The Lincoln County herald., 1871-10-26
Childrcn's Department.
CALEB'S WISH.

have 20 80 70 school. They never have
70 lenrn their u, b, cs, sud write on
great, big, old slates nor spell eat, CAT
eat, mat, mat, mat. oh dear, I don't
like to 60 to school, and spell, and read
and cay w tables. Who doesn't know
that t1ice one are two? Tha. is what
sould like to know. When I am . great
grown up man, don't aspect to work At
sums on a slate, and read and spell
Indeed I'm not going to bo so foolish. ]
am Zoo smart for thatr
Caleb vas lying on the door step in
the sun, and at last he yswnsd: 20
dear, do wish were a chicken
chickens never 20 to school; aud then
he fell asleep. Soon he dreamed he was
chicken, he was the large yellow
chicken and vas running over the garden
searching, for something to eat. In
few moments his mothcr camo out to
look at her flowers. "Shoo shoe! T. she
cried, und then caf'ed to DUTY, Deity
you must not let the chickens run over
ny flowers, send Carlo to drive them
away"
II think i, pretty hard" thought
Caleb, "that mother let's Carlo chase
me- and then ho tried to call his
mother, to tell her he was Caleb but
when he tried to speak he only crowed,
and the more he tried to call his mother,
the louder he crowed. ii think it is too
bad" thought Caleb, that my mother
doesn't know me"
But how should his mother know that
that growing chicken was her dear little
son Caleb. She thought it was one Of
her chickens. Then Caleb tried to call
with loud voice, "mo,her, mother,
dear mother!' but he only crowed,
crowed, crowed, and his mother said
"Why Betty, what great noise that
chicken makes T. And Betty said
THAT chicken makes more noise than all
the others put together, think we will
have it for dinner"
Now Caleb heard all that his mother
and Betty said, aud he vas frightened
when he heard Betty's speech, for he did
not want to be roasted for dinner.
80 dear" he said to himself, II do
wish they could hear me tell them that ]
am Caleb; l wish could speak without
Growing will call lefty, maybe she
can understand me.
Then he tried to call Betty, Bc,ty('
but only crowcd, crowed, aud he heard
Betty call to Carlo, and then he knew
that the dog would be sent to drive the
noisy chicken away.
80 DEAR" he cried" wish they knew
me, must 70 into tho house aud tell
mamma who am
lie tried to 60 into the kitchen, but
Betty picked up towel, and ran to the
door screaming "shoo shoe shoe &C! u
and swinging the towel at him, until he
was much frightened and ran away.
Then he ran to the front door, aud tried
to call "mother mother!' but again he
only crowed, crowed, aud in moment
Betty was around at the front door
swinging her towel. and screaming
"shool shoe ! shoe u aud then shc sale
to herself, Eyes, III just cook that noisy
chicken for dinner to morrow"
She chased him until he reached tn,
chicken yard, and then she said to th'
fat boy who worked in the garden
"Dick, wo ure 10 have O chicken kille,
for dinner to morrow, so just kill thi
one, it is fat enough, and the mos
troublesome thing We have about"
"All right" says Dick, "Ill kill him.
Then Caleb was more frightened thai
ever, and tried to scream, "oh, no, no, nc
don't kill me, am Calsb!" but he onl
crowed louder than ever, and Betty sait
"Hark at him he is bidding US good
bye; crow awuy, old fellow, 1t is you
last day
80 DEAR" thought Caleb, 81 must nc
call to my mother, or to anybody, fe
then thcy say am too noisy. %, d
wish they could understand me | wish
could be q boy again | would 70
school every day; would rather be
boy ,hun chcken-oh, dear me, VIII
shall do? They will kill mo-.
And then he began to cry quietly, &
he was afraid to crow any more, for fe
that Dick would kill him tight away,
While he was crying SO bitterly,
heard noise near him. and looking