The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-11-26

AS L have SAID, 1t Is three week before
little chicks are Matched; but for ducks,
old Sampson, aswell asanyOtherh hen, was
obliged to stay on the nest a week longer
than this time before Chicky came run
ming into the house one morning with
the joyful news that she had seen sew
cral little heads popping out from under
old SIMPSONS wings. And when Farmer
lockwood took the hen from her nest
there were the ducks, waving their
broad bills about in the most lively
amer
In Il few days Madam Sampson was
strutting about the yard, with the duck
iings waddlin9 after; and Chicky Won
dercd how in the world she was going
to get down into the pond.
"TO-morrow morning | will show
you how we can manage it, said Papa
lakewood. So, after breakfast, they
all went out tC see the fun. In the first
place, all the little ducks were caught
and put into q basket; and you should
have seen old Sampson fly around, rs if
she had lost her head. Then the basket
was taken down to the pond, the old
hen following, dancing this way and
that and sOecching at the top of
her lungs. Father lakewood put the
basket down ut some little distance
from the water, and the ducks all hop
ped out; and Mother Sampson was
happy again But her troubles had
only just begun, for no sooner did the
ducks discover the little pond thanthey
Waddled as fast as their short LEGS would
let them down toward the water, and
the old hen after them. And when
they jumped right into the pond and be-
gan to swim from the shore, if ever Il
hen went mac in her life old Sampson
did then. helooked for Just one minute
q though she couldn't believe her own
eyes; and then she commenced thrash
ING around. She ran down to the
w ItNI tlllll Sil- W.T. lttI lotN. Ilcll SIIc
rushed back again and took another
look. Then she tried to stand on her
head; and then-but | might 90 on all
day, for she did just every thing that Il
hen possibly could do, and she stopped
only when she got so much ont of breath
that she tumbled oven and couldn't get
up again.
Chicky grew very fond of her duck
lingS. Farmer Lakewood built a little
house for them, and Chicky. after nam
ing every one, tied different colorcd rib
honS about their neckS to tell them
apart. Wasn't that a funny idea? But
it was only about five minutes before
those ribbons We're about as wet As pos
sibly could be.
One day Chicky couldn't find Miss
Spotty White. Miss Spotty White was
one of the ducks, You know, and sailed
under Il very wet and very soiled blue
ribbon.
"Oh, dear, perhaps she's got over
her head and drowned herself" said
Chicky. However it was, the poor little
duck couldn't be found, and after Il
week and Il few tears Miss Whites sad
and mysterious disappearance was al
most forgotten.
"Come, Chicky," said Mr.. lakewood,
one day, "don't you want to ride with
me to Farmer Butts's? You haven't
seen him since he gave you the eggs,
and he will be anxious to hear all about
it."
SO Chicky jumped into the wagon,
and they drove down to the Butts farm;
and the first question Mr.. Butts asked
was:
"Any ducks yct?"
And Chicky replied:
"Yes, sir. | should rather think So"
And she told the whole story rs she sat
in Mrs. Butts'5 kitchen, eating maple
sirup and doughnuts.
"Well, you must come and see my
duck-pOnd, said Mr.. Butts.
Now you know that this pond was
made out of the same water that
Chicky's was, so it couldn't be any bet
ter; but it was 4 great deal bigger, and
held about forty times as many ducks, |
should think.
"Wha a lot of ducks" said Chicky.
eyes; and just see how tame they
are said Farmer Butts. And he threw
in some bread, and the ducks came
rushing up as fast as they could swim
all but one, and he stayed out in the
middle of the pond.
"IIulloa.n said Farmer Butts,