The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1895-11-27

E benefit of the
W. neighbors' hens,
and I will kill one
If can. just see that-and that |"
Her indignant finger indicated the
tomatoes lying in red ruins at her
feet, then the ragged corn that rose
forlornly further on. The currant
bushes were still stirring where the
last marauder had scuttled through.
Sylvia suddenly smiled.
"Auntie, it's fowl theft" she said.
''It is-and, as I can't stop it by
fair means, I'll try fowl" responded
Miss Barbara, giimly, beginning with
restrained vigor to gather up the
pecked tomatoes and lay them on the
grape trellis.
"Are you prepared to go to law,
auntie?"
81 am prepared to do anything-on
my side of the fence. Go in to your
embroidery, Sylvia--you're of no
use as scarecrow."
She waved her trowel martially,
and Sylvia fled in laughing haste.
The silence that is vocal with birds
over the garden, where Miss Barbara's
energetic figure bade defiance to the
tn armometer. Charles Dudley War
ner once spent summer in q garden,
and has remarked in consequence that
he likes neighbors and likes chickens,
but he does not think they ought to
be united. Miss Barbara agreed with
him warmly. She endured much be-
fore informing her genial, easy-going
neighbor of the mischief his hens
wrought daily in her garden. She had
endured more since the complaint, If
complaint it could be called, had
proved failure, and neither faith,
hope nor charity remained to soothe
her soul. Suddenly an inquiring
''cluck" struck her ear with the effect
of an electric battery. 1t came from
the other side of the fence. A yellow
feathered head protruded throug gh the
pickets, the round, unwinking eyes of
men surveyed the premises, another
serene "cluck" sounded, and the
plump bo iy followed the head. Miss
Barbara cautiously arose, her express
sion full of martial fire.
Unconscious of impending evil the
invaders wriggled their way through
until large and cheerful company
had assembled. In pleasant expect
ancy they gathered around the laden
tomato vines. Suddenly and with
vengeful force missile descended
into their very midst. Squawking
wildly, the startled hens scuttled into
the currant bushes, under the tomato
plants, among the corn. A pause
equal to legislative deadlock fol-
lowed. Then one hen after another
cautiously emerged and presently
gravitated toward the tomato vines.
Again Miss Barbara seized on ven-
geance and the stove wood. Stick
after stick Of it few, like kind of
hail, telling upon the tomatoes if not
upon the hens. Miss Barbara was not
unaware of the facts in the case, but
felt that if she could not kill it was
relief to try. One audacious old hen
in particular aroused this murderous
feeling. Down the grape walk, over
the beet bed, up to the door she
chased that hen and SHE'D her last
stick after it as it tapped wildly
around the corner. To her horror o
sharp ejaculation in mans voice cut
the air. Her final effort had made an
impression, but not upon the hen.
She turned the corner hastily and be-
held stranger pressing both hands
against his battered head as he looked
savasely at her. CONSERVATION, con.
tritid, modification, animated her
countenance; self-mastery slowly
calmed his.
ibid You hit one, auntie? I hope
It's that old rooster! |" sounded sud-
denly from the woodshed. The face
OF the stranger turned ghastly.
II thought it was man lived in
the moon," he murmured. "Wha.
made you hurl it at me?"
Miss Barbara's face grew white.
Was this an escaped lunatic? The
mans fading eyes frightened as they
fell upon Sylvia.
"The flowers of paradise" he whis-
pered. and threw his arms out uncer-
tainly. ''No, it hurts too much to
pick them," he muttered, and sank
with groen upon the steps.
Sylvia's wide, startled eyes met
Barbara's. The latter laid her finger
ON her lips and motioned towards the
next house. Within five minutes sew
eral neighbors had gathered around
the PROSTATE man. who appeared un-
conscious unless touched, when he
evinced . thorough knowledge Of box
Ing, The doctor on his arrival liz
tened 70 Mias BaybaEa's account ot III