The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-10-24
TIE ARNSPlKER CHICKENS.
IN ELLA HIGGINSON.

IN EIl.A HltliJNSON.
Well, if there amt tbem Arnspiker
chick Ms in the straw berry patch ag'in,
Oh !, oh that's the fifth time this
mornin' an I've druv 'om out with
stove-wood cv'ry time. 1t don't do u
bit O. good. They just git into nice
hill an go to wallerin' am scratchin'
an cluckin' The cluckin' makes me
as aggravated 5 the scratchin'-it
sounds just as If they was DARN me.
because they know durs'n't kill 'em.
Oh, just look at 'em. A-nound'rin'
right n the middle o. the incest hill
It's enough to aggravate q saint
Father father won't yuh go an scare
'em out with stove-wood ?"
Mr.. Willis got up sti1iy from the din
"er-table. He was q patient faced
old gentleman, with blue, dreamy
eyes. He had lutte stoop in his
shoulders---from overmuch hocing in
great potato fields, he always ex-
plaincd with his gentle smile: but
some of his reighbOrs were wont to
declare among themselves "livin' all
them years with Mis- Wills's tongue
was enough TO give him a stoop n his
shoulders without ever tetchin' u hoe"
"Why, MOTHER" he said, going hesi-
tatingly to the kitchen door, Il don't
like to throw stOvcwood at EN-.
might hurt 'em."
"Yuh might hurt 'cm. aih Well,
| want that yuh Sh'u'd hurt EN-.
want that yuh sh'u'd kill 'em If they
don't stay out O that straw berry patch!
What was the use N our movin' into
town to spend the rest O our days if
ns by our neighbours chick'ns? Iuh
amt got any answer to that, have .yuh?
Algh:'
MIR. Willis took two o" three sticks
of wood from the well-tilled box that
WAS covered neatly with large tlowcr
Oh wallpaper, and started again for
the door in q half-hearted way.
"Oh, my land" exclaimed Mrs.
Willis, cotemptuously. She ran after
him and snatched the wood from him.
why don't yuh wait all day? Why
don't yuh wait till they scratch the
straw berries up by the roots nover
see notice yuh like to eat the
berries as Wells anybody, but yuh
take care Of en-
She rushed down the steps and on,
into the yard, throwing the sticks al
wood with fierce strength.
MIR. Willis watched her unxiously
"Oh, mother, look outw he called
deprocatingly. "Tuh most hit tina
little pnllet"
"I want to hit that little pulletm
The chickens flew, cackling, owe
the low fence and down the hill.
Mrs. Willis stood watching them il
grim satisfaction. When they ha,
dis ppeared among. the ferns, sh
came back slowly Her face wa
flushed with triumph. She was breath
ing hard. "TH show 'em ~ she said
"Iuh hadn't ort to throw at 'em
mother" Mr.. Willis spoke gently
"Yuh might hurt one of 'em. There
Mis- Arnapiker a-standin' in the doc,
awatchin' yuh, too"
We'll, I'm glad she saw me
Where's my sunbunnit Pm g0in
right down to give her talkin' to
I've tell her three times now that he
All she ever says is, we'll, she's otfu
sorry, an she thinks it's that ole
speckled hens fault, an she'll driv
'em down towards Briggs's | wonder
I she thinks the Briggs's want 'eu
any worse n do. She's got to get rit
O them chick ms ! There's II law ag'il
havin 'em in town, an amt goin' t.
stand 1t another day :"
Now, mother, if yuh go dowl
there, you'll be sorry"
Guh 'tend to your own affairs
father, will yuh? won't bo set upon
by nobody-let alone that Mis- Arm
spiker."
Mr.. Willis won't into the kitchen and
SAT- down. There's no use nrguin
with mother" he said with Il sigh OF
resignation.
lr. and Mrs. Willis bad crossed
>lot, i,> E, Sc Il
on ranch in " hat was then the Terri
tory Of Washington. Horc they lived
II life Of toll and deprivation Il hard,
narrow life-until the "boom" came
along in 1888 and made them wealthy.
Then they moved "to town" and
built II comfortable home, and settled
down to enjoy life.
Mrs Willis went down the narrow
path among the ferns and held her
skirts up gingcrly.
The Arnspikor house was II poor
thing indeed, compared to tho Willis
home. 1t was very small3 The green
paint had worn or, giving it dingy,
spiritless look.
Mrs. Arnspiker stood on the back
porch. She was small, pale woman.
Her face had many deep lines Of care.
There was a kind Of entreaty in her
faded Dyes as she looked at her visitor.
1t did not move Mrs. Willis, however
How-d'yuh-do, Mis- Arnspiker 2"
she said, firmly.
How ~ yuh, Mis- Willis ?" Mrs.
Arnsplkcr's heart was beating fast
and hard. Won't yuh walk in an
set down a spoil O"'d yuh ruther
set down Out herein tho sun? Hore's q
Il chair-wait! 1t amt overly clean. ."
She wiped 1T carefully with the wrong
side of hog apron. You're looking
we'll, Mis- Willis" she won't on, diplo.
matically. 81 mover see yuh look
better My. the color'n that calico
il becomin' to yuh. Whnred yuh git
il ut ?"
'Jones's" Mrs. Willis spoke coldly
"Go on We'll, yuh don't say
didn't 'spose they had anything &c
perty N their store. It's offul becomin.
That kind o. buff color al'ays Is be.
comm to people complicated like you.
II amt ev'ry one that can wear buff.
There was q silence. Mrs. Willis
sat locking fixedly ut the hard, cleanly
swept dooryard. There was not IL
blade Of grass In it. She was thinking
that 1t was not 90 easy to begin about
the ChiCkons as she had ima Ojna6 a.