The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-07-20

side gave her dreadful peck on the
head.
"How dare you enter lady's room
without knocking?"
An enraged hen sprang out of the
door and stood gazing at Speckleye in
amazement.
"Oh! You're the new hen from the
country"
81 beg pardon. 1 thought this was
my room
enc. It's the next door,
Then the hen marched back into her
chamber, with a most ungracious ar;
and Speckleye crept into the next door,
covered with confusion and mortifica-
ton. The room had a nice straw-bed
in it, and poor Speckleye gladly laid
down to rest. Presently she felt better,
and thought she would get up and have
a dust-bath. She went out into the
large room; but there were no signs of
dust or ashes anywhere. There was
nothing but the white sand on the floor,
and it was very thin and cold. Speckl-
eye stirred it up and began to throw it
over her head in the most comfortable
manner.
Good gracious! What are you do
ing? Do you mean to tear up the car
pet?''
Speckleye turned to see who had
spoken and found an elderly hen stand
ing and looking at her in an angry
manner.
81 wanted to take a dust-bath."
Then you should 90 to your bath
room. The house is supplied with all
the modern improvements"
81 do not know the way"
"Oh! | presume you are the strange
hen from the country. Well, 90 to
your room and push on the door at the
back, and you will see the bathroom"
Speckleye thanked the hen, and went
to her room. But it was dark and not
q sign of door could she find. At
last she brushed against the wall, and
door sprang suddenly open, showing
the way into another room. She
walked through the door, and it shut
behind her with loud bang, that
startled her dreadfully.
"Gracious! What dreadful house!
AS for dust-baths, there isn't one to be
Scent
Speckleye walked about, and found that
she was in small room, with a wooden
floor, and not speck of dust to be seen.
In one corner she found a wooden box,
and, hopping upon it, she found it was
a dust-bath tub.
"This," said Speckleye, 'is, | sup
pose, what they call bath-tub"
So she jumped into the box and began
to shake up the dust, but really the
box was so small she couldn't turn
round or stretch her legs, and she
bumped her head twice. And, alto
gether, she thought it was not nice at
all.
Presently she looked over the top of
the bath-tub; and oh, horrible! There
stood a cat
Speckleye sprang out of the bath, and
stood trembling with fright; and the
cat only stared and stared; and waved
her tail to and fro, in a manner that was
quite dreadful. Speckleye thought the
cat would certainly spring upon her;
and she gave one despairing scream
and darted toward the door, and dashed
through it into her room, nor did she
stop till she came out into the room be-
yond.
Here she found all the hens and Mr.
Rooster talking together; and as she
burst upon them they all turned to see
what was the matter. Speckleye paused
quickly and was covered with confu-
sion. Mr.. Rooster came forward and
asked what was the matter. But the
hens only stared rudely.
s. | saw cat!'
ooh! you must have seen Thomas.
He often looks into the rooms, but he
can't get in, for there is a patent wire
netting over all the doors.
I'm glad to hear it; beeause-well
really now, you must confess, it was
rather dreadful for Il stranger"
Il hope you feel better now. Still,
madam, you appear slightly i'll. Your
comb is quite pale. Have you dined?"
Poor Speckleye confessed that she
had not She really had not eaten a
thing since she left home in the morn
ing, and was positively faint"
1--WE have dined," said Mr.. Rooster.
1.-THE dinner-hour is one O. clock.
Speckleye could not tell time; but
she dared not confess it, and she felt
greatly relieved when one of the young
er hens offered to show the way to the
dining-room.
This is the dinner table," said the
hen, as she led Speckleye up to long
wooden box in corner. The box had
cover on top and a small wooden rail
in front.
Where?" said Speckleye. 81 do
not see any corn on the floor"
go dear! no! We never eat it on the
floor It's in this box. You step upon
the rail and the cover flies up, and there
is the dinner"
Speckleye timidly stepped upon the
rail, and instantly the cover of the box
flew up with loud snap; and Speck-
leye was so much frightened that she
tumbled off the rail, and the cover fell
down again with loud bang.
"Ohr' said the young lady hen, with
a rude laugh that showed she was not a
lady at all. That's not the way. You
must stay on the rail while you eat, and
then the cover will keep up"
Speckleye tried once more; and this
time she kept her seat, and the cover
remained up and she saw that the box
was full of very nice corn. She leaned
forward to take some. But she was
really afraid the cover would fall; and
she stepped off the rail, and the cover
| c,11 Ia,,,,, o,.,;,, ,,;tl, ~ I,et,, 81