The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-04-11

mingled with her motherly exultation,
for, dear me hadn't she seen chickens
and chickens, broods and broods of them,
and didn't she know that in all the
world there had never been any so hand
some and wonderful as hers She didn't
forget her old resolve, but for all that
couldn't help thinking what sensation
their appearance would create III the
BARNARD and wishing that her old
friends knew of her good luck. Then,
too, the dear little things were so help
less and hungry that somehow 1T didn't
seem AS nice as she expected out here III
the shrubbery, with not crumb to
give them, and she began to realize that
an independent life isn't the best thing
Tor hen, especially if she has chickens
to support. She had left the barnyard
because she didn't like scratching i'll the
dirt, and thought men were ungrateful
to eat her eggs and then treat her worse
than the cat or dog; but was she any
better off now, with all these little
mouths to feed and no one to help her =?
She pondered the matter over, but l
really can't say how she would have de-
cided. if jim, the farmland, hadn't
come along just then and spied her and
the chickens. That settled everything,
for with low whistle he gathered up
her nestlings, and she was forced to fol-
low where he led.
Of course he took them all back to the
BARNARD, where / am ashamed to say
she put on great many airs, and Mt
once began to condole with other hens
who hadn't any chickens, declaring that
without hers life would be iusupporta-
BILE. She was not bad hen at heart,
though, and was very grateful and re-
pentant when jim fed her little brood
with handful of dainty crumbs, and
tried to make him understand that she
was ready to scratch in the dirt or do
anything else he might suggest. But
her clucking was unintellgible to jim,
who was thinking how he would surprise
| his mistress with the news that he had
found the old hen, and n fine young fam
| ily of chickens besides. 1t was for this
reason, perhaps, that he soon hurried
away and left his little charges to the
care of their mother She at once gave
| them hurried instructions how to behave,
being fearful lest they should appear
awkward upon this their first entrance
| into hen society. 1t was well she did,
for her Chanticleer soon afterward came
up, and greeted her with a crow Of con-
! graduation.
ga charming family, indeed, madame.
You are beginning to understand the
dignity of henhOOd. No one rejoices at
this more than L. Your conduct a while
ago really shocked me. 1t was not that
cf right minded hen. But all is for
given and forgotten now." BOOSTERS
always use high-hown words and put on
grand manner. They think it adds to
their dignity. So do some people
The little chickens were very much
awed at the condescending way in which
Mr.. Chanticleer patted their heads Gig
uratively speaking, of course), and Won
dered that their mother acted so indiffer-
entity. But she had been acquainted
with Mr. Chanticleer for many years,
and knew how pulled up he was with
vanity and self-esteem, and wasn't as
much fattered by his favor as he sup
posed.
By the way" he crowed, after lit
tie pause, somewhat surprised at her ST.
lence, "your old enemies, the cat and
during your absence. The dog ran mad
and was shot by his master, and Jim
drowned the cat for eating up pet ca
nary bird.
All the old hens feathers shook when
she heard this, for she remembered hei
bitter feeling in the past and the many
times she had wished herself i'll theil
place. What easy and happy lives they
had appeared to lead, and yet to what
tragical ends had they come Mt last
"Ah, chickens" she CLICKED after
ward, while contentedly scratching il
the dirt, "be satisfied with your position
in the world, and never envy those who
appear to have better ones. Scratching
in the dirt and laying eggs are ust as
honorable work as any other, if you are
only brave enough to make them SO
Nothing is worse than drawing compari
sons, and fancying that you have the
hardest time of any one else i'll the
, - ybo /JiJ,Jroo'o TTo,.