The Arkansaw traveler., 1886-05-01
THE BATTERED HERO.
iOnr I.ittle Ones ]


 morning, as she came tripping to man. ma with brush and comb to have her hair brushed and braided for school and thinking of the spelling lesson she had learned the evening before.
 Papa, what is hero? she asked
 Why. Erancie, thought you knew, said her elder sister Minnie, who was busy gathering up her books and put ting them into the sachel.
 Well daughter tell her what hero is, if you know" said papa
 Why, hero is famous soldier who has won great many battles, said Min nie, confidently.
 Such a one is, no doubt, hero, said papa; but think we can find heroes nearer home if we look for tliem
 Just at this moment loud cry was heard from the little girl Oweh! mamma; you do hurt so. she exclaimed :; and. truly, the golden hair was in a terrible tangle It took all the good mamma patience and loving care to get the bright little head into proper shap" without another outcry
 When you come home said papa, l will introduce you to hero With the usual good-bv kisses and handful of pretty flowers gathered as they passed through the yard the two chil- drcn went .thcir way to school
 In the afternoon while mamma was busy with the dinner in rushed the children, hot and tired with their long walk. Minnie began al once to help set the table but Francie went straight to the ,idcboard saving: ]" Oh mamma, 1 I,,,,,,n,.t 1 tea-cakc She look ed until sfle found what she wanted. She began munch- ing and asking questions about wee little white chicken that was cuddled down in corner of d small box near the tircplacc
 After dinner papa called the little girl to him as he sat near the fireplace He showed her the little white chicken which mamma had found in the barn yard with its poor little leg broken where the colt had stepped on it She had bound up the broken leg and given the poor thing some food and put 1t in tn" box. There it was. twittering away such d merry, cheerful little song of thanksgiving that no one would have believed that it was suffering from hurt that would have been SO terrible thing to human being
 Here is my hero, said papa, and he told the little girl about the accident and how much suffering it must have caused. He showed her how hravely the little fellow bore all the pain In stead of crying out he was trying as hard as he could to make his kind benefactor understand his gratitude hy singing q sweet cheerful little song And then he told her that all those who bravely bore pain or trouble of any kind, and tried to be cheerful and contented even when they were suffering, were really heroes like the little white chicken
 Francic thought of her outcries in the morning, when the dear, patient mann ma did but pull her hair little with the brush; and of her impatiencc when she camc'homr from school hungry and could not wait even quite minute for dinner to he ready She felt quite ashamed that poor, little, broken legged chicken should be more of a hero than little girl seven years old. who went to school and could read and spell.
 Minnie stood by in silence, and she too, felt that to be a hero one did not have to hea soldier and fight battles except, perhaps silent battles with her too impatient temperament Both the children resolved to be in future more like the little white chicken