The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-07-02

W lIlcli 1tu-ulluu, VI CouIsc u0y IL lay
mOre.n a.s .sa .ts. ..-arGt.g ed ja @3a &
"What absurdity, Bess!" 1 "a.
"No, indeed, mama," exclaimed Mar
cha impetuously. 'sYou don't know how
human they a1e. You see the lords and
masters fighting for supremacy; see the
hens all picking on the one that has an
intirmity see the old-maid aunts-" *
''The what?' sHH- &. ...aa .. .
''Really, now, you remember those two
common sitting hens I bought to hatch
out some of the top-knot eggse And one
brought out 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 to them all day
long, gives them the morsel instead OF
taking it herself, will get them under hel
wings when the real mother isn't look.
ing, and the real mother doesn't seem tc
care at all; and at night, evidently feel.
ing dreadfully because they will 60 I'm.
der their mothers wings, then in the bar.
rel, instead of going to roost with the
other hens. Now isn't that just like an
old-maid aunt and the idle, indifferent
mama who lies on. the sofa and reads
novels, and lets her sister take care OF
the ba5ies?" r.; .... !" ....-. ..:...
II never heard such talk, Marcia, mol
saw person with such low tastes.
can't conceive where you got them,
cried her mother D..
"Why, mamma said Bess, eff the
Lold could make chickens, I shoulc
think Marcia might watch them"
Its first-rate,'' said Phil. ''Wha1
else do they do, March!'' ... g..
"Eve1ything that human, beings do
They are jealous of each other, like Nor
mon wives. Those that are not favorites
sometimes 90 to roost in the middle Of
the afternoon, so as to secure the place
they want next their husband; and he
goes picking round with his iavorite till
| bedtime, and then flies up and knocks
the others out'of the way to make room
for her. What do you think of that2"
"Oh, pshaw!" > r.
''It's true. And I'll tell you some
thing more. He thinks he knows how tt
| lay an egg better than the her
does. And if there's a hen that:
| dilatory, he makes nest for her, an6
gets into it, and literally. tries to show
her how. Isn't that human? Those hus
bands that know every thing Oh, it.:
as good as playG'
Il should think So
"And then the first Growing of little
young rooster, and the strutting after
ward-it's so exactly like the first Ions
coat of boy, and the strutting aftel
that
marcia, I am ashamed of you," sale
her mother, II must beg to hear no more
such conversation
'Now, Mrs. Thurston," said Phil, s'I'm
sure saw you laughing. And as for me-
I'm going to make those boxes with
March. I'm just as good carpenter as
Noah"
And SO Phil went down the garden
with Marcia, and there were days upon
days of hammering and saving and fit,
| ting; and Tom was going about full OF
mischief, and Emily had her sewing I'm.
der the apple-tree near by, and Bessie
came down to bring freshly baked tar,
or some hot gingerbread.
"And I'm sure It's just like picnick-
ing" said Marcia. "You ought to be
obliged to me for making such a pleas
ant occasion. And I'm awfully sorry
that we're almost through" And as she
uttered the last sentence, Philip happen.
ing to glance down at her in that mo.
ment from the ladder where he was stand.
ing, her face suddenly famed up as if {
torch had been held before it, and she
turned and hid its color over box Of
old nails that she and Tom-an age age
that seemed now-had taken at school II
exchange for pins, meaning to sell then
to the junk-man, but diverted from thei1
purpose by one Of Mrs. Thurston's meth
! DDS of persuasion. '..
mamma always was the enemy Of
ENTERPRISE said Tom, when they found
the box. II suppose its the oil of birch
that has kept these nails from getting
rusty Is i. -
But as soon as Marcia could slip away
| from all that merry racket she flew dowr
! to the foot Of the orchard, and cast her
self into the deep grass there in the shad
ow, and cried to break her heart Thai
one glance in Philips face, that swift in
slant, had served to turn the whole eartl
on pivot to an other issue of life. Il
had, indeed, held up a torch before her, an6
now she knew that she loved Philli,
Masters. and she knew that he loved
Bessie, and the world was one deac
blank.
The hens were not fed that night, an6
nobody carried the eggs in; it was only
when the moon set that, her skirts drip
ping with dew, Marcia stole in herself
with her dogs, and crept away to bed.
1t was long fight that Marcia had
with her heart on that September night
She rose early in the morning, and gave
the hens into Bridget's charge, looked in
| to her mothers room and told her she
was going to see Aunt Brown; and as thai
good lady, now that she could no longer
whip her children. generally allowed them
their way, no objection was made: and
! Marcia found herself, after a couple OF
hours, in the arms of her old counsellor
and friend, to whom, albeit, she never
breathed word Of her trouble. A dav
of Aunt Brown, Marcia used to say, sci
her up in virtue for half year, and now
she took seven Of them. ssSeven DAYS
counsel with an old angel ought to make
an angel Of me, But nothing will eve,
Go that"
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