The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-06-14
CHILDREN'S CORNER.
RObbie's Chickens.
BY OLIVE TU0RNE.

! Robbie had two chickens. Little round
fuzzy balls they were, with bright black
eyes and pink toes. They didn't live out
in cold coop in the yard indeed
They lived IN a cosy box in a warm corner
in the kitchen, and slept in a basket filled
with cotton.
They were not common chickens
scratching around in the dirt, and eating
bugs and such things off the ground on
the contrary, they took their food from a
dish-like other people who live in
houses-and drank out of one of Robbie's
mug
| They were odd little fellows, altogether
You sec, they had the misfortune to come
out of their warm egg-shell houses Just
at the beginning of cold weather; and
Mrs. Morris-who brought milk TO Rob-
ble's mamma-tried to make them and
their brothers and sisters comfortable in
the barn. But one after another died, till
emily these two were left. and she brought
them over in her pocket, and gave them
to Robbie for pets.
One was buff and the other black, and
they looked very cunning, running around
the kitchen, and pecking at the floor as if
1t was good to eat. Robby was perfectly
delighted, but mamma did not know what
TO do with them.
| 81 don't see where we can have them,
| Robbie" she said.
al know someping,o said he, triumph
| antly. * can six IN put 'em in box y
"But, dear me they'll be sucn both
err said mamma.
"'T won't boder," SAID Robbie, dancing
around so full of happiness that mamma
couldn't say another word. I" | can get
dinner. Pm cooker. Corn and oats
the milk-woman said so. Papa's got a
whole crowd of oats out to the barn.
Oh and water - and he fairly jumped
up and down with delight
These two chickens soon got to be part
OF the family. They ran all over the
house as tame RS kittens. 1t would be
funny if they were not tame, for one or
the other Of them was generally in Rob
lies arms. They would come when he
called them, and eat out of his hands
Now, nothing can be more cunning than
wee bits of chickens, but they won't stay
chicks, you know they insist on growing
up into hens. Robbie's chickens did just
like their cousins who lived in the poultry
yard, and by Christmas day they were
almost hens. Droll enough it looked to
see two hens walking around the house
Mamma wanted to put them cut in the
coop, but Robbie was Mortified at the
| idea. g couldn't sink of it." he said,
when mamma proposed it. " they'd be all
cold" So they stayed In, and were dress
cd up for Christmas with blue ribbons
tied around their necks. and had for their
| Christmas dinner Just what Robbie did,
for he got papa to fill plate for them.
Though | can't say they ate much of it.
| A few days after, Bufy got sick she
moped around. refused to eat, and Il great
swelling came on her neck. Robbie was
In great distress, and mamma sent to Mrs
Morris and borrowed a book 1t was a
sort Of doctor book for chickens, and had
Il great gilt cock and ben on the cover.
Mamma studied it, and made up her mind
that Bufy was crop bound" and must
have an operation performed, or die.
Now mamma wasn't fond of surgical
operations she could hardly bear to dig
out the sli yer. But there was Robbie full
OF grief, and the book said it wouldn't
hurt much SO she took Buffy, and went
tuLO Htl Ioblll buu lpthOu Tue upols IHCu
with pair of sharp scissors she Just nip
ped thu skin over the swelling on the
chickens neck, and, sure enough, there
was her crop stuffed full of corn and
wheat Bufy didn't seem to mind it
much. She took out a coffee cup full, land
then put linen rag around the neck, and
went out in the sitting room. "There,
Robbie, | think she'll get well now,D she
said, putting her into her little basket.
If that chicken didn't get well it wasn't
for want of care, for Robby was fussy
little nurse as you ever saw. He brought
her everything he could think of to eat,
| from cOru and oats to soft bread and
mashed potatoes but not a speck would
she touch. She just sat bumped up in Il
corner of her box, and wouldn't move
At last cup of fresh water tempted her,
and she took a few sips. Robbie was
watching her, and in Il minute he saw the
water run out and wet the bandage GA her
neck.
| go mamma, mamma ~ he cried, rushing
into the sitting room, with tears streaming
down his cheeks, ''tha water all ruined out
Bluffs got hole in her! put some cam
phor on"
She don't want camphor on" said
mamma, thinking n moment. "Tll fix her
all right bring her here"
Robby took her up very carefully in
his two little hands, and kissed the top of
her head as he gave her to mamma
"Now go to my medicine box and get
my court plaster" said she.
Robby went and got the plaster; he
knew it well enough, for he always had it
Oh bis fingers when he hurt them. Nam
ma cut a piece OF the plaster, put aside
the feathers, and stuck it over the little
wound.
Don't put on that old rag" said Rob
bic; put on hankerish.o And he dove
deep into his little pocket and brought opt
a specimen.
" Not that dirty one" said mamma
" get clean one"
SO Robbie ran to his drawer and took
out little clean one with red border.
Mamma tied it around Bufy's neck, and
let her SO.
"Now, she looks 'stonishing,D said
Robbie And she did look funny with her
white collar.
why, VIII ats the matter ?" said papa,
when he came in. els Butfy getting to be
"A dandy, with II fancy necktie %
"No," said Robbie, earnestly, Buffy
got broke; she got bound crop; this is
the doctors shop, and mammals the moth
er of it, and she must have dirt and gray.
ELI
| Nbrv what d,,c ,,.,,,,o ,,o,. ,,-;,L