Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-04-19
The Indepenaent Orphnn.

az WI 9haHs
They looked just alike-the incubator
chicken and Old Speckle's Brownie. ex-
cept that the incubator chicken walked n
little more Stitiiy, and held up his head
higher. 1t was grand thing. indeed, TO
be an independent orphan. 10 come and
go as one pleased, to have ones food pro-
yided by the hired man, instead of hay
ing to scramble around with 4. dozen 9TH
er little fuzz balls where Old Speekle
scratched and clicked
Who is that common fowl?" asked
the Independent Orphan, with his bill in
the air. Little Brownie. running meekly
and admiringly after, dropped his foolish
head, aud bluShed u faint chicken blush
rs he answered:
My mother"
Goodness. what a vulgar noise and
hustle she does make! What is sh,.
scratching out Of the ground for those
ordinary little chickens"
Worms, replied Brownie. humbly.
How disgusting!'' shifted the Orphan.
"Bnt they are very good-they are, in
deed. ventured Brownie.
The diet, | understand. Of quite conf
mon people. OF course. we orphans fare
far more elegantly. We eat only pre-
pared food, made by Il Food-Maker-in-
Ordinary 10 the General Incubator
"But haven't you any brothers and Sis
ters?"
oh. dear, no! Independent Orphans
have no relatives. Each is a separate be-
ing. with no one TO care for but him
self"
Haven't you any mother. either"
Mothers You must understand. my
little friend, are very much out of date
No fashionable chicken nowadays has a
mn lnYs In Fps 4 4 H..
leave that plain-looking fowl YOU call
your mother nj once, and cast in your
lot with us You are really such very
attractive little person that You would
soon be quite like an independent or
phan, and | would see that Won have Il
special feather buster parent TO so 10
each night for warmth and shelter. The
feather buster parents of the independ-
ent orphans all hang in a row, and you
can choose your color. Mine is green,
and very stylish looking
Brownies little ears We're sticking
right out through his feathers, he had
heard so many remarkable things and
his voice trembled as he replied, proudly
drawing himself up until he was fully a
quarter of an inch taller than usual
Il agree with you. Speckle has already
too many children to scratch for. | shall
leave her mt once, and enter a life moro
suitable to my nature. In fact. | shall
not bid them goodby, because | realize
that | am of no value TO society until [
become an independent Orphan
The two proud chickens strntted on to-
gether through the farm yard using long
words which they did not quite under.
stand, and not even touching their fore
heads with their wings to poor Old
Speckle when she passed them. clucking
quickly to Brownie as she hurried by:
Come home. my child IL is going e.
rain. and it Is getting late. You must all
be in the coon at once
Rnt Brownie pretended not 10 hear.
and the two independent orphans kept
on their way, strutting and talking.
The sky was dark, and great drops Of
rain began 10 fail Faster and faster
they came until the two friends lost their
path completely. Brownie thought of the
far-off home coop and his throat choked
up. and a little chicken tear ran off his
bill. He shivcred. and remembered how
soft and warm and safe he had always
been under Old Speckle's breast even if
his little brothers and sisters did dig
their wings in his ribs and trend on his
toes.
where Is the feather duster parent 2"
he moaned to the Independent Orphan.
II don't know" sobhed he. his pride all
soaked ont of him: ''and. besides 1t nj.
ways gets SO wet and cold il the rain
gets on n. ana 10 leaks over mne~per-
haps it leaks over everybody's. Oh!
what shall we doT'
Poor Brownie looked bewildered. and
then. all ut once he realized that they
were in great trouble. and that he would
have 10 find way ont.
Suddenly in the dark he tumblcd
against something hard and cried Peep!
peep with all his might. From some
where inside he heard dear Speckle's
voice.
"Cluck. cluck. cluck My little child.
come right in ut once. and get dry We
have been worried to death about you,
dcar-cluck. cluck.
peep peep. I'm coming. I'm coming.
mother dear" replied Brownie, pushing
in among the other little fuzz balls, aud
never caring how wet he was.
"Clucl, cluck!" called SpeckIe. there's
another one outside. Somebody's baby
got lost. perhaps Come right in here,
dearie. and cuddle mp with the rest: the
coop is dry. and my wings are big enough
for you all"
And the Independent Orphan, with n
little gulp of thankfuness. snugged
down in the warm. dry shelter.
Brownie" he whispered in his little
comrades ear, do you think Speekle will
let me be one Of her children always?"-
Grace ID. Goodwin in the Story Teller.