Mohave County miner., 1889-03-23
NGMAN, ARIZONA SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 1850

TO the wants OF tbs hen with Jealous caro-.
Corn. and meal was always right under
her beak, and water In an old tomato can
stood 30 near that she did not have to
leave her nesf. Every evening when
he returned from school little Mike
paid a visit to the hen to see
bow she was getting along, and
each time he came he lifted the hen
froni the eggs to zoe II there was life in
theHa This continued for three weeks,
until one evening on opening the cellar
door hc found two little dacklings ~ith
pieces OF sheil clinging TO their backs
pcepipg In the cellar. The hen was In q
quarIdary The partridge eggs beneath
her were yet whole, and she was divided
in her affection for the hatched and the
unattached She decided, however, 10
continue operations on the partridge eggs,
and . few days later they. too. had devel.
oped into chickens @
Tie whole Finn family were 20 tickled
ut the result Of the Dominick hens efforts
that they could scarcely contain them.
selves. Mrs. Finn insisted that the brood
should DO brought up out Of the cellar
into tho kitchen Here the little part
ridges hid behind the wood box In q fright
sned coyey They were startled by the
least sound, and whisked out Of sight at
the raising Of n finger.
"Faix, said Mr.. Finn, as he gazed upon
the bupehes OF brown feathers darting
hithtr and thither over she floor, "thim
wild chickens bates tho Dootch for quick.
ness Begorra. but they're 0y Musba.
but they hav' no tailsff
'Ton't frecken yersel'." said his wife,
they'll hav foine tails gin six wakes"
Mickey was 80 tickled with his new
sharEe that he hated TO go TO school One
day he put two Of the partridges In his
trousers pocket, and took them with him.
They got out of his desk when he was
called up to the spelling class, and created
great excitement Ia the school. All the
children left their seats and confusion
prevailed until the wild chickens had hown
put OF the open window.
PART Nv.
And so the summer faded away into the
autumn. And October's chill breath be-
gan to kill the leaves in Lindsley's Wood.
BY tlis time the partEidges had become
strong Of wing. and following their native
instincts made short excursions into the
fields near by. Mrs Finn was In state
Of constant fear lest they should not
como back. but every evening when the
pan Of cornmeal was set out In the back
yard the partridges and the ducks were
there feeding amicably together.
Thursday, Oct. a, had been set apart as
day Of fcasting Mrs. Finn had decided
TO kill six Of the pai-tridges ON the previ.
Gus evening, and Mr. Cronin, the ac-
Gordon player, Mrs. DOolan and her boy
Jack, Mike Murphy and his wife, who
who had never eaten the toothsome wild
chicken, and Mike Welsh and the sharer
Of his joys and sorrows, had been invited
to attend 1t was decided after lcaig
consultation between Mrs. O'Bricn and
Mrs. Finn that the wild chickens should
be served up In a pot pie with appropriate
acconpaniments OF sliced potatoes, sweet
marjCry, thyme, onions. carrots and other
herb and vegetable delicacies. .
FINALE.
II was the twilight hour IN the Finn
back yard, when the frogs were beginning
to croak and tho whippoorwill over the
hill was piping his lay. Shadows Of the
evening were stealing across the sky.
paler and paler grew the clouds, and over
against the horizon the outlines of Linds-
ern sky. Mrs. Finn and her boy were
SiONih3 VA thc oOoTSbSp WdetHhu6 thS pNT"
tridges eat their evening meal and loath
to begin the slaughter of the innocents
for the morrow's potpie. when across the
meadows intervening between the shanty
aud the wood there came q curious mnf.
1ed sound. .... .... r..... ... ..
"Fhwat is that!" said Mrs. Finn.
ITS meser doesn't know" replied
Mickey. - .. =
Again the sound came over the wide
reaches of meadow land. II attracted the
attention Of the partridges. They lifted
their heads from the pan Of corn meal and
clustered together. The sound was like
soft beating ON a muff1ed drum. There
was sudden movement among the part.
ridges, then as one bird they rose into the
air with whir which startled Mickey
and his mother to their feet. Huddled
close together in q bunch, which could
have been covered by quilt, the part
ridges few. There was feeting glimpse
Of brown feathers. rush of beating
wings and the shadows Of the wood closed
over the fleeing birds. .Hfs
Mickey looked at his mother In wild
eyed establishment. Then he managed to
stammer out
"M.m.mother, the ould chicken called
the little vans, an they've gone homep
Ernest Jarrold In New York Evening
Sun. -.