Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-05-29
BOZEMAN, MONTANA TERRITORY, FRIDAY MAY 1874:
FTTZROBINSON'S CHICKEN. PIE

| I'll lZAOD1N ~ OOAN - CAl ACN Il IL
If there is anything in the worl
: that Mr.. FitzrObinsOn, Of COlumbi
street, loves more than another, tha
thing is chicken-pie. They alway
have it of a Thursday for dinner. 4
prOtrslcted meeting has been going OF
in our new church ever since the dedi
cation. Mrs. Fitzrobinson said sh
wanted to have a few of the visitin.
brethren dine with the family SOM
day, and SO it was arranged that the.
should come on Thursday. Six Of then
were invited, and Mrs. FitzrObins0l
said she and her mother would tax,
oyster pic, and she knew well enough
one of the brethren would take til,
same, SO that the chicken-pie would s.
around nicely and leave a piece to-
Peleg. Mr.. Fitzrobinson felt littl,
dubious OH the score, but he said moth
ing, trusting to desperate chance.
Thursday came, and with it the 81,
shepherds. The memory Of dedication
night still ranked in Fitzrobinson's
bosom, and he tclt unkind toward any
thing animate or inanimatc connected
with the church. Well, the chicken
pie came on, smoking and savory
awakening pleasant anticipatiOns IN
FitzrubinsOn's digestion. With it came
an oyster pie. After grace, FitzrObin
son proceeded to carve the chicken-pic
cutting it III six pieces, as directed 10y
Mrs. +. lie had a grim presentiment
that each particular piece was whis
pering maliciously, "Pm not for you,
and the strange cOnceit made him
thoroughly uncomfortable. He helped
the ladies to oyster pie, rcmarking its
delicious flavor, and throwing III neat
compliment to Mrs. Fs skill iii this
branch of the culinary art, and then
proceeded to serve the chickell-pic.
Being interrogatel OH the point, the
Rev. Mr.. SOlcmnface signified his pre-
ference for chickcn-pic. a look Of set
tied sorrow crept over FitzrObinsOn's
massive features as he parted with the
first piece.
IL don't know whether it's a fancy
Of mine or what, but it seems as tho
the oysters this season were better
than ever before. Haven't you Oh
served it, my tlear :" to Mrs. F.
Mrs. Fitzr0binsOn admitted that she
had.
"Mr. Meek, may help you to some
OF the oyster pic:7 he asked, with the
most winning grace.
"Thank you,n rejoincl that gentle
man, blandly, ''I'll try bit Of the
cl,ickcn-pic, if you please
II knew it,n thought Fitzrobnson,
losing faith momentarily. "Just see
if every one of 'em don't take chicken
pie. l hope Old Testament will get a
thigh-bone crosswise in his windpipe-
do, SO help mco
"My DEAR" says Mrs. F., swcctly,
"you'e spilling the gravy on the
clOtl,.n
This didn't help Fitzrobinson's mood
in the least. ashes chaffin' me-" he
thought; +" cOnfound the luck!"
"Mr. Sleek, take it you'll try some
Of the oyster piei" to that gentleman,
in anything but n gentlemanly tone.
"A little of the chicken pie, by your
leave" was the soft rejOinder.
Fitzrobinson glared at him, as every
savnry spoonful wrlmg his heart to the
very core. He felt like pouring the
contents Of the gravy-dish over his
shining crest. He gave him tie back
and turned to the next guest.
"Oyster-pie, sir?" softly carving a
nice, large piece, and remarking that
Washington beats the world for cherry
stones.
II think I'll try a small! piece, very
small piece, of chicken-pie," answered
the Rev. Mr.. OilXjohn, with captiva-
ting smile.
II beg pour pardon, did ycu say
Oystcr!n almost rudely.
Mrs. Br0wnsmith, FitzrObinsOn's
mother by marriage, whispered in the
reverend gentlelnali's ear that FitzrOb-
insOn was a little deaf.
"Ah!" he calculated, how unfortu-
natc!" And at the top of his voice, to
FHzrobinson, i" 1 said chicken!"
Il wonder who that can bc making
such racket, !" observed FitzrObins0ll,
sarcastically, to his wife, pretending
to listen, and thinking fiercely all the
while; III reckon that blamed old
chicken slayer thinks am deaf and
dumb. wish l was, and blind, tOO.o
Fitzrobinson thought it in his despera-
tiOn.
While FitzrObinson was helping the
Rev. Mr.. Oilyjohn, that gentleman i'll
quired, in low tone, of Mrs. Brown
smith, f" Has he given his heart to Je-
sus!n referring to Fitzrobinson.
Mrs. BrOwnsmith was forced to adj
nit she feared he hadn't, as she recall
cd the cycle Of nights she had, shiver-
ingly, admitted him at two, and even
four O'clock in the morning. N. B.
FitzrObinson is a jolly old dog, and be-
longs to chapter that meets five or
six nights in the week.
Fitzrobinson surveyed the situation
and mentally calculated his chance.
~Only two pieces left" he ruminated
mo,lrnfully. Then he looked, ruefully,
at the two remaining guests. " Ii they
amt got chicken-pie Enthusiastically
written all over their features, Pm no
Judge of human nature" was his NUT
tered conclusion. The Rev. Mr.. Ives
A. - ,,,o,k TC;<vr1, hsuSo,, fnlf