The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-06-02
4 MAD OLD HEM.

1n1S Is n True StOry hDOut nen-
There we're twenty hens in Mr.. Penny's
yard, and some were white, and some
were black, and some were gray. This
one was white and her name was Polly.
One day Mrs. Penny said TO the girl
an the kitchen, Nancy, you may put
those ducks eggs under Polly White
and cover her with q basket. " rs-gs~s
,, Polly was very young, and had never
sat on any eggs before. She thought 1t
would be good fun; but when the basket
was put over her she felt as If she could
fy. 1t was not nice TO be shut up in the
dark. And then she did got 50 tiredl
IL takes only three weeks to hatch chick
ems, but it was four weeks before Polly's
ducklings came out of the shell.
And when they came out, how funny
they lookedl They were very large and
yellow, with round bills and very queer
feet, and when they tried to- walk they
waddled. Polly had never seen any
ducklings before, and 1 suppose she
thought these creatures were chickens.
They did not look like other chickens, to
be sure, but she thought they were all
the nicer for that. ~. -. c..i.fssr..rJ
Mamie Penny came out laughing, and
set pan Of corn meal dough near the
back door. Polly was very hungry, but
she would not touch one mouthful until
she had called her little ones to breakfast.
There were twelve of them, and they
dipped in their little round bills like
After breakfast they rolled up they
eyes, and what do you suppose they
were thinking abotts They were think
ing how much they wanted to swim.
Was it not strange? How did they
know anything about swimming? They
had never seen any water; they had
only seen the blue pump In the yard.
But they made up their little minds
that they would go aud find some
water.
Now there was q pond behind the
barn, not very far of. Nobody told
them it was there, but they ran that
way as fast As, they could waddle.
Their mother ran after and tried tc
stop them, but the moment they saw the
water those ducklings jumped right
into il.
Poor Pollyl How frightened she was
How she tapped her wings and clucked
She thought they were crazy, and she
was sure they would drown. - ~ -
But no, they struck out their little
feet and began to swim. 1t was pretty
sight. They held up their heads and
looked very gay.
Polly did not, know what to think O
this, and when she found it did not hur
them at all she was very proud, anc
liked it as much as they did. After thi,
they came to the pond every day ant
she came with them. She thought ther,
never was such bright family as hers
They were brighter than their mother
and Polly was ashamed because she
could not swim. ..,... q v-.-F..-E.
Well, the next summer came, anc
Polly sat on some hens eggs, just a,
the other hens did, and of course sh,
Matched chickens instead of ducklines
She took them down to the pond tn
very first thing. Wasn't it queer tina
she should remember about it?
But they would not go into the water
She clucked and scolded and almos
pushed them in, but il was of no use
they couldn't swim and they wouldn'
try. Polly was very angry. Such bat
chickensl Why, they were worse thai
none, she thought, and she would no
be their mother another minute. "a
You will laugh, but Polly turned an,
went home. The chickens followed. bu
she drove them back. They tpeeped
and she pecked them with her bill
They were hungry, but she gave then
no dinner or supper. ., 49, n
When night came she would not TAX
them under her wing, but went to roos
with some other hens on a pole in tn
barn. The Door little chickens felt ver
sorry, Dut sne never, never fQk9ave. tner
TOR not learning to swimI And so the
had to grow up without any mother.
Don't you think This Ia q. droll story
And wasn't Polly very bright for her
with head not as big as walnut?