The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-18
for some straw to scorch off his pin


toward the barn on his toes utterlhg a
surprised ''Coot-coot-coot! eoot-coo',
coOtw now and then ducking ms nea9
and running backward. as little puIs VI
wind set up straight the run vi io"e
glossy feathers about his neck
For a moment the boys stood asnast
and wild-eyed To have Killed him. az
they thought, even by accident; was Ddn
enough. but this thing seemed horrioie
run for him, We must catch him.
shouted Billy. and then began n race.
Pegasus, with his wings Tapping MS
nude sides and neck outstretched, went
like a kite around the barn and through
the garden. pursued by two excited boys.
At last Pegasus Owed into a dilapidated
hen Good and hid his head in corner
whence he was dragged with open mouth
and purple comb and wattles. moment
later, when he set up such desparing
shrieks that the whole neighborhood
echoed
What's to be done with him." que-'ed
Louie. See the pin feathers-an inch
easy Old feathers about ready TO come
off. you see!'
'Ill tell you what let's do" said Billy.
Lets put him into the corncrb and
let him feather 1t won't take long. and
coming hot weather"
Yes, but what shall we tell Aunt Polly?
She'll miss him the very first thing.
"Oh. let her think the foxes have COB
y,
the end justified the means.
So they took him to the cOrncrib. which
was now empty. and shut him in, then
burned the feathers.
1t was now too late TO go fishing.
suspicious odor OF burnt feathers
still fingered about the premises when
Aunt Polly returned, but this fortunate
ly, she did not notice.
Vigorous inquiries were made, however,
when on going to the stable at shutdown,
as was her invariable custom, to see
that everything went on properly, she
discovered that the corner Of the roost
usually occupied by Pegasus was va
cant; and great was her lamentatiOn when
it became evident to Aunt Polly's mind
that he had fallen a prey to the ola
fox who occupied a snug cavern IN
ledge on Fir hill. not half a mile away,
and raised her brood OF little foxes every
year.
why don't som body unearth the mis-
chievous old plagueW cried Aunt Polly,
in great wrath.
Il would shoot her, If had gun and
powder and shot" declared Billy.
''If my aunt had been a boy, she'd
been my uncle" said Aunt Polly look
ing at Billy. scornfully. Where were
your eyes that you didn't see the roo
Ster carried OFF,
And. muttering anathemas against the
willy old fox and careless boys, she went
into the house.
For few days Pegasus dropped about
the corncrlb and appeared 10 be in
high fever, and would dive his head into
the water clean over his eyes when II
was brought to him.
But it passed off, and though he looked
good deal faded he began TO mend and
mis- feathers to grow. Then ii was thai
one morning he came near betrayns
his presence by giving his customary
salutatOn.
The boys were worrying a an old
dashchurn well filed with stiff cream,
alternately pinching each others bare
toes beneath II, as, in spite OF either
boys frantic efforts to hold ii down, II
would hop up, coming down on the dash
boys toes in most agonlzlng way. Aunt
Polly was down cellar, skimming milk.
At the first crow Louie and Billy leaped
out of the back door and ran for the
cOrncrib with anxious faceS-LOuie rum
ming uncOnsciously on one heel. with his
toes stuck up gingerly and a big scowl
in his forehead. Billy had just been hold
ing the chuU down.
What could be done with the rooster?
Louie, in his present temper suggested
wringing his neck, thereby settling mat
ters on the spot; and would have done So
IL Billy had not rescued Pegasus and shut
him up in a dark corner of thu corncrib
returning 10 the kitchen just as Aunt
Polly's head appeared at the top OF the
cellar stairs
During the day the boys considered what
was To he done with Pegasus. They at
last came to the conclusion that a cot"
drawn on tightly over his bill would be
the required preventive, and in hunting
for material to make ii from, Bob came
across an old kid glove, which Cousin
Susy had thrown into the kitchen cup
beard on her last visit.
Couldn't De anything better" said Bill
ly. And straightway Pegasus was drag
6ed from the dark corner and one Of the
kld myers was drawn on over his bill,
and tied by couple OF strings to his big.
double comb firmly. They cut of the end
of the cot Just AT the tip " his bill, 30
as To give him chance to eat.
"rhat'l keep him num- said Louie.
and they stood back and regl .ded heir
performance with considerable pride
Thus three or four weeks went by and
the rooster, faring sumptuously gre v 'at
ana his feathers-now neatly to their
former length-shone gold and green m
the suns rays. which giinted through
the wide cracks OF his prison
The great f@It now De ACCOMPLISHED
was to release Pegasus. acknowie,ige
their fanlt and reconcile Aunt Polly To
their duplicity, and. knowing the old
ladys disposition. il was not much won
der that the boys shrlmk from the de-
nouc iaent and delayed it's accomplish
ment.
but ore morning Pegasus found him
self free. and in a few moments he was
'truung about with his flock OF hens
and expressing his delight at his fbara
ton by talking and scratching frantic