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

"Open your apron, anu holu II very
carefully by the corners-So,' said Mr..
Butts. And what do you think he put
into it? drawing from his pocket alarge
egg, he dropped it into the apron.
But that wasn't all, for | couldn't
have made a bit nice story out of only
one egg. No, he put his hand back
again, and drew out another just like
it. Then he went to the next pocket,
and when he had hunted and hunted all
through his coat and pantaloons, and
couldn't find any more, Chicky had in
her apron seven of the SmOOthcst and
prettiest eggs you ever aw. And lsay
it ever if you have lived on them ever
! since YOU were born.
Mr.. Butts, you must know, had Il
great way of chuckling. If any one
only just said Good morning, Mr..
Butts" he would chucklc; so when
Chicky stood there, looking first at her
eggs and then at him, he chuckled al
most as hard as ever he could. Then
he said "Ducks," and, if you will be-
lieye me, he chuckled so tremendously
that it was Il perfect wonder his hat
didn't joggle off.
"DuckS!" said Chicky, and her eyes
opened very wide, indeed.
eyes, said her father, "and we will
put them under old Sampson; and she
will hatch them out, the same as if they
We're chickens.n
"But if they come out ducks, where
can we sail 'em?n replied Chicky.
"Dam up the brook and make Il pond
as big rs your kitchen floor said Mr..
Butts. And this idea pleased him so
much that, upon my word, he almost
went into commissions. And Chicky too
was 50 delighted that she came pretty
near clapping her hands for joy; but
she thought of the eggs she was holding
and stopped just in time.
"Now do You know what | want for
my PRESENT." said Mr.. Butts.
"No, sir" replied Chicky. "What is
ito"
Il want just one kiss for every egg"
Chicky just hated to be kissed, and
Mr.. Butts knew it. And he saw, too,
that she couldn't help herself; for, of
course, if she put up her hands to cover
her face, away the eggs would 90. SO
the kisses were taken, and Mr.. Butts
jumped into his wagon and drove off as
fast as eyer he could.
Chicky ran into the house, and it
was only just about two minutes before
she had told her mother every thing and
was off to the barn in search of old
Sampson.
What a funny name for a hen. Yes,
and she was a funny hen, too. OF
course, you know where all the little
chickens come from how the hen sits
upon her eggs for about three weeks,
keeping them very warm all the time,
until the chicks pop their heads out of
the shells and say, in little chicken talk,
to the old lady:
"Here we are. Thank you for keep
ing Us so comfortable.'
Now, old Sampson was always anX-
ious to set, whether any n wanted
her to or not. Why, one day they hunt
ed for her high and low; but she could
not be found. The next day Chicky
happened to 90 through the long shed
over the wood-houSe, and there she
found Miss Sampson in the t~ool-chest,
''settingn on four old door-knObs and a
piece of chalk.
After Sampson was all fixed in a bar
rel half filled with shavings, the hardest
work of all began-the building of the
dam.
"Papa, | wish you would please lend
John to help" said Chicky, next morn
ing. John was the hired man, you
know, and would run his legs off for
Miss Chicky; SO she knew it would be
all right if she could have him to help.
And she teased so hard that finally Mr..
lakewood promised that John should
help her that very day, after the COWS
and horses had been attended to. And
things went on famously, can tell you.
John laid the foundation of the dam
with small logs and stones, while Chicky,
with her own little wheelbarrow, carried
load after load of dirt and grass, and emp
tied them against the logs, to keep the
water from running through. I'll not
say that Chicky didn't get her feet very
wet, indeed; for she did. But when
she got up the next morning there vas