Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-01-28
How Johnny Helped the Chicken.

~ was VIC uios eiuc JOuuuy uRO ever
been upon farm, and happier little
boy than he was You never saw. He
trotted about from morning to night,
among pigs and cows and chickens and
sheep, from the stable to the meadow
and back to the farm-yard and down to
the duck-pond, until his clothes were q
sight to make mamma turn pale. Then,
when his eyes were just ready to shut
up, he would go into the house and be
made sweet and clean for the night, and,
il he did not go to sleep before he got
quite through his "Now lay me" you
may be sure he did not stay awake long
after the amen" don't want to tell
you all about that, though or, at least,
If 1 do want to, l haven't time, but do
want to tell you just one thing Johnny
did, to see what you think about it.
One day Johnny wandered out by
himself to the poultry-yard. There he
saw hen looking down into her nest,
and clucking in a way it was quite pain
full to hear. she seemed so puzzled and
distressed She was very young hen,
and l suppose she did not quite know
what was going on there. Neither did
Johnny, so he went up to see. What
did he see? Well, he saw six warm
mellow-looking eggs, and, when he
looked closer, he saw that little bit
was Clipped out OF one of the eggs, and
from the crack came faint, "Peep,
peep!''
"Oh, / know what's the matter !"
thought Johnny. "There's a little
chicken in that egg, and it wants to get
out, and its silly mamma won't help it
one bit. Stupid thing Is'pose she
don't know any better though. Poor
little thing how it's legs must ache,
all rolled up in a tiny ball like that.
Wonder if 1 couldn't help it? Let's
see -
So Johnny took up the egg, and
broke off little bit of the shell.
"Peep peep! !" said the chicken in
side, little louder.
"He likes it. guess" thought j ohm
ny, very much pleased. He must be
most snuffocated in there; :" and care
fully, very carefully, Johnny broke the
shell away, piece by piece, while the
young mamma clucked and futtered
pitifully at his feet.
"Now you just be still, hermann
MAJ said Johnny. 81 amt going
to hurt your little boy, not one Bit
There" as he broke away the last
bit of shell; "There's your baby
all safe. But, oh dear !" said John
nv, in dismay, show little and weak he
is?"
For the chicken had never learned
to use its legs, and he staggered
about, and "pesped more pitt
ully than ever. Johnny stood and
thought.
"Now, hen-mamma, he said, "I'm
'fraid I've done mischief, but I didn't
mean to. Iguess your little boy wasnt
quite big enough to come out of his
cradle yet. can't put him back, that'i
sure, cause can't put the egg together
again, and if 1 could don't know how
to curl him up 30 as to fit. And there
are such lots of shelters about, Tn
'fraid they'll eat him all up, Oh, ]
knowl" thought Johnny, 81 here's just
the thing-an empty tomato-caE-that'I
just do. Now I'll cover him up al
nicely with this, and let him grow TIL
tomorrow, and then I'll come and lie
him out. He's all right, hen-mamma
just you be patient. That's what m.
mamma does with the flowers she set
out, so it must be all right"
So Johnny covered the chicken up
and went of TO mis- play, and the hel
clucked awhile and then remembers
her other eggs, and went:bsck to them
And the chicken-well-what did tn
a. 49,