The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-07-12
BILLY AND TOPSY.
A True Story for Children.
BY s. r. MAY.

BY S. R. MAY.
Billy Redcomb had long been stepping
up to little Topsy Whitehead One
bright spring day they took each other
for better or for worse. You ought to
have seen them as they started on their
bridal trip down the front yard walk.
Billy was dressed in the blacklist of coats
all trimmed with shining gold. He wore
funny bronze boots, a white coat and a
little red cap. Hiseyes were very bright
as he looked on happy Topsy, in her
white dress trimmed with down. She
too wore yellow boots and white plume
on her hat, with red trimming to match
Billy's cap. They chatted away as other
brides and bridegrooms do on their first
journey together.
Il may as well tell you now that Topsy
and Billy were our nice old rooster and
his little white mate.
They did not travel far, only down to
the yellow barn to set up housekeeping
there. A very nice beginning they made
too, for the barn was new; the NOW was
filed with sweet hay there was ever so
many nice places for nests, and broad
high beams to walk and talk upon
There they could crow and clap their
wings to their hearts content, and roost
when the days. work was done, far out of
reach of dog or cat or anything which
might devour.
Housekeeping could nothave been very
hard. The little girls from the house,
Julia and Sarah, brought them corn, and
bread and dainty bits from the table
every morning.
After brerkfast they walked forth in
bugs from the squashes and cucumbers.
Often Billy would scratch around and
find fresh meat in the shape of worm,
and no sooner was it found than he called
Topsy to his side. She would run as
quickly as any other obedient wife, and
was rewarded by having the delicate
morsel for her lunch or dinner.
If they found the garden gate open,
they would sometimes steal few straw
berries or currants for desert. So they
lived, day after day till the honey moon
was over then Topsy went TO work in
real earnest and laid one of the whitest,
smoothest, largest eggs you ever saw; at
least, Billy must have thought so, as l
u.
looked at the egg with one eye and then
with the other, and at last set up such
cock-a-doodle-do that you would have
thought he had laid the egg himself
Though Topsy was diligent, and very
encouraging, they did not lag up any
thing, for every time Billy called out,
"Topsy has laid an egg, cock-a-doodle-
do" little Sarah would come running
from the house and carry it slyly off.
So, Billy looked around, and soon
found cozy place, way behind beam,
and led Topsy there. They agreed that
nothing more should be said about the
eggs. In few weeks Topsy had a fine
nest full, fifteen or sixteen, all her own,
enough for dozen nice chickens and a
good allowance for brokerage and brok-
erage. Then, after the manner Of hens,
she set herself down for three weeks
work at Matching. She used often to get
tired. 1t was dull work Sometimes
che almost thought the eggs never would
hatch, and had a good mind to pick lit
tie holes in the egg-shells to see what was
going on inside.
But Billy said, Be patient, Topsy,
Cock a-doodle-doo" And Topsy said,
Patient, Billy Just like arooster to
preach patience. Won't you sit here and
try it?" And so they had their first
little quarrel. Billy brought a fresh
worm, and thus they made it up.
One May morning Topsy heard faint
chirp and then another, She looked
under her wings, and there she saw
little yellow puff ball with bright eyes
and a sharp beak. After awhile anoth-
er, and another appeared, and soon to
Billy's delight, dozen chickens filed the
nest. They were black and white and
yellow, and some were mixture Of all
colors ] cannot begin to tell you how