THE GIFT OF GOLIATH

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 11, 14 March 1907, Page 37

THE GIFT OF GOLIATH

' I am sorry, dear,' said mother, ' but it's been a hard year, you know, and we must have the money..' Davy choked back a sob, for" there were tears in mother's voice. ' Never mind, mother,' he said. ' I'll get along some way.' * Mo/bber went back to her work. Davy sari? down in the window. Of course it W|ais all right. But whatever should he do. -without Goliath ■? Goliath was only a turkey. But when a little "boy has nothing else to pet— well, a turkey isn't so bad. And such a tUEkey ! White, plump, and bristling with importance from his earliest days—' a regular giant of a turkey,' Mr. Mason had said. - ' Let's call Mm Goliath, father,' Davy had said. Davy— never qjuite strong, like Ben and Daa— read a great deal, and his head was full of Bible stories. From the time Goliath was named, he seemed, someway, to belong to Davy. The two were always together. Galiath ate from Davy's hand. Then many of the turkeys bad been> taken sick=»Goliath among the rest. Davy had carried him into the house and given him the best of care. Goliath got well, tout many of the other turkeys died. That was why there were so few for sale this year. Goliath was by far the fattest and finest every way, -and there were father and mother and Ben and Dan and Davy 'to feed and clojth© and keep war/in. Of course Goliath must do his part. He must be killed. Davy's tearful thoughts followed the big turkey to the city. It was a big place, he supposed, with many stores and houses and people and schools and booiks. just here it was: that a big thought came into Davy's head. It took .a frorot seat tihere,_ and wouldn'-t leave. ' The next day Davy went out where ,the turkeys lay waiting to be packed.. Quickly he recognised Goliath. Davy took a piece of folded brown paper from lus pocket. With a piece of spring he fastened it around Goliath's neck. ' - -* "What you doin', Davy?' called father from- the barn. • . . k ' Just giving Goliath a-letter to take to the cily,' Di.vy. ' It's ail right. I've told mother. Toucan read it, father, but - picas© don't take it off.' ' Davy went slowly back to the house. Woiideringlv, father read the letter. He didn't take it off. Instead he added an extra knot to Davy's three ' hard ones. - - Three- days later, Goliath lay in the great roaster in .Grandma Burton's cheery kitchen. In the parlor were all the Burtons. First, there was Grandpa Burton, the little round, rosy, hustling old butcher. Then there was 1 Grandma Burton, almost as round and rosy. Then there was - Papa Burton, • the little, plump, pink-cheeked, - bustling young butcher, and therewas Mamima, Burton, -herself as plump and pink-cheeked' as .a. peach, and thece were five plump, pinik littleBurtons. -The biggest little Burton was just big enough for his first real birthday party with an iced cake and eight pink candles. The littlest little Burton

was too little yet for any name except Baby. He crowed and kicked in Mamma Burton's lap. Mamma Burton unfolded a piece of wrapping paper. It was Davy's letter. Safe -and; sound, Golia/th toad .brought it straight to -Grandpa Burton's butcher shop, "and Grand Ipa Burton had brought it straight home to G-randma Burton. - — ' Listen,' said Mamma Burton. Then she read : ' Dear Man or Woman Who Buys My Turkey,— ' This is Goliath, - He belongs to me. We ' love each other very much. I've taken' good care of him ever since 'he was little. . But this -is a ihard' year ' - for us farmers, ' and we've gpt to sell h&m. . I . shall be awful lonesome without Uoliath. So I'm writing this letter to say won't you please, whoever gets Goliath, send me a story book ' with pictures in it ? I can't do" miich but read, and there's only mother's Bible. Most any book will do, but I would like " Robinson Crusoe," if it don't cost too much. ' Respectfully yours, ' DAVY- MASON.' ' Bless 'his precious little heart,' said G-randma Burton. Grandpa Burton wiped his glasses. Papa Burton wiped his eyes. ■' I've gfojti lots of hooks,' said 'Bobby. 1 So've I,' sail Dolly. ' Me's dot books,' said Don. ' 800-oo,'' cooed Baby. 'I'll _tell you what,' said Mamma Burton," 'let's every one of us, from Grandpa down to Baby, send Davy a book.' Such selection of books as followed ! Such buying of books'! Such packing of books ! Swch " sending off of book ! Away off in. the lonely little farmhouse among the hills Davy waited. And one day the box came. It almost seemed, that the littlei old house couldn't hold the joy inside it. The doors "Ganged merrily. 'The windows danced and rattled and sparkled. Down on the floor among the precious books sat Davy. Of such riches he had never dreamed— ', Robinson Crusoe ' in red, ' Rip Van Winkle ' in blue, and ■half^ a dozen others, all fresh and new, with crisp leaves asking to be read. Out from ' Robinson Crusoe ' fell a little note. It was written by. Mamm a Burton, and signed by all'the Burtons except Baby. It read : ' Dear Davy,— Goliata. has foTought your letter straight to us, and we're all" so glad you" thought to write it. If you're "half as happy when you get 1 these books as we are when we send them, 'we'll be satisfied. And some day, Davy Mason, you must come and make us a nice long visit.' , Davy hugged the letter. Then he hugged^ ' Robinson Crusoe.' ' Dear old Goliath,' he said.