Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-05-18
, and scratcbInp down among the

ing and scratching down among the
cannas."
ooh, but he's been down there twice,
Ned" cried Harry, land tried to whip
the little bantam, but 1t was a drawn
| battle"
We'll, he ought to have little va
cation and scratch for himself n while,
said Aunt Helen. {" He has picked and
scratched for his hen and her family in
the most faithful way all summer"
"And SOS the banty," said Ned. 1.-THE
bantam's the best; he's taken as much
care of the chickens rs the hen has, any.
way; and he never went TO rOost once all
the time his hen was setting, Mr.. Thorn
ton, but sat right down in the straw be-
side her every night"
"a model spouse, said Aunt Helen
"They are almost human" said Mr..
Thornton. And so we sat talking till the
tea bell rang, for Mr.. Thornton was go.
ing to stay TO tea, he boldly told us; and
we saw that he meant to get all the young
people on his side by the way he began
TO talk to Ned about trout and piCkerel,
and about deep. sea fishing; but when he
got TO eel.traps Ned's face was purple,
and he blessed that tea bell, l fancy.
However, Mr.. Thornton might have
found that it wasn't so easy to range the
young people on his side if he had made
long continued effort. We enjoyed a
romance under our eyes, but we had no
sort of notion of his taking our Aunt
Helen away.
We were just coming out from tea and
were patronizing the sunset little, which
was uncommonly fine, and l thought l
had never seen Aunt Helen looking like
such beauty, with that rich light over
laying her like a rosy bloom, when John
came fastening up.
81 just want you to step inside the
barn door with me, If you please, ma'am, u
said he. And we went after him to be
greeted by the sweet smell of the new.
mown hay, and to be gilded by the one
great broad sunbeam swimming full of a
glory of notes from door to door. DO
you see that?" said John. 1t was flock
of the hens and chickens on their Gus.
tomary roosts. "Ahd now do you see
that?" said he; and he turned about and
showed US, on the top rail of the pony's
manger, the big black Cochin also gone
to roost, but separately-and his wife
! DtSlAlt hlllE ANO, DuJ llbJlC ullo Dulilhll
"That's who he has been clucking and
calling to this whole afternoon, the
wretch" cried Ned.
"And now look here" said John; and
we followed him into the harness.room
where the chickens had CHANGED to bt
hatched, and there, in the straw, on The
| floor, sat the disconsolate little bantam
rooster, all alone, with his wings spread
and his feathers puffed out, brooding hi
four little chickens under his wings-th,
four little chickens deserted by thei
mother.
81 declare! / declared" cried Aun
Helen, as we came out into the grea
moty sunbeam again; the times are 81
depraved that it has really reached tn
barnyard. The poor little banty and hi
brood! Why, it's as bad as the forsakel
norman"
"Only not so poetical," said we.
"Helen," said Mr.. Thornton, cit i
exactly my condition. Are you going t
have pity for that bird and none for me
Are you going to leave me to my fate? ?
And in moment, right before us all, a
she stood in that great red sunbeam, MI
Thorntonput his arms round Aunt Helen
who, growing roster and roster, eithe
from the sunbeam or. something else
could do nothing at last but hide he
face. "Helen," he said, "you are Gel
tainly coming home with me?" An
Aunt Helen did not say no.