The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1882-10-07

and see what it il. l know you will
be pleased"
Bess knew very well that wicket and
mallet> could hardly be carried in a
willow basket. and she went out rather
lagging.y. But she lifted Up the lid of
the basket. and there. in the contest,
cunningest of nests. was u plump, lit
tie snow-white hen, about which cud
died twelve little, downy chickens.
These were Bes>ie's present. She was
really pleased, and they were SO pretty
that she forgot her disappointment.
Pretty soon grandmother came out,
aud said to her.
"Bessie. that is Mrs. Biddy and her
family l have brought them to you as
Il present, although knew You would
rather have something else" Bess
blu>hed and looked ashamed, but her
grandmother, pretending not to notice
it, went on. Listen to me-, Bessie ;
Biddy has here twelve chickens, you
will probably raise eight or ten Of
them. Against next year, then, these
will have brOods of their own, to say
nothing of the eggs you will sell during
the winter. when they bring such a
high price. Then, when next summer
comes, and you still think you want
the croquet set, you will have money
enough Of your own to get it. / could
and would have brought it to you, but
l want you to learn to depend upon,
and get things Yourself. 1t will do
you good. You will have to wait
awhile, but you viii! enjoy your pleas
ure all the more when it does come,
Bess swallowed a big lump in her
throat. and tried to squeeze back two
stubborn tears that would drop, and
went off very cheerfuIly to get some
bread crumbs for her new pets.
After awhile Mrs. Biddy grew very
tame: her brood thrived and grew
very ugly first the disagreeable look
ing pin feathers came out. then their
necks grew long and their legs grew
long in proportion. and they promenad
ed the lawn, looking very gawky, as
Dick said. and very melancholy and
hungry. Bess was delighted with them.
and thought that they We're the most
beautiful things she ever saw grass
hoppers and crickets seemed to agree
with them. for wonderful to tell, not
one Of the twelve died. And, finally,
when they grew up to be sedate hens
and roosters, her satisfaction was com
plete.
One Saturday Bess sent to the city a
basket Of eggs, aud that afternoon she
dropped into her savings bank the first
dollar she ever earned. Nothing she
had ever had gave her so mach pleas
ure as that dollar, and that was only
the first.
Early the rext spring Mrs. Biddy
came off with another brood. and six of
the other hens did the same, these
grew rapidly. and Were readily sold.
One day grand mother came to visi:
them again, and Bess concluded that
it was time to count her money. Dick
got behind her chair, grandmother put
on her spectacIes to help. and her moth
er listened while Bess counted:
fOne. two. three. five, seven, twelve
dollars and fifty cents. Why. grand
mother. the croquet set won't cost
half of that-Ill have six dollars over
for seed. as papa always says. And l
earned it all myself, too, l never was
SO pleased"
Grandmother smiled. and said in a
kind voice. You will find my dear
child, if you live very long, that few
things you get will give you as much
real pleasure as that which you get
yourself. Learn to depend upon your
self and others will help you. You see,
now, how it has been. l should have
brought you the set at once but your
mother wrote and told me not to co so,
as it would be money thrown away,
you were getting so careless and waste
full. l thought it would be a good
chance to teach you a lesson, and l see
that you have learned it ; you are more