The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1899-01-24
was light Of weight, and could fly over

was light Of weight, and couldfy over
anything constructed of laths.
One day the widow found the hen
busily digging a large hole in the
midst of her pansy bed. Thereupon
in the heat of her anger she gave vent
to dire threats.
eff fud you over here scratching
again, you, Belinda Blaisdell, shall
kill you. Do you hear? You think l
wouldn't do it, but just would. I
have had to kill hens before now and
T dilu't like the Job, but I almost
think I'd ENJOY killing you, you mean
old thing. Now remember! I'm a
woman of NY word and I shall keep
il, if I have to chase You all the way
home to catch you.
As she went into the house, she be-
gan to repent of her threats. Il sup
pose T should hate to kill her." she
soliloquized, 'but I said would, and,
yes, will, if she scratches any more,
But I'll keep a close watch of her and
keep her away 50 that [ won't have to
do it. AndI'il get Abi..ah to build his
fence higher"
After that Belinda was on Mrs. Mil
let's mind most of the time. She
| was driven home many times day,
and never got chance to have good
scratch.
But this thing could not go on for
ever. AS cold weather came on,
and the frost hal taken most of her
flowers, Mrs. Millett's vigilance began
to relax, and one day Belinda came
over and found a nice sunny place in
a grassy banking, where she scratched
and busted 10 her hearts content fol
half an hour before she was dis
covered.
There she lay her feathers full OF
dirt aud her eyes blinking sleepily,
when Mrs. Millett came along an! saw
| he.
The widow pounced upon her, but
Beliada was too quick for her. There,
upon began chase which only ended
in the middle house, which Belenda
hal always used for a diYing room
and living room.
The next day there was news TO,
the gos>ips. Abi. al Blaisde!l had LOST
his hen.
''You see, I was away from home al!
day." he said, ''aul I didn't get home
till dark. But I'd left feed enough for
BeIinda's dinner and supper, so ]
didn't worry about her. Iwent out and
shut the door of the third house, be-
cause 7 supposed she'd gone to bed,
but I didn't look in, as I was i'll q
hurry to get to my supper.
"Well, this morning 1 went to let
her out, and she didn't come. The
house was empty. The other two
houses were empty, too, but in the
second one there were some feathers.
Now, Isupposefo for some reason she took
notion to sleep in the second house,
and as didn't shut that, some var
mint got in an;l cai.sht her. It was a
FOX most Likely"
For day or two Abiiah was low
spirited, but he was Of a philosophical
miad, and he decided to make the hes:
OF it, so he began to tear down the
heahouses, as there was no further
use for them.
It was the fourth day after Belinda's
| disappearance that A5ij.iA went to do
so ne whitewashing for Mrs. Millett.
"You'd bette; stay to dinner,'' she
had said, 'theu you can work longer, d
and Abiiah had agreed.
The widow was up early that morn
ing and had her dinner started be,
times. Only few minutes before
Abiiah came she removed the cover
of kettle which was singing on the
stove and locked in anxiously.
II expect you'd a-been as tough as
billed owl if I hadn't kept you 50
long" she said. LAS it is. guess
you'd better boil pretty steady till
noon"
Abi;ah worked bHsi'y and cheer.
fully, and rs the savory smells from
til kitch IL ca lie to h N, his spirits s
rose and he whistlsd his favorite
tunes.
When dinner was announced he
dropped his brush instantly AID came
: without delay.
He enjoyed his dinner immensely,
anil as he took seco I'd helping of tue
! central dish he said, looking across al
the widow.
II believe this is the best chicken
pie ever ate.
''I'm glad ycu like it, ''she answered,
and he noticed that she blushed at his
compliment.
They say that the way to mans
heart is through his stomach. If this
is true, that chick.n pie must have
been the entering wedge in the case
of Abiiah Blaisdell.
Be this as it may. he and the widow
were married last June. .--Boston
Herald.
Dog Stops Eunawav,