self out day by day up and down the
rapidly forming embankment. We saw
a pond gradually taking form and
wondered if the busy river had time
to miss it.
Before the summer had waned there
was the shallow, grassy basin of a
useless halfacre filled with clear, cool
brook-water lying in the sunshine,
mirroring sky and cloud and the near.
by woodland.
When winter came, the owner OF
the land awoke to the fact that here
was a valuable and easily accessible
ice supply, and the little pond was &C.
cepted not only as a picturesque add,
ton to the locality. a convenience as
watering place for the stock, but
also as a valuable asset to the depart
ed brooklet.
From the first formation Of the
pond interested us. 1t seemed to enjoy
being Of consequence. It was i'm.
possible not to note the aquatic plants
brought into life by the wonderful re-
sources of the soil. The rapiS growth
was soon in bloom and bending over
to admire the reflection in the bright
water.
One morning there we're exclama.
tions of surprise at the discovery Of a
small turtle summing himself upon a
stump, monarch of his wee island.
We wondered where he came from,
how no learned about the new pond,
and II he had come to stay We knew
very little about turtles,-"mud-
turkles" the country children almost
invariably call them. Shortly there
were two of the mysterious little
strangers. The next summer there
were baby turtles and in four or five
years scores Of them.
i
way on an early summer morning, es-
pecially when there we're children
guests, and count turtles. 1t was not
unusual to locate one hundred cover
ing the stones and clinging to reeds,
ferns. and messy stumps on the far
edge of the water
About that time skye terrier was
sent to use from kennels In Pennsyl-
vania that we named for the state of
hts nativity,-"Pensie,' for short.
"Pensie'' soon became Penny" with
the neighboring little people. The
name fitted so we'll that 1t stuck, for
Penny was always turning up.
, Penny discovered the turtles and
soon began bringing tiny ones home
in his mouth. The way being mostly
up hill the easy going horse walked
while mail was looked over and news
headlines read The little dog troted
along behind the carriage and made
no detours after squirrels or to famil.
lar woodchuck holes
At home he dropped his prize in the
near the drive under the
shade of huge clump of syringa. and
here they afforded him occupation,
probably amusement. and possibly
He could not harm
them. for when he discovered his
guests in the act of running away,
they would shut up shop and be
safe.
Sometimes Penny dug hole in the
soft cool earth Of the flower-beds and
buried his treasure. They were not
long in digging them to the surface:
or he dropped them into his drinking
basin to which they seemed to have
no objection. scrambling out when
feeling the need of change. What
they lived on we did not know, but
they grew and kept pace with the
family at the home pond.
When they became too many at the
house we picked them up with tongs
and carried them back in small
basket to their native place.
Late in the fall when the turtles had
hibernated, it was amusing to find
Penny console himself with a small
fiat, oval stone that he picked up on
the roadway.
He kept 1t in the house the whole
winter carried it about, barked at it.
poked 1t with his feet and nose, and
ran after it when some one was con-
siderate enough to give 1t the impetus
of a roll.
Penny went the way of all good
dogs, and the little oval stone was
kept for a memorial. 1t was used as
a paperweight. and was known to the
family and familiar friends as
"Penny's turtle Once a casual visit
or inquired, rs this your petrified
turtle?" The story of the turtles had
gone abroad and new figure Of
speech added to the language.