Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1895-09-10

that 1T was not so easy to begin about
the chickens as she had imagined it
would be. After all, Mrs. Arnspiker
did have little taste. 1t had only
been two days since that uppish Mis-
Lawrence had giggled right in her
face and said: why, Mis- Willis, the
idce o you a-wearin' buff!' Giddy
| thing!
Then she pulled herself together,
and said, sternly: Mis- Arnspilzer,
CONS down"
II wonder now interrupted Mrs.
Arnspilscr, hurvicdly, with Mustered
air, IF yuln'd just as licvc tell how
much it were yard"
Mrs. Willis lifted her eyes a nd looked
hard at her ncighkor. Her thin lips
Enclosed. She spoke slowly and firm
ly. She was not to be propitiated. st
were seven cents. Your CHICKENS 'av'
been in my strawberry patch ag'in an
ruined it.
"Oh, my!' said Mrs. Arnspilscr, weak
~. Mrs. Willis regarded her stead
tasty and pitilcssly. "rm offul sorry"
I'm offul sorry, too, Mrs. Arnspilser.
I'm sorry just about ten dollars wo'th.
Bein' sorry don't seem to keep them
chick rs"
cts that old spccklcd hens fault"
exclaimed Mrs. Arnspilser, Frightening
as if with n sudden inspiration. "Shc
coaxcs the othcr'n's up there. I'll have
to drive 'em down towards"
Briggs" said Mrs. Willis, dryly.
"Yuh'vc ben dom that fer month
past" She got up slowly. 81 reckon
yuh'll have to git rid o. them chick ms,
Mis- ArnspilScr. Two had just about
all of 'cm want. l can't cfford to set
out berries fer CHICKENS. How'd yuh
like to have nice place like our'n an
git cv'rything ruined by chick'ns?"
"1tseems to me, said Mrs. Arnspiker,
with sigh. "if had a nice place like
your'n, Id be so happy l w'u'dn't
worry over little things like strawber-
rics."
Mrs. Willis face grew scarlet. She
had been longing for something at
which she might take offensc. 1t is
not possible to give piece Of ones
mind to meek person. Now, this
sounded like a challenge.
''Oh, yuh w'u'dn't, aigh? Well, I'll
give yuh to know that I've shaved fer
all l got, Mis- Arnspiker!''
well, so'vc L." said Mrs. Arnspikcr,
with n simplicity that was pathetic
but, someway, Mis- Willis, some peo-
pie slave an git rich, an other ms slave
an git poor"
This was a truth that had never pre-
scnted itself to Mrs. Willis For a full
minute she was silent. Then she drew
in her thin, hard lips, and said: well,
this amt got anything to do with the
CHICKENS. There's law ag'in' 'em, an
reckon yuh'll have to either git red
of IN or keep 'em shct up"
They won't lay + l keep en- shet
up" said Mrs. Arnspilscr, helplessly.
III can't keep EN- shet up. I've got to
have my eggs"
We'll, n I've got to have my straw
berries. got the law on my side.
1uh can't git around that, can yuh! 1t
amt many as nd come an argue with
yuh S have"
There was deep silence. A brown
hen came strutting around Mrs. Arm
spikcr's feet. She had pert and flaunt-
ing air that betrayed that she was ac-
customcd to imposing on that lady's
affcctionate regard for her. Mrs Arm
spiller looked at her. Her eyes filled
suddenly with tears. II don't b'lievc /
c'u'd part with that brown hcn," she
said, brolScnly.
she's the wo'st o the hull of en-
exclaimed Mrs. Willis, fierccly. .Ivc
said all I'm goin to say. Ynh can do
Jest as yuh want, Mis- Arnspil1cr, But
If them hens git into my yard ag'in,
yynh Il have to stand tAe asil1nage. irgio,t
the law!'' :
she turned and went out Of the yard.
She held one shoulder higher than the
other, and walked with long, firm
strides, swinging her arms.
1t was week later that Mrs. Wor.
stel brought her knitting to spend the
afternoon with Mrs. Willis They sat
on the back porch, because it was
shaded by hop-vine. The salt breeze
from Puget sound swept through,
rustling the harsh hop leaves and
swinging the scarlet clusters of bloom
on the wild honcysuclslc vine over the
window.
1t was June. The yard" was in its
faircst beauty. Tho rose bushes were
bending beneath their wealth Of
bloom. One bed was long flame Of
ruddy gold with California poppies.
Another was bordcred with large pur-
ple-and-yellow pansics. Some tardy
gladioli were thrusting their pale
green swords up through the rich
Garth. Velvet wallflowcrs still sweet
sned the air. Lazy ices wadctl through
them, and lavender butterflies came
from the hillside to find them. Great
drifts of summer snow" still made the
terraces white.
"My!" said Mrs Worstel, laying her
knitting in her lap. "lIow sweet it Isl"
ut is So suiLs Mrs. Willis, with a
look OF pride. There amt many yards
furder along AN mine, # do say It"
Mrs. Worstcl began to knit again.
II stopped in at Mis- Arnspikcr's,"
she said. shes feelin' turrable bad"
Mrs. Willis looked up coldly. What
she fcclin' bad abont?"
why ,she'dhad to sell nll her chickens.
They was both erin some o her neigh
bors--that Mis- Briggs, reckon! She
mover toes have speck O. mercy on
poor people! Mis- Arnspiker didn't say
twas her, but don't b'lieve anybody
else 'u'd be SO all-fired mean"
There was scarlet spot on each of
Mrs. Willis high cheek bones. She
was hcmming n towel, and she did not
lift h-r eyes When the silence be-
came oppressive, she said, grimly: '!t
Mis- Arnspilser SO offul poorY'
My, yaas. That's all she had to
make livin' off of-them CHICKENS O.
her'n. don't SEQ what shc'll do. She's