The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-06-05
wholesome and happy!" said her

lay more.
"What absurdity, Bess!"
"No, indeed, mamma" exclaimed
Marcia, impetuously. "You don't
know how human they are. You
see the lords and masters fighting for
supremacy; see the hens all picking or
the one that has an infrnity; see the
old-maid aunts-"
"The what?'
d" Really, now, you remember those
two common setting hens l bought tt
hatch out some of the top-knot eggs
And one brought out a brood, and the
other lost all hers? Well, the one that
lost hers tries with all her might to be
mother to the other hens chickens
She scratches for them and clucks tC
them all day long, gives them the NOR.
sci instead Of taking it herself, will get
them under her wings when the real
mother isn't looking, and the real moth
er doesn't seem to care at all; and al
night, evidently feeling dreadfully be-
cause they will 60 under their mothers
wings then in the barrel instead of un-
der hers outside, she gets on top Of the
barrel instead of going to roost with the
other hens. Now, isn't that just like an
old-maid aunt and the idle Indifferent
mamma who lies On the sofa and reads
novels, and lets her sister take care OF
the babies?"
81 never heard such talk, Marcia,
nor saw person with such low tastes.
| can't conceive where you got them, -
cried her mother.
Why, mamma said Bess, "if the
Lord could make chickens, l should
think Marcia might watch them"
"lt's tirst-rate," said Phil. "What
else do they do, March?''
every thing that human beings do
They are jealous Of each other, like
Mormon wives. Those that are not ia
Vorltes sometimes go to roost in the
mlddle OF the afternoon, so as to secure
the place they want next their husband :;
and he goes picking round with his IA
vorite till bedtime, and then flies up
and knocks the others out of the way to
make room for her. What do you
think of that?"
sob, pshaw!'
"It's true. And I'll tell you some
thing more. He thinks he knows how
to lay an egg better than the hen does.
And If there's a hen that's dilatory, he
makes nest for her, and gets into it,
and gets out of it, and coaxes her, and
literally tries to show her how. Isn't
hat human? Those husbands that
know every thing Oh, it's as good as
a play"
81 should think sou
So A nd thnp bn
young rooster, and the strutting after
ward-it's SO exactly like the first long
Goa. of boy, and the strutting after
that
" Marcia, l am ashamed of you," said
her mother. 81 must beg to hear no
more such conversation"
"Now, Mrs. Thurston,n said Phil.
" L m sure saw you laughing. And as
for me, I'm going to make those boxes
with March. I'm just as good a car
penter as Noah"
And so Phil went down the garden
with Marcia, and there were DAYS mon
days OF hammering and saving and fit
ting; and Tom was going about full of
mischief, and Emily had her sewing un-
der the apple-trees near by, and Bessie
came down to bring freshly baked tart
or some hot gingerbread.
" And I'm sure it's just like picnick-
lng," said Marcia. /" You ought to be
obliged to me for making such a pleas.
ant occasion. And I'm awfullv sorry
that we're almost through" And, as
she uttered the last sentence, PhiEn
happening to glance down at her in that
moment from the ladder where he was
standing, her face suddenly famed up
as II torch had been held before it,snd
she turned and hid its color over q box
OF Old nails that she and Tom-an age
ago that seemed now-had taken at
school In exchange for pins, meaning to
sell them to the junk-man, but diverted
from their purpose by one of Mrs.
Ihurston's methods of persuasion.
Mamma always was the enemy of
said Tom, when they found
the box. 81 suppose it's the oil of
brch that has kept these nails from
getting rusty"
But as soon as Marcia could slip awav
from all that merry racket she flew
Town to the foot of the orchard. and
cast herself into the deep grass there in
ne shadow, and cried to break her
heart. That one glance in Philips
ace' that swift instant, had served to
urn the whole earth on pivot to an.
'ther issue of life. 1t had, indeed, held
Up torch before her, it had showed her
nat OF which she was unconscious be-
ore, and now she knew that she loved
'hlllp Masters, and she knew that he
oVed Bessie, ard the world was one
lead blank.
Inc hens were not fed that night, and
lobody carried the eggs in; it was only
.nen the moon set that, her skirts drip-
ing with dew, Marcia stole in herself.
nth her dogs, and crept away to bed. ,
1t was long fight that Marcia had
nth her heart on that September night ,
he rose early in the morning, and cave /
ne hens into Bridget's charge, looked ,
ito her mothers room, and told her
ne was going to see Aunt Brown; and
That good lady, now that she could !
{, longer whip her children, generally '
lowed them their way, no objection .
as made; and Marcia found herself. c
ter couple of hours, in the arms of .
H.