Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-02-03
EGGS WERE MARKED FRESH.
But The Freshest Thing About Them Was
nm AmbitIo us Chick.

mn Us Cntcks
In the sawdust strewn show window
in one of those curious little Frenchy
shops on Ninth avenue possibly hum
dred thousand or more eyes looking
absently from the elevated trains have
seen lot of eggs carefully arranged on
end, la Colum bus, with the notice
fresh" upon them, says the N. Y.
Herald
Whether it was the delicacy of humor
in this rebus or the fascination of see
ing a couple dozen Of fresh eggs in a
position so wholly unnatural 10 fresh
eggs, and in place where nothing
else appeared fresh to the naked eye,
a good many people paused in front
long enough to fully master the sign.
1t is one of those queer little all night
shops where mixed groceries, live
birds, coffee and rolls, and toys, candy
and cigars are kept on draught. l
allude to the egg sign in the past tense
because the sign is there no longer. 1t
had been there SO long and was so
cute and was admired by so many
variegated people who pass that way
day and night that it seems a pity.
But It's ever thus-"Pve seen my fond
est hopes decay"-and that is what
was the matter with the eggs. The
difficulty of replacing this neat design
every day or 80, and the warm atmos-
phere day and night did the business.
At any rate, one early evening. when
the passing throng of 6 o'clock people
was greatest, two gents" and y mes
senger boy were getting q 10 cent din
OF Of kn In ho, taI ~
rear, while the birds were twit-
tering in the cages and the gas in the
narrow show window threw the usual
yellow but kindly glare upon the rebus
below.
Them there folks is greatly took
wild our eggs" remarked the stout
and oleaginous lady who was putting
up a dozen for a lean and hungry
looking customer. And she slapped
her tousled head toward the window.
Some dirty boys were earnestly gaz-
ing into the window in the fore
ground, but this was common there.
1t was the DISTINGUISHING group of re-
ectable-looking people that stirred
the pride of the shop woman.
just at that moment the wicked
boys outside raised Comanche yell,
while the well-dressed men and women
snickered and laughed outright, and
looked inside the store as if it were
atire. The messenger boy at the table
gulped down the dregs of his coffee
and hurried out.
~Hully gee" he cried, as he rushed
back again and Kissed in the ear of
the proprietress, "it's a chicken"
go long wild yer foolin," exclaimed
the woman.
Its live chicken tryin' to born
hisself in de fresh sigs!" Kissed the
boy like a heavy villain.
Any lingering dou ot was instantly
removed by renewed demonstration
outside. The lean and hungry Gus
toner who had just received the fresh
eggs in bag and was counting out her
change, deliberately set the bag down
on a barrel, put the change in her
pocket and went Indignantly out of
the store.
In the mean time a tender little
fledgling, having burst the bonds that
separated it from the busy world and
apostolic broiler, had paused upon
the brink of the adventure and was
looking with mixed curiosity and
alarm at the strange spectators. 1t
wasn't quite certain, but there was
mistake somewhere, though the poor
innocent didn't seem TO know where it
was.
The old woman did. however, for she
turned off the gas and slammed the
door, looking daggers at the crowd
that FASTENED laughingly away.
When the light was turned on again
the rebus of fresh eggs" bad disap-
peared.