The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-15
1AlESoF YANKEE ExCAAN1MENT
The Rabbits Easter Eggs.
By y Queer Compact the Bunnies Brib~i
tho Hens to Lay ERgs to Order.
and Austin Mex en- RE Had n Eix
Surprise sunday Morning.
Copyright. 1900. bv Charlie, Bat,H Loomn.

Coppr,ph. 1900. bv Charlie, Bat,n Loom'.
Austin Mckenzie hal two sisters. both ~ them
IS pretty as Easter lilies, and almost a. white,
which was strange, as they lived In the country
and spent a good de al u time out doors.
Austin had spent an Easter vacation in the
city, and when ne came home he gave the girls
such a vivid account Of the decorated eggs and
the PAPER mache rabbits and all the other Easter
favors that can w seen in the shops that they were
wild 10 have him decorate some eggs for them when
next Easter should come.
Mr.. Mckenzie owned a score Of hens 81 various
breeds, and Austin. who could draw and paint
asked him whether he could have all the eggs
that were laid the week before Easter, 50 that he
might decorate them, aud Mr.. Mckenzie readily
consented. "a he vas proud Of his boys talent.
Austin counted on about a hundred eggs, but,
to his dismay, the hens stopped laying Just one
week before Easter. Now. April is the greatest
month Of the year for eggs, and this action on the
part OF the hens was quite unaccountable. and In
The minds Of Marian and Sarah objectionable,
Austin asked whether they could not buy some
eggs, but Mr.. Mckenzie was opposed to this, and,
besides, all OF their ~neightors had regular Gus
toners for their eggs. who took all that were laid.
h''' "A' N''"by ei7hpp'AhN'us AN u E"
good deal Of talent at drawing and painting,
and he had anticipated making pretty and quaint
designs on the eggs A hen that can lay and
wont lay should be made TO lay, butit takes several
days TO d. II, and it was Good Friday before Austin
gave up all hope Of their beginning, and then II
was too late to do anything in the forcing line.
lie went out 10 the henhouss TO feed them early
Saturday morning, and said to them had a
NJ 90 .IIfn - Inpnh haa.tp A. 10 ,La,, a,ntl
understand, 4 don't STE why you should stop
laying eggs Just al this time, when we want them
more than ever
As he spoke he heard a rustling in the straw
and saw two pink eyes looking at him. The
two long ears were cooked at him. and a rabbit
hoped boldly out and laughed at him. Yes,
actually laughed at him. The hens did not seem
10 fear this unusual occurrence intruder in the
least In fact, the Oldest VI all went over 10 him,
and turning her head TO one side said something
in hen language, And the rabbit answered in
Welsh, which is the language Of most rabbits
in this county.
Austin thought that there was more in this
than met his eve or his ear, and he went out Of
the henhouse and waited outside for a half hour,
for he had the pauen ce Of an Indian. Al the
end VI that time he heard a hen cackling and knew
that she had laid an egg.
Aha! they've begun at last" said be, and
as he said it gu, comes Mr. Colonial with an egg
in his mouth, and hops of across the meadow
W the stIip Of woods that bounded f. on the west.
That's where they're going. is it, The hens
are supplying the rabbits with eggs. although
papa, and not the rabbits, is feeding them" lie
was about 10 20 into the henhouse when he saw
two other rabbits come out Of the woods and hop
along the runway until they came 10 the henhouse,
which they entered at the hens exit, a small
hole cut in The west end.
Austin stood still 10 wait further developments.
He noticed tina, each rabbit bore In his lips a
mouthiul Of gr ass and II struck him that he had
wronged them, that they were paying for their
eggs in grass.
suppose that the hens thought that the grass
that grew in the woods was richer than thai, which
grew In their yard. People and animals, too,
always prile a thing that comes from afar more
than they do something that they can pick up
close at hand That paper cutter that your aunt
brought from Switzerland does not cut the pages
half as we'll as the back Of the fruit knife does,
and YET you value II more.
The rabbits presumably paid cash CT grass
and in a few minutes Austin heard two hens
cackle, and he knew that two more eggs had
been laid. but before he could enter the house the
two bunnies hoped of, one with a white Brown
Leghorn egg and the other with a brown White
Plymouth Rock egg Just then he saw his two
sisters crossing the orchard, Come here" he
said, and dom make any noise, Funniest thing
lha' ever happened
The girls came uptoeing over 10 him with the
exaggerated steps mat are always thought
necessary when quiet IL the word and a. soon
as they were come TO him he said. I've found
out why We maven any eggs lhe nab shin
her" come some more
lie pointed ~ lie spoke ana MS SISTERS ga"
iout raoo'ts hopping IN ihu'ah lie from the woods
10 the henhons"' hey ala mol seem 10 see the
chiidfen' or mayDe 'hey kns" 'ha' 'hey hnd no
violence to fear at 'h''r hands Tor they disap.
peared IN lie henhoAse I"'n ehsued another
wait dnnns when hne A"suh 'old 'he girls
what had happened
Now came a chorus oil cackiIhg, In which they
cou'd distinguish -FOUR paris N'm a so'o e'e'y
now and hen lhe Tour tars were taken by
a S'l'er "yahdol'e' a huh ''ch'n' a Wh'r Leg
morn anu a piH'N SPANISH anu 'h' sol" was sung
by q Nght bfshnla ROOSTER Ana night well and
ius'Ny he sang
Aren't you going to get them" asked Marian.
Not th's I'm" Wn'L SAID Austin and ns he
was srvera! years older Than his sisters, they
waited \ moment later ont hoped the four
rabbits with four eggs OF different siheS and colors,
but all equally good Tor Faster decohnhg
Don't they LOOK dear Nail SatNh, cIasping
her hands unconSciousiy and looking "dear'
herself.
What do you suppose they will d. with them