Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-01-11
Iii,i'i,y.

Little Louise spent last summer
with grandpa and grandma on the
farm. One day Louise happened to be
in the great kitchen all alone, when
she thought she heard some one at the
door.
1t was not loud knock. 1t sound.
cd like this: "Tack, tack tack. Tack,
tack, tack"
Louise listened moment, and then
she heard it again: "Tack, tack, tack.
Tack, tack, tack"
Well" she thought, Il suppose !
must open the door, because grandma
has gone over to Mrs. Burton's, but
I'm almost afraid to-"
SO she opened the door and looked
up to see who it was, and at first she
thought that no one was there, but
when she looked down again there
stood the old fat yellow hen that
grandma called "Biddy."
why, Biddy," said Louise, "did you
knock on the door,"
yes, yes, yes, said Biddy, by nod
ding her head a great many times.
And then she walked into the kitchen
and walked about in q very curious
way. She went up to the great water
barrel which stood in one corner, and
strained her neck to look into the dark
space behind it. Then she went to all
the other corners of the room-and
there were a good many-looked care
fully under the old Secretary" and
stood for some time gazing into grand
pas straw hat, which had fallen upon
the floor.
just then Louise looked up and saw
grandma standing in the doorway.
90 grandma" she cried, what does
make Biddy act SOP"
81 think | know what Biddy wants."
said grandma, "but I can't quite let
her have grandpa's hat for nest"
Then grandma went out to the barn
and brought in half key, in which
she had nicely arranged bunch of
sweet hay, and this she set on the floor
i'll one corner of the room.
Biddy seemed to recognize this at
once, and she Immediately jumped into
the nest. But, dear me, what an idea
to think that anybody but her could
arrange that nest! She picked it, and
trod it, and rufl!ed it for more than an
hour, until she painted faster than
Louise could count, and she had to
hold her wings out straight, she was
SO hot.
Louise sat and watched her with
wonder and delight, until at last Biddy
sat quietly on her nest, and the hum
ming of the bees came SO drowsily
through the widow that Louise was
having just little nap in her chair,
when she was startled by n very sud
den and joyous sound. 1t was this !:
"Cut-cut -cut-cut Guilty -da-cut, cut
t-cut-cut- cutty-ca- da-cut," over and
over again, and there stood Biddy,
cackling, and looking with pride at a
new white egg.
80 me! O me! o me" cried Louise,
dancing up and down with delight.
Grandma, come here, quick! Biddy
has laid great, white egg!"
1t was, indeed, true, and Biddy con-
tinued to do so for twelve days, and
she and Louise became firm friends.
But after that Biddy grew cross, and
said "Kor-r-r-rw whenever Louise
came near her.
Then Biddy sat upon the eggs almost
all the time for three long weeks, until
one morning when Louise came into
the kitchen she heard faint peep,
peep, peep" which seemed to como
from underneath Bidd"'s wings.
After breakfast grandpa took Biddy
from the nest, and there were eleven
downy chicks, and one little fellow who
could only get his head out, and sat
disconsolately in the bottom of his
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