The record-union., 1897-12-31
THANKS TO THE CHICKEN.

Young DerTingford was walking up
Fifth avenue. That in itself was a
very unusual thing for him-or had
been, before he began to become ae-
quainted With the pawnshops IN ms
neighborhood. But he had been out Oh
an ensa cement so long that ne was
ashamed TO be seen and questioned by
more fortunate artists and Stunned
Broadway as though it were plague
stricken.
A long file Of bright faced school
girls saw him, knew he belonged to the
profession they adored, and thought
how tall and handsome and disun-
guisned he was.
They did not know that the cut OF
his trousers was nearly two years out
of date, that his immaculate tie was TOO
broad to be new, or that his coat had
reached that exasperatitg stage When
it seemed continually covered with dust
specks which would not brush OFF. me
fact was that young Derringford was,
as he had announced to himself at
least fifty times that day, dead broke.
Nothing had gone right with him
lately. During the summer he had not
so much minded having nothing to DO
-comparatiyely few of his trade mad
but as August ended and September
went on, and one company after an
other was made up and went out on
the road, still leaving him in his dingy
little hall bedroom with his unpaid
board bill for company, he grew more
and more disconsolate.
And then came the hardest blow of
all. for when, after many hard fought
battle with his pride he had consented
to give up the legitimate stage for
vaudeville. if necessary, nobody would
have him there, either.
~Confound it," he muttered, as he
kicked an unoffending banana peel into
the gutter, L wish some one would
run over me and send me to the hos
pital for a few weeks, just to give me
a good excuse when I have to own up
that I haven't signed this year-broken
leg concussion of the brain-hang it,
don't know that I'd even care if they
broke my neck"
You see he was feeling exceptionally
blue, because he was at that moment
carrying his dress suit to the pawn
shop ard though it was done up in the
very neatest of bundles he couldn't help
feeling that its destination and his own
failure were marked upon its smooth,
brown sides in letters of glaring scar
let.
But he was startled from his dreary
reverie by a strange and sudden sound.
He had often heard the like in the
country but in New York never, and
he looked around to see whence it
came
BY this time he was on one of the
quieter streets and the only person near
him was a slender, bright-faced girl
of not more than sixteen, who carried
a very animated bundle and looked as
if something worried her.
The girl was pretty-very; but Der
ringfOrd hardly noticed that. His
whole attention was riveted on the odd
ly quaking bundle, from which issued
those strange and ear piercing noises.
Suddenly, just as the girl came
abreast of Derringford, the flimsy
brown paper bag gave one last frantic
shake, and then, with z-i-p-p-p of
tearing paper, a shrieking squawk Of
fright and anger, it burst violently
apart and large, lean Plymouth Rock
hen Tapped her head and wings wildly
through the openings. Derringford felt
himself stop short with surprise, but
the girl grew as red as a poppy, gave
a little shrek of dismay and started to
run. 1t was a most unfortunate move,
for as she clutched her hat with one
han1, she unconsciously loosened the
scratching, struggling legs she held in
the other, and, before her owner or the
astonished young actor could have said
boo that wiry old hen was scudding
across the street as fast as legs and
wings would carry her
The girls embarrassment vanished
suddenly. 'Oh, catch her, catch her,
do help me catch heri' she cried as she
dashed across the pavement after her
charge, while Derringford, after one
sheepish glance around to see how
much of an audience was enjoying this
very impromptu performance. tucked
his own bundle safely under his arm
and went after her. The hen had taken
refuge on the steps of a stately stone
mansion, but no sooner did she see
them coming than she scuttled down
again and went Tapping and squawking
up the street, till little messenger boy
headed her off, and she betook herself
TO a handsome vestibule whose door
stood invitingly open, whence she was
dragged by the gallant and now per-
spring actor who held out the bunch
of waving legs and feathers to its own
er, with bow which would have done
credit TO Lord Chesterfield
But that young woman seemed chary
OF taking her charge in hand again,
for. though she reached out toward it,
her brown eyes looked pleadingly into
Derringford's as she stammered: IF
you had the time-are you going far?
I'll" He thought grimly of the
Third avenue pawnshop to which he
was bound. and his utter and sameful
liberty in regard TO time, and then
smiled down upon her
No" he said cheerfully, II am not
going far. and my time is entirely at
your disposal. Would you like me to
carry her for your"
"Oh, yes. If you would. I'm not 60
ing far. It's very, very kind OF you.
! don't believe this Is any more good, is
it?" and she held up the battered re-
mains Of the paper bag.
NO" said Derringford, Il don't think
1t is" and then, as she threw it from
her with little sigh of relief. he real
ized all at once what a very ridiculous
SNGN6 q 4 A6N & N6G 4 4