The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-10-16

L lii woman" II reckon, III Jest sct ON
1 ny YOU TIL 1 I'LL buck. AZ,
,l'horo was II rcsolutg hcnvr. " staD-
ger, IND tho basket cdMn down plump
OH tho rod velvet seat occupied by JcrrS,
''Tnka good kcer OF ON" snid the
Rong OH II SERIOUS Journey, una then
slie won't cautiously toward tho tnhk.
Jerry cast n wrathful look ut tho bus
i kct, but worse was to c6mGl
Swnylng nnd clutchlng, tho railroads
i TIL Cup III ono hand tho adventurous
poultry owner found herself unable to
! turf, tho water OH. The little splEot
wns rusty ind would not move. shc
! looked bnclt despulrlnxly Mt Jerry una
| seeding only IL rcsoltite hack and IL stornly
4 posed lcnd shc lifted up her voice. In
1 stlnct telling her that lo liad had more
experienced with such *dlffcultlcB than
my OF the rotighly-clad men.
Young fcllor,' she shrllled, ttcofno
down here an help me knin't git q
drop. x a
4 AT tho walllng accents, zach person
hl,ishing scarlet. saw tho amused smile
that danced lightly on tho ups OF the
| lovely unknown. IL A (, III
But he rose to the OCCASION. S1ucez-
| Ing past tho baskct. not without an $ef-
fort. he went qulcLly down the aisle.
If no had seen The glanco OF admiration
which certain person gavo his bronA
shoulders and fncly-bullt form he might
nave felt compensated.
AS 1t WINS. he saw only the flushed and
thirsty dame, and for her he filled tho
tin cup courtoously. wondering bitterly
why fortune should place him at dis
advantage Just when he most wanted
ito appear dgnincd
Suddenly, as he waited for the poultry
owner to drink that he might refill tho
cup for her, there arose on tho hot air
OF the chr nm enr-splltting sound, n cross
between a squawk and n battlc.cry.
That effort OF Brnnnon's to get past
tho basket had torn loose the cover, and
never did prisoners more quickly avail
themselves OF liberty. s
Wlde-breasted long Of leg, arrogantly
naughty f carriage, and powerful OF
wing. they shot out. all six OF them. into
the narrow precincts OF tho car. defiance
In the hns eyes, murder aud sudden
death In the cocks.
In an instant confusion raigned and q
| babel Of tongues.
With whoops OF Joy and peals Of rough
laughter the farmers rose en- rnasse to
| help recapture the runaways, but they
found It less amusing than they expected.
The conductor. hurryng In from the
smoker, received blow in the face from
a resonte hen that hurled herself at
tho opening. Fortunately, she merely sent
tho conductor staggering back against
the door, closlng 1t tho quicker.
What tho HE'LL" begun that outraged
individual, forgetting his manners. But
no gotanoafurther. Tho air was full OF
| whirrlng wings, OF wildly scr,lmbling forms.
OF shricking women and screaming chill
dren. FL Fl. 5
rho games darted forward rotreatcd
overhead chung now to lamps. and now
beat against deceptive windows, They
cluded. feinted, struck savagely. wheeled
on angry, rapid wings, played havoc with
hats and curls. and Hcra tchod manfully. "a
1t was tho cock who selected tho pretty
unknown for his special prey He camo
whlrrlng down on her. having Just dazed
a tobacco grower by q snnpping whack
with his spurs, but he was received into
tho arms OF Jerry Brannon who had
thrown himself In front OF tho frightened
girl.
Beak and spurs Ind no effect on Jerry.
Tic was thoroughbred himself The en-
range dgame was reduced to iEnomln-
ions submission. but not until he had
Left an ungly scratch across each OF
Trannon's hands.
BY this tlrne the hens had been cap
turcd, the children had crawled from
under tho seats and tho women Were
twisting up their distorted hair.
Tho poultry owner, much subdued, was
SMILING fantly rs Jerry helped to re-
Impression the cock. Turning away
from her and the treachercus BASKET, he
found tho unknown was standing beside
him. 4, it
Casting looks OF regret at his some
what bloody hnnds-"I came- to help
Ii I can, 7 she said, blushIng. And
here my father, Mr.. Coulter. who wants
to thank you, Mister -
Brannon." said Jerry. joyfully
That evening tho poultry raiser mar
rated her adventure at home.
"And I mot a turriblo nice young fell
Ter on the train" she said. complacently.
Him and me came to BIO real good
friends. And after them chickens had
tewed all around he acted Jest like I'd
done son1ethin' clever for him. while
everybody elset was Il grumblin' nm
r growln'. Real Christian. call him"
copyrighted 1905 BY JOS. 3. Bowles.)
, and Camera" by ]. ]. Bell, au
-egor" tales. Don't fail to read it.