The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-05-15
MAUD's GENERAL SHERIDAN.

The True Story of an Accomplished and
Intelligent Chicken.
Maud Larkin was very i'll the sum-
mer that she was six years old. She
was the pet of the house, and the only
child; and papa, mamma, servants,
and all, were heart-broken when the
doctor told them he feared their
golden-haired darling would go away
from them to come back no more.
But doctors are sometimes mistaken.
After going to the very door of death,
little Maud went no further but
slowly, slowly came back, seeming to
grow no stronger for weary days, yet
''holding her own" as the nurse said.
In the meantime her favorite ''banty, "
a pretty little hen that Maud had named
for herself, MAUD Larkin Bantam, ~
and that was called "Mrs. B." by the
entire family, Matched out nestful OF
dear little chicks. The brood was
brought in for Maud to see-papa's hat
full of little downy balls, each one
peeping, peeping as loud as such mites
of down could peep. ! am sure that
they felt very cross at being taken
away from their dear little mamma,
and very much frightened at the great
big world in which they found them
selves.
Peep, peep, peep!
Maud's eyes frightened at the sharp
little sounds. She was able now to be
bolstered up in bed little while at a
fi1nn nnH +ho visit Of NJ u . oh
was a great delight to her. The little
creatures were all taken out of the hat
and allowed to run over the white
counterpart. The nurse made yard
of pillows to keep them from falling off
the bed, and Maud fed them with very
fine cracker crumbs.
After few very happy minutes,
nurse said they must be taken away, OF
Maud would tire herself too much.
Cant | have one to stay with me?''
pleaded Maud.
The nurse hesitated, talked with
mamma about it, and at last it was
agreed that one of Mrs. B. s babies
should be Maud's playmate
The little girl chose the brightest
and prettiest of the brood, and, cud-
ding it in her neck, soon went fast
asleep.
After this the chicken had his regu-
lar bill Of fare, and slept in his little
foster-mother's bosom. He grew very
fond of bread crumbs soaked in milk.
and pecked hungrily at his bit of hard
boiled egg when meal-time came. Once
Maud played that her pet was sick and
needed medicine. 1t was lucky that
nurse came ill just as she was giving
chick the dark stuff out of the bottle,
for it certainly would have killed the
poor banty if he had drank the tea
spoonful that Maud had ready for him.
When Maud had beef-tea, chicky
shared it with her, and, being so well
fed, he grew rapidly, and was very
wideawake, active little creature. BY
and by Maud's young uncle came to the
house to stay for awhile, and he named
the chick General Sheridan, after his
favorite hero.
Maud was confined to her room for a
long time; for relapse came when she
was getting well, and carried her far
back on the way she had come so slow
ly. So she had plenty of time and
much need of amusement and she be-
gan educating the General. He soon
learned to fly from the floor to Maud S
outstretched finger, and take piece OF
bread from her mouth.
The Generals first crow was an
event as interesting as the baby's first
tooth. He soon learned to crow at
Maud's command, and actually strained
his voice growing to please his mis-
tress. He learned to pick up collars
and handkerchiefs, and even nickels,
and carry them to their owners. Once
he picked up Maud's scarlet hair rib
bon and poked it through the ''regis-
ter" with his bill, showing that he
sometimes tired of being good" 1t
was an amusing sight to see him on the
top of Maud's head growing away at
the top of his voice. Four months
Sherry stayed in the chamber with
Maud, and never since he was taken
from his mother had he seen a member
of the chicken family.
AT last Maud was well enough to 90
.Out-of-doors. Her first visit was to the
poultry-yard, with the General perched
upon her head. Now, what do you
think happened? The General proved
that he had been rightly named, for in
an instant he had flown into the midst
of his peaceful family, who were quietly
picking up worms, and the next min
ute he was fighting with his own broth
er. But he soon got the worst of the
battle, perhaps from lack of fighting
practice, and would have been killed il
Maud had not pulled him out of the
fight, all bloody and bedraggled. She
carried him up stairs, and talked to
him OF the wickedness of fighting with
his brothers and sisters, with tears in
her eyes. She dressed his wounds and
watched him faithfully till he was well.
A few days afterward ho again went
into the yard, this time by himself, and
came back an hour after as miserable
specimen of chickenhood as one
could wish to see. He had been badly
beaten in Il second fight, and could
hardly stand. His feathers were blood
stained, and his pretty little comb was
badly torn. He wouldn't eat for two
days, and was sullen and miser-