Connecticut western news., 1889-10-09

Still the older, still the dearer-
 Dearer every day.
 MICKEY'S CHICKENS.
 Last spring when the lingering snow in the hollows of the wood had melted and trickled down the rocks to the Rondout creek, staid and motherly partridge built nest in hollow log and deposited within its cozy environ ment of leaves and pine needles thir- teen speckled eggs. One day, far down the dim aisles of the wood she heard the sound of coming footsteps. The partridge squatted closer down upon the eggs, and no eye but that of . fox could have seen the difference between her brown back and that of the rotten log. Her little heart beat hard with excitement and fear, but the palpitation failed even to stir the soft feathers under her wing. Her eyes glittered like twin beads as she peeped out of her hiding place. The big pine sang 8 low soothing psalm and 8 chipmunk stuck it's head out of 8 hole in an oak tree near by. But above the sound of the psalm the foot steps were heard by the partridge coming nearer and nearer. There were shufiing sounds in the dried leaves, and at intervals the breaking of . twig sounded sharply in the silence of the still wood.
 Then from around the trunk of big hemlock which had tossed it's green arms in the sunlight for forty years came the figure of a sneaking boy with bow-gun held in the hollow of his right arm. By this time the partridge was standing up in the nest. Her neck was outstretched and every fibre in her little feathered body was tense with excitement. Nearer and nearer came the boy ,his eyes rowing through the wood in search of vic- tim for his arrow, The chipmunk ran down the oak and Jumped upon the log in which the partridge was palpitat- ing.
 The twang of bowstring cut the air and wooden bolt with shingle nail in it's head shot by SO close that its passage stirred the fur of the squirrel. The squirrel whisked out of sight and the partridge, with loud whirr which startled the boy, flew into laurel brake near by.
 The old Dominiek hen wanted to sit She had tried to satisfy her natural in- stinct in the wood-box. When driven from this retreat by Mrs. Finn's broom she nestled in Mir. Finn's old felt hat. Here, too, she was foiled in her pur- pose by pailful of cold water, which perceptibly dampened her enthusiasm and her feathers. Still she persevered in her efforts at propagation and was found late in the afternoon, after dry ing herself in the sun, trying to scratch hole in the best quilt upon the pater- nal Finn bed. To this Mrs. Finn ob- jected with broom.
 "Ye ould blatherskitel' said she, bringing the broom down upon the bed, for the hen wasn't there when the broom came down. ssMusha, but I'll wiring yer neck wid me fist whin lay me hands on ye! Phy don't pc g out an play marvels wid tn gravel stones stead O foolin' there wid me best built?'
 The old hen wandered around the yard disconsolately. Life had nc charms for her in her uneasy condition of mind. Besides, there was no eligi ble places in the yard in which to carry out her designs. Her miserable condi ton provoked the sympathy of littl. NA1AC, 6Hu AC uCCAuCd tAot ouC SIlOull have the pleasure of setting on a nes of eggs if he could by hook or crooi procure them for her. For two days after school hours, he searched thu borders of Browns pond for duel eggs, and was fortunate in finding two. These were slowed away in al old hat in the cellar, and the hen, witt 8 glad cluckle of content settled her self upon them. That afternoon ht went off hunting in the woods.
 
 When the partridge flew off her nes little Mike examined the hollow los and found thirteen speckled eggs Warm and smooth they felt in hi palms. Holding them close agains his breast to preserve the heat, he start ed on a run for home and dashed int the cellar. His eyes danced with self graduation as he said:
 "Shoo, Nanny, be quiet till I giv ve some more egQs as'll hatch out fOin