The National tribune., 1899-01-05

army WAYS that his first problem was hoy
to hide the remaining four fowls until b
shonId need them.
I'd simply be mohbed." he communet
with himself; eff daylight should come
and show me with four chickens in N,
| possession The whole Army o. the Cum
berland'd jump me as one man, and I'd b
| lucky if | got away with my life. Mebbs
even the General himself ID send regiment
| down to take the things away from me. Blu
what kin I do with 'em? If l hang ZEN
up inside the corn-crib they'll Spite. The
| weather is cold enough to keep 'em outside
but I'd ne a burglar proof safe to hold or
to 'enl. It's just awful that morals are 81
| had in the army, and that men will take
things that don't belong to 'em."
| He stopped very short, for there arose the
disturbing thought as to just how he him
self had come into possession OF the birds
and he murmured.
.'Taint in me to blame 'em. What isl
the Bible says about Let him who is with
ont sin cast the first stone'? Certainly I'm
not the man to be heavin' dornicks just now. y
Mindful of past experiences, he took the
fowls in one hand when he went down to
the branch with camp-kettle to get water.
He washed his face and hands in the cold
water, which revived him, and returning,
built fire and hung the kettle over it, while
he carefully picked and cleaned one of the
chickens for cooking. Then he plucked
and cleaned the Others, and burned the
feathers and entrails in the fire.
Chicken feathers IS mighty tell-tale
things" he said to himself. 81 once
knowed man that was finally landed in the
penitentiary because he didn't look out for
chicken feathers. He'd bin stealin' bosses,
and was hidin' with 'em in the big swamp,
where nobody would've suspicioned he was,
if he hadn't stole chickens from the neigh
borhood to live on, and left their feathers
layin' around careless like and some boys,
who thought the foxes was KILN the
chickens, followed up the trail and run onto
him."
Then bright idea occurred to him. He
had piece of board which he laid on the
stones that formed the foundation of one end
of the crib Immediately under the flooring,
and on this shelf he laid the other chickens.
81 remember that Wash Jenkins that we
arrested for counterfeitin' had hid his pile o.
pewter dollars in the underpinnin' of his
cabin, and we'd never found any stuff to
convict him, except by the merest accident.
We hunted all through his cabin, below and
dug up every likely place in the yard, and
just about as we wuz givin' the whole thing
up, somebody pulled board out o. the
underpinnin to lay in the bed O. his wagon,
and the bogus dollars run out Wash made
shoes for the State down at Jacksonville for
some years on account of that man wantin'
piece o. board for his wagon bed"
But the astute Deacon had overlooked one
thing in his calculations The crisp morning
air was filled with the pungent smell of
burning feathers and flesh, and the fragrance
of stewing chicken. 1t reached hungry men
in every direction, made their mouths water
and their minds wonder where it could come
from.
First came a furnished dog, shifting and
nosing around. His appearance filled the
Deacon with alarm. Here was danger to
his hidden stock that he had not thought of
He took his resolution at once. Decoying
the cur near him he fastened sinewy hand
upon his neck, cut his throat with his jack
knife, and dragged the carcass some distance
away from the corn-crib.
''Ill git mattock and shovel and bury it
after awhile, " he murmured to himself, as he
returned and washed his hands. Hes
settled for good, anyway. He won't be
snoopin' around stealin' my chickens.
hol e there haint no more measly hounds
around. Should've thought they wuz all
starved out long ago. My but that chicken
does smell so nice. How ST and Shorty will |
enjoy it. It'll build 'em right up. I'd like
awinlly to take some of it myself, but
they'll need every drop poor fellows"
lie got a spoon, and tasted some Of the |
broth appreciatively.
" Mother'd done ever so much better, at |
home in her own kitchen, or anywhere you