The Princeton union., 1881-02-17

| snake Ine LdDl6 clOGl.
.Oh, my stars!'' calculated she.
looking not into the armament, but
straight earthward at her hens dart.
ing hither and yon for breakfast
crumbs. In the midst of the flock
bristled two Brahmas, with sullen
eyes and feathers on end, clucking
for chickens that were not.
Anything wrong, Mrs. Ebbeson?'
| Mr.. Butterkin paused on his way
from the barn with the milk.
"Only these Brahmas, Mr.. Butter.
kin. I've broken them up, but they
will set. Mr.. Ebbeson had been
reared in rural part Of New England
where hens never s'sit. -
| 8" Well, why not let EN- p
In July Now, Mr.. Butterkin.' .
| ''Then supposing you tied red yarn
about their feet %
| "Why, they'b peck my eyes out, =
laughed the widow, dexterously fold.
ing the tablecloth in it's former
creases.
She was sorry the moment she had
said it, for Mr.. Butterkin offered at
once to assist in the girdling process.
Why should he not Yet, as he held
the hens, first one and then the other,
while she bound about the right leg
of each Of the anti-incubating anklet,
she was inwardly agitated and could
not help being thankful it was early
morning, and that they we're not like.
ly to be seen by any passers-by.
No such feeling perturbed Mr.. But
terkin. He was honestly glad to help
Roxanna's friend-because she had
been her friend, he would have said
it if he had thought about the matter
at all and in the kindness of his
heart he presently asked if the chick
ems bran was not getting low. He
was going to the village; should he
call at the mill?
cor, il you have any errands, l can
take you over as well as not, - he add
ed, as an afterthought, and was mildly
bewildered at seeing the sudden flush
on her face as she hurriedly answered
that she had no errands.
Picking up the milk pail, in which
the froth had perceptibly settled, he
walked away with troubled express
sion. He hoped Ruth hadn t any hard
feeling toward him, And then it oc.
Cured to him that though he had ask.
ed her often, he was sure, she had not
riddeu with him for long while
not since-why, not since Roxanna
died! and his own face flushed under
the dawn Of a new idea, Ruth was
afraid the neighbors might talk
strange he hadn' thought of it before
| Dear! dear! what a timid little wO.
man she was.
AS he logged lonesomely along in
the great wagon which used to carry
two, and seemed dismally empty with
one, he could not Danish hef from his
mind, and he began gradually to real.
iZe how constantly she had been in it
of late. What had made her manner
so distant three months past? Was it
fear of village gossip, or. did she real.
ly dislike him? He wished he knew
and he jerked the reins. unwittingly
Wounding the feelings of his faithful
beast, consciously trotting her best.
| Turning in at his own gate, a rebel
lious clamor from Mrs. Ebbeson's S hen
merry greeted his ear. Alas for his
vain attempt to overcome maternal in.
stinct! Hardly had lie left their sight
| Til0il viz S1oCA1llSo )Adli1ustS Sought
their nest, where the little widow
found them bill to bill, the scarlet
ankle-ties hidden beneath the straw
Six times she dislodged them; six
times they reinstated themselves; and
now at noon there they sat broodine
over the pile of bricks she had heaped
in their nest, Winking their small
round eyes at her in lazy triumph! Il
was too much! Was an immortal wo
man to be outwitted by a couple o1
finite hens? The little woman re
newed the conflict, but not daring
again to lay hands upon the belligeren1
bipeds, she resorted to the discreet ex
pertinent of poking at them through
the open window, thus affording Mr.
Butterkin. as he rounded the corner, {
confused vision of agitated calico dane
ing about a distracted rake-handle.
i "What! setting again, Mrs. Ebbe
son!'
The small lady, till then unconscious
of the gentleman's proximity, hastily
withdrew her head from the window
and looked down in some confusion
from her perch on an inverted barrel
''Yes, they setting again; but it,
just as well-just exactly as well,' sht
said, rather incoherently, narrowed by
the fear lest she were displaying he;
ankles.
"Now, sir, we must see about this
} responded MI. Butterkin. fishing il
his pocket for a ball Of twine he hat
bought that morning for stringins
tomatoes, and meanwhile glancing owe
his shoulder, apparently to assure him
self that the orchard was where i
should be. He would have liked moth
ing better than to lift the widow down
but his instinct told him that sht
would prefer to descend by herself
unobserved, and he was a man capable
: of self-sacrifce. ssWe'lI tie the hem
to the fence, - he added presently, con
scious Of thrill of delight, as he pro
nounced the 'swe.'
. He knew himself better than in tn,
early morning, and could not disguis,
the fact that he felt a personal salts
faction in entering into even the hum
} blest partnership with Mrs. Ebbesol
IA satisfaction evidently not shared
) by the Brahmas, who resenting hi
} continued interference, tore his Goa
mercilessly. It was a Jagged rent
! e. - - r,o,., g, c.,