Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-07-02
NO MOTHER.

W. WIZ lTGus
The Poor Chicken Born and Raised in an
Incubator.
They were very pretty yellow chick
ems, and looked as much alike as two
peas, but, as far as I know, they were
not related. Each had started out
from its separate house to take a walk,
knowing nothing of each other till
they met in the meadow, where they
were hunting bugs. They were so in
tent on their business that they stood
on the very edge of the brook that sep
arated them before they saw each
other. 'Oh!" exclaimed Daisy, very
much startled, "who are you?" "YcI-
lowlegs," answered he, with a very
sharp look at Daisy, who looked SO
dainty and wcll-bred, every feather in
perfect order, and eyes like stars. SIN
dian," thought Daisy. .They always
give their children queer names.
l wonder how he got here! l am SO
thankful that big brook is between
u.s." and Daisy moved a little further
from the edge.
ute ~ your ulllloT
"Daisy."
II don't like it. You're not a flower.
Daisy is the name of a flower"
"How very rude!" thought Daisy.
''He must belong to a queer family.
Oh, I forgot! He is an Indian"
'.My mother called me that because
1 was white and yellow like a daisy"
"Mother! What in the world is
that?"
Daisy staggered back. .Mothcr!
Why, a mother is a mother. Ones
own dear mother"
''What is it like?"
"She isn't it. She is my mother"
said Daisy, Indignantly. "Haven't
you got a mother?"
'No. Why, 1 never heard of such a
thing before"
"Never heard of a mother? Why,
who takes care Of you? How do YOU
sleep, with nobody to keep you warm?
How do YOU live, with nobody to love
youy"
'.Why, I don't know what you mean
about nobody to love you," and yell
lowlegs looked very perplexed.
"Why, love!-love is mothers, and
they do every thing. They keep you
under their wings when it is cold; they
watch for hawks; they find worms;
they keep off all the other chickens, so
shat you a get something to a Oh,
mothers do every thing!!" And Daisy
stood on tiptoe, and stretched her neck
to see if she could see her dear moth
ers gray dress with the white half
moons. "Where do you live?" asked
Daisy.
'Over in the barn across this field;
and there are hundreds of us, and hun
dreds more in the incubator, that will
be just like us, and I can not see but
that we look as you do. Pm sure,
though, that we do not have those nice
things you call mothers"
II do not believe that you can be the
kind of chicken for me to associate
with, if you never had q mother. Are
you very naughty? I'm sure 1 would
be if l had no mother"
t:No! I'm not naughty. 1 just hup-
~ round and get something to eat, and
this is u field" Here Daisy looked
very much distressed. "No one ever
told me to do any different"
"Do you ever fight overa worm with
Your brothers and sistcrs?"
II don't know what they are," said
Yellowlegs.
mo, Of course not. if you have no
mother. What is an in%cubator?'
asked Daisy.
"Wha is an incubator Why, that's
az stupid as no. knowing what a
mother is. Why, that's where 1 came
from. It's a big box, lovely and
warm and quiet. where a man cine
and feeds you till you grow SC big that
you must be taken olt. and then you
live in the barn; and when you are big
enough they let you come out in the
yard and take carr of yourself"
"Daisy, D-a-i-s-y" A bright, happy
look came into Daisy's face. THAT'S
my mother" she said.
do let me see a mother" begged
Yellowlegs.
"Please come here, mother" called
Daisy. And soon the mother and all
the brothers and sisters came in sight.
''Oh, Daisy, Daisy" said Mrs. Dom
mick, show you worry me by running
away!' And then she kissed Daisy,
raised her wings, and Daisy ran under
them, but put her head out and said:
"Mother, that pretty chicken over
the other side of the brook has no
mother-only an incubator"
"You poor little thing!" said Mrs.
Dominick. :.How 1 wish that I could
get over to you, and take you right
under my wing! 1 hope you've been
very kind to him, Daisy And the
mother looked down doubtfully at the
quick. tempered little chicken that
often made her sad by her naughty
pranks. Yellowlegs stood on the bank
and Ionged to get near Mrs. Dominick.
How beautiful she was! what lovely
eyes she had! and her voice was music.
''Why did [ not have y mother?"
thought Yellowlegs. '.I'm sure I never
would have left her Il minute"
Just then he heard Mrs. Dominick
say: eyes, there are a great many