The Lincoln County herald., 1870-05-19

ran out TO the shed and made up q soft
nest Of hay in au old boz, and then she
scattered corn aud oats on the ground,
and flled little tin cup she had, with
fresh water, aud watched the black hen
sat aud drink, With great satisfaction.
Nov, dear old Top Kaot," she said,
in a whisper; ',piease to lay me q nice
white egg, and il shall be boiled for
my poor mothes's breakfast Tomorrow
morniag." - - i{
The BLACK hen could not answer 10 the
sort Of talk that Prissy was accustomed
to, but she cawed and COO cooed, and
blinked her yellow eyes at Prissy, as if
she quite understood what il all meant |
just before Prissy went to bed that
night she ran out to see whether Top
Knot was comfortable and. 10 and be-
hold there was q big egg lying in the
nest. But it was not wliite was yel.
low, and shining, and very, very heavy |
Prissy took II up, and ran with it to
old Friedrich, the gardener, who was hob.
bling homo from his days work. did
you ever see such funny egg as this,
Friedrich ?" she cxclau,ed.
ut isn't an egg" said Friedrich, exam.
ing il through his spcctacles; it is sol d
goldP'
"But my hen, Top Knot, laid ii" said
"1hen I'd keep her laying eggs all tie
whilc," said Friedrich; for as sure 70
eggs are eggs this egg is gold; Two or
three such Jumps Of money as this, and
you'll be rich people -
Prissy caught up her egg and ran ca.
gcrly into the house TO show it to her
mother-and while they were rejoicing
over it, Pink took up the Ratchet. and
stole out to the hen yard, with her ugly
lips pouted out worse than ever.
"Prissy is very proud because she has
black hen that lays eggs Of solid gold,
thought the i'll natured little girl, "but
I'll soou put stop to that fun"
So she seized the black hen off her
roost, and ran to the stump where Caspar
Krnk split kiudlipgs when he was at
home.
"You needn't flap your wings 80" said
she to the old hen, "tos LIN going 20 cnt
yoar head off,
And sure enough she lifted the Ratchet
up ln the moonlight, and cut tho old top.
knotted head of with one blow
There T. said Pink, "I'll teach Prissy
to put on airs p
But the moment che hens head was
of, she disappeared, every feather of her,
and in her place there stood the little old
woman who had driven the donkey cart.
You ill.tcmpered, spi,efu., cruis
child" cried the old woman, waving h.r
donkey whip In the air; "one lesson is
not enough for you, but you must have
two! | won't have you doing any more
mischief to yonr good little sister-I'll
make an Owl Of you. and done with it y
"You can't!' said Pink, pertly.
Cans I, thought said the old wo.
man. perhaps you don't know that
am fairy, and have dominion over all
the Birds. l would turn you into q
Goose, but geese do enjoy themselves
padding in the water, and an Owl is the
ugliest bird l know of, so an owl you
shall be-
In about an hour Psssy came out to
look for Piuk-but no Pink was there ,
only the dismal hootlng of an owl in the
far off woods answered her call. But
the old black hen was sitting on her
roost, head and all. and the very next
day she laid an egg Of soldid gold again.
And nobody ever heard Of Pink, more.
Do you think this is very wonderful
tale? Well, perhaps it is, but you know
the Fairies are very wonderful creatures.