The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-11-16
FEEDING THE CHICKENS,

with DOllle Mayo, but she kept saving
to herself that she mustn't forget to run
home and feed old Speckle's chickens
before sunset. She remembered it even
while they were swinging, and playing
keep house"
Brosie Miller sat under the great balm
of gilead tree, in his father front ward,
with his pug nose between the pickets
"Come over here" he shouted.
Cant, said Dolly. ..-r
"You come, then, Maxy."
Mamma said stay here.''
"Pshaw! S if she d care foryo COM
ing across the street. want 10 show
you something"
Maxy and Dolly looked doubtfully at
each other , .t -
Lets ask your mother" proposed
Maxy, and in moment Dolly came fly
ing out of the honse. -
- Yes, we can 60, but tea will be ready
in half an hour
1t was in the midst of an exciting
game of hide and seek, in which Bro,
sie's big dog was joining, that Maxy hap
pened to. glance at the sun and remem-
bered mammals charge concerning the
chickens E-t4. 81
''Oh, it's most down! must run and
feed 'em!" she cried.
What's down? Feed what?" de-
manded Brosie. .,-..rs....
The sun-the chickens-mamma
always does-oh, dear, it'll be down be-
lore l can get there" and breathless,
MaXy hew across the street, followed
by Dolly, Brosie and the big dog.
Into Mrs. Monroe's neat kitchen thew
clattered; in haste they searched through
boxes, chests and barrels, but no meal
could they find.
What shall do?" asked Maxy.
"They won't starve, will they?"
I'm afraid"
borrow some" "Feed 'em bread
in turn suggested Dollie and Brosie.
Here's lots of -four; why won't that
do?'' said Maxy.
alt will, replied Brosie, with a very
wise air. "They use meal because it's
cheaper .-. s--'.--' 800
Maxy grew cheerful at once. "WeU.
we can afford flour once, l guess;' so
the flour and water were mixed into a
stiff dough, in a little tin basin, and
then began search for the chickens.
Old Speckle had found way out of
her coop, and was gone, with all her
children.
"Got tired waiting for her supper, I
s'pect," was Maxy's opinion. .
After long search they were found
down at the end of the garden, under
the gooseberrY bushes. Maxy's call
ing failed to bring them from their re.
treat. so she emptied the dough on the
ground, and ran back to her play feel
ing satisfied. Soon it was tea time, ami
after that Maxy went to sleep on the
sofa, while Mamma Mayo was tellinr
"Sllver Hair and the Three Bears
Then somebody was waking her up, and
laughing because she said: "Yes'm. 7
heard-the great big bear, and the mid
dle-sized bear, and the tee-nv wee-ny
bear-oh. | fed 'em about shutdown.
mamma"
. " ,. the bear"' laughed papa, as
''No. the chickens
oh, you know where they are, then.
Katie has been hunting for them. They
are out OF the coop, and she saws she
can hear them calling somewhere
BY this time Maxy was wide awake.
anu ran OH to show Katie where TO find
her chickens. 1t was quite dark now.
and papa went with them and let Mary
carry the lantern.
Under the gooseberry bushes what
did they find? Ten little chickens all
grown tight together. like the Siamese
twins; ten miserable. fluttering, chirn-
ing, scared little chickens, last in a
lump OF dough! Nobody knew what it
~
Katie. ''''
"How could they all be stepped on at
once?. asked papa, trying to separate
one OF the unfortunate from the hutter-
ing mass. ''''
" 1t seems like PASTE" he added, hold
ing the lantern close.
,,oh!'' cried Maxy. flour and water
make paste. Oh, mercy! I've pasted
them together,''
=, They can't run! They're BREAKING
their legs off, and Katie looked SO ih7
dIlgnant, and the chickens so very miser-
able that Maxy fled sobbing to NAM
ma declaring that ''Brosie Miller said
it would do. y -'i '''io
Katie and papa brought the poor little |
prisoners into the kitchen, but them