ROSALIND AND THE TURKEYS

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 13, 28 March 1907, Page 37

ROSALIND AND THE TURKEYS

Next Wednesday is papa's birthday,' said mamma. ' What shall we send him, Kosalind 'i ' ' — Rosalind shut her -eyes and wrinkled up her forehead, and thought and thought and thought. She and mamma were at grandfather's farm in Maine, and papa was in Chicago. What should they send him for a birthday present ? Suddenly she clapped her' bands. • Let's send him a picture ! ' she cried. A picture of me ! ' "' I'm sure that would please -him very much,' said mamima. ' A pictu,re of me,' continued Rosalind, 'in my new white dress, amd ~my daisy hat, and my widest sash, and my shoes with the silver buckles ! '■ ' I will take your photograph,' Rosie,' said Uncle Kent. ' Oh, no, no,' objected Rosalind-. ' 1 want to go uptown to the photograph man in the funny little house on wheels.' > *" 4 Uncle Kent can take very fine pictures,' said grandfather. ' But he isn't' a really truly photograph man ! ' cried Rosalind. " ' This is for papa's birthday, and is very important ! ' ' That settles it,' said Uoicle Kent. ' You miist certainly go to a " really truly photograph man." I didn't realise quite how " important " it was/ So that afternoon Rosalind put on her white dress and daisy hat and blue sash and buckled shoes, and started for the photographer's. Grandfather's turkeys were 'strutting grandly around the yard. There were twelve in all— ?one large, handsome gobbler that had * taken a -prize- at the county fair, and eleven fine turkey hens, Rosalind loved to feed them, and even the fierce looking old gobbler would eat from her hand, and follow her all-around the yard. She had named them after the months of the year. She called the gobbler 'January,' and- the hens after^the other eleven months. ' Gobble, gobble, gobble,^ said January, stepping forward quickly, as Rosalind came out of the house. April pecked at her hands, and July and August pecked at her sMrt, 1 No, my dear turkey friends,' said' Rosalind. 'No mpre corn to-day. s Go away, January. I'm going to have my picture taken. Shoo-shoo-shoo, my . dear turkey friends ! ' ' Rosalind skipped happily down the long lane, and, turning out upon the State road, started villagewards. -v._ Soon a team came along, the driver of which looked at her curiously. ' 1 I ."wonder- if he sees the buckles on -jny shoes ? ' thought Rosalind. - Then she met the rural delivery wagon, and the postman looked at her and smiled. ■ 1 I think most pro'bly he likes my hat,' said Rosalind. Then she passed a" cottage, and several people came to the windows, and they, too, were smiling. At the railroad crossing the cid gate'man grinned

broadly, arid from-ari automobile whizzing by in a cloud of dust came peal after peal of laughter." At Jasc she reached the village, and here, too, cv cry one lookeU at hSr, and every one w,as smiling. In front of the post-olnce aboui twenty men and boys were waiting for thes mail. ~ When they sa.w Rosa-" lind they laughed loudly and nudged each -other, and pointed— pointed at bomething . behind Rosalind. • . - Then, at " last Rosalind turned, and there^ close behind -her, marching, proudly .along in single file, were the prize gobbler and' his eleven wives ! "Gobble,: gobble, gobble^ said January, solemnly, and the crowd.' shouted with laughter. " Poor Kosalind! -She gave one look', at 'the" turkeys and one look -at the crowd, then turned and started •for home, iorget ting ' all about the picture for papa. ' Gobble, gobble, gobble,' said January, turning also and leading his uock after her. - '" Rosalind reached -home at last, - hot and tired and dusty, and told her story tearfully. •' It was so embarrassing,' said she. « I never want to go uptown again, not even to get 'my piciuav taken for papa. I'm never- going to the post-office agaan nor past that old ga-teman. And oh, I'll never never give those horrid turkeys any more- corn ! ' And for two days the barnyard fowls "looked in vain- for Rosalind. ' v The third' morning Rosalind found a .package- beside her plate at breakfast time. What could it be ? She opened it" eagerly, and there, in a red leather frame, was the prettiest picture !— a picture of a little girl in a white dress, with- a, hat covered with •daisies and a sash and buckled shoes. And behind'this little girl were - twelve handsome turkeys { ' 'Oh, oh ! ' cried Rosalind. ' It's "me': awT January and February and March, and all the other months. Who could have taken it ?-' • ' We JV Sfifid Uncle .Kent, • I happened to be ne a r the post-office when you came along, and I" happened to have my camera fixed for a snapshot.' ' It's the loveliest picture ! ' said Rosalind. ' And I know papa will be so interested "in" grandpas turkeys ! ' • « a T^ *5, ls J h t U R - to the Post-office,' isai-d mamma, 'and^it ,will reach Chicago in time.' - ! Yes, I'm going to,' said Rosalind, "« just as soon as I've given my dear turkey friends some corn ' - 'Gobble, gobble,- gobble,' said January loudly when he saw Rosalind coming.—' Children's Magazine.'