Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-11-13
MICKEY'S CHICKENS.


PRELUDE
low long the big pine in Lindsleys
Wood had roarcd his basso profundo in
the tempest and whispered Lis lullaby in
tho breeze no one knew. IIow many days
had passed since first the sun tipped Lis
crest With gold In the raorllingGn bathed
his branches with ruddy FIRE in the even
lag bad never even been suggested How
many Eia;ry shrouds had weighed down
his branches. or how many times lie had
shed lis coat or how often lie had sighed
ia sympathy with the funeral knell from
st. Marys. or sheltered under his
great sVaying arms the play Of lit
Of conjecture Little by little he
Led crown n stature. year by
year his Eirih had increased until one
morning IL daUncd upon lin that he
was the king 81 the wood There were
naughty hcrlloclss not far away and giant
o-!,s. bat not one Of these. for symmetry
Of stature. coull compare with the big
pine Around lis great trunk in green
spiral thcre twisted an ivy vine, with
iGstrJus leaves carcssing the pines rough
b.r,; Until its tender fcelcrs reached the
v1y topr3ost branches lanced by tho sun
beams Tho dew fell upon the ivy and
tic nc cli.;c and every morning the sun
drank up tic cleaning drops. Far below
tho Pine ran the shining river and behind
hin Icy sailing meadow. His foot was
buried deep ~ Lis own brown needles. and
within the shelter Of his kindly shade q
clu1p Of laurel bushes grew. Hidden by
tie lLurcl1 lay n hollow hcInlock log that
had once been q stately trunk. One awful
winter night tempest lad slain the tree
PART l.
Last spring, when the lingering snow
in the lollows Of the wood had melted
and tric..lel down tho rocks to tho Ron
dout creek. staid and rotherly par
fridge built nest ia the hollow log and
deposited within its coy environment Of
leaves and zinc needles thirteen specLled
cggs Ouo day, far down the dim aisles
Of the wood sho heard tho sound Of com
Ing footsteps. The partridge squattcd
closer down upon the eggs. and no eye
but that Of a fox could have seen the diff
ference between her brown back and that
of the rottcl log. Her little heart beat
hard with excitement and fear. but the
palptGtion failed oven to STIR the soft
feathers under her wing. Her eyes gilt
tered ike twin beads Us she pecped out of
her hiding place Tho big pine sang q
low SCOT hing psalm and achipmunk stuck
his head out If q hole in an oak tree near
By Eut above tho sound Of tho psalm
the footsteps wcrc heard by tho partridge
coming nearer and nearer. There were
shutting sounds in the dried leaves. and
at Intervals the breaking Of a twig
sounded sharrly through the still wood.
T.cA iro.a around the trunk Of big
hcn.io,; which had tossed its green arms
in tac suuii ht for forty years came the
- h.,
held ia the Hollow Of his right arm. Dy
this t:ao the partridge was standing up
in the nest Ter neck was outstrctched
and cycrv il1cr in her little fcathcrcd body
was tense vith excitement. Nearer and
nearer came the boy, his eyes rowing
through tho wood in search of u victim
for his arrow Tho chipmunk ran down
tho oak and jumped upon the log in which
tho partridge was palpitating. Tho
Squirrel curiosity ovcrcamo its fears and
it stopped upon the log to catch a glimpse
of tic intruder iato its sylvan retreat.
Tho t@aug Of n bowstring cut the air
md a wooden bolt with shinglc nail in
its head shot by so close that its passage
stirred the fur OF tho squirrel Tho SOUR
X wAis.;rd ont Of sight and tho partridge,
with q loud TAir which startled the boy
50 that ho dropped his bow gun. flew into
laurel brake uclr Ivy.
p,rT IT,
Tho Old Dominicli hen wanted to sit.
Sho lad tried to satisfy her natural in.
stiuct in tho wood hoy When driven
FROM Til; retreat by Mrs. Firms broom
sLo nestled ia ,lr. Finn's old felt hat.
Hero. too she was foilcd in her purpose
Ly n r4ilGlo OF cold water. which pcrccp
tiLy dl,lrc-ol her enthusiasm and her
feather. St!I she pcrscvcrcd in her
efforts &, rroaa alton and was found lato
il the aftcri,g. n. after drying herself in
tho srn. tryin.s TO scratch a bolo in tho
lest qnilt rro3 the parental Finn bed.
10 this Hrs. Tmu objected with n broom
and malcGigtion.
"loo.ll llathcrskitel" said She. bring.
iu,rtho broom Gown uDon the bed for tho
lc1 wasn't there when the broom camo
down ,Nfusha but I'll v,rinp ycr noel,
viii re fst whia Law nc hands on vel
PLY don't yc r. ont an play laarvcls wild
IL Gravel stoues stead o. fooliu' wild mo
ouItY"
Mo old hon wandarcd around tho yard
dis,1osol1tcIv Lie Ind no charms for
Ier in her rncasy condition of mind 90
s'u,', tAeTe were no clli'Ioic PCS IN VIC
y'H '' ''"'' - " ~ oN' ~ W
LIT AIt9C'',"'o G"1ct'0" Pi"So"Su ,i'g
= ~! % - '-.1O ~ ~ w ~
tA-t sac shoNIu nave 'ue ic"suT9 OF
ss't'AG Oh nest OF Eggs nc coHid W
hoo' or o'coN pro- uFG tncIi Tor Her iof
t"o oSFs' cl,cr =. Felool houI5' ne searched
t!C uoFeNtSoi LFo'A poiiu lor cHcN C3GS'
cid "',' loF, 0h ilI IN lHuA'5 i'". 4noSc
"GtN S'o"e1 may IL ;'h On u%t III NC
'cli-r' ana VIC hSh, "itA d gag ciucA ,L3 OF
coh'cAt' so't'ed herscii tpol 'AGE' mat
Slterhoon he went hunting III 'Ae "ooo3'
fAi;r III;
When the partridge lew OH her nest
niue A-lEe cS@;Aihcd INC hollo" log and
iouhd talt'oCA sPcc|Ici eggs N,Sra
eau sneotn lacy ieit III hls PAINS rod
h' tIc'n close against ms breast 10 Pre-
servo tAo heat' ne started on a run lor
Rome and dashed INTO tho cellar. Las
+ eyes d2uced with sell Cratul@tlon as he
said
Shoo. ''anny' be quiet ulI CIV ye
sonc rlorc oSSs - Il hatch out wild
cAicSeh3
no Een slI2"Hed gentle protest.
against oeihE disturbed anu tAen settleo
Gown 20 L'r YORK nS;ah; bof.nE me
peFiod oi laeUo~lloh nl'ie Aihe a'len9eo