The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-08
WHY The CHICK PEEPS

In the long ago all the little chickens
that walked about through the green
grass or on the brown earth were as ST.
lent as silent could be- They depended
upon their mothers To look after them
and find them food, and, instead of look
ing where they were going. walked about
with their little yellow beaks pointing
upward toward the bright beautiful sun
which warmed the air and made the
insects and grain grow TO be their food
As the chickens had learned. after fall
ing many times TO step very high when
moving about, they got along very well
and did not stumble nearly as often as
might have been expected But one day
something happened which caused great
change in their habits.
A certain little chicken, on a bright
summers day, was talking through
patch of grass, and. as usual, instead OF
keeping his eyes on the ground. was look
ing up into the air holding his beak SO
high, indeed, that any one who did not
know him would have said that he was
very naughty little chicken.
Now. as chance would have IT, lovely
little fairy, great favorite at the court
OF the Fairy King. had chosen that par
ticular stretch of grass as a convenient
place in which 10 snatch some beauty
sleep Though If you could have seen her
l am sure you would agree that she did
not need it in the least. for the Fairy
King was to give a great ball that night,
and she wished to look her very best.
And what should the chicken do, mine
ing along with beak in the air, as though
the ground on which he trod did not con-
Germ him in the least, but step directly on
the slumbering fairyI With a shrek Of
alarm and disnay she fiuttered upward
into the air, but alas, only to fall back
TO earth; for the down had been rubbed
almost entirely from one of her wings
by the chickens foot, and, as you al
know, IL is only the down upon their
wings which enables fairies TO fly at all.
And even if she were able to get there,
how could she appear at the Kings ball
18th damaged wing?
In her despair she began to keep, and
the chicken. looking down at last, real
ICED what had happened. He was sorry
enough for the distress which his care
Iessness had caused, for the fairy's sobs
and mournfui words told him at how I'M
fortunate time the accident had oc-
CURED. and he at once began racking his
brains TO think OF some way of repairing
the mischief At last. to his great joy,
a bright thought came to him.
IF you will so to the Flower Doctor,
said he, Il am sure that with a little
honey and with the down which some
Of the butterflies will undoubtedly lend
you from their wings he will be able to
make you look as well as ever
The fairy, finding the suggestion good
one. and knowing that there was no time
to be lost if she meant to be ready in
time for the ball, at once FASTENED to the
Flower Doctor; and 50 well did he per-
form his task that her wings looked, if
possible, more beautiful than eyer, and
that night at the Kings ball she was ac-
lnowledged by all to be the handsomest
lady present.
AS fer the chicken, in order that such
an accident (Which another time might
not be so easy to remedy might not oc-
cur again, the fairies decreed that all
chickens should ever after, while walk
ing around, say, Peep, peepif IN order
to remind them to look where they were
going; and so well have they learned the
lesson that when they come out of their
shells the very first thing that they say IS
.Peep. peepM'-Florence 4. Evans.