The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-03-31

with delightful anticipation for the O'Brien children, and all went merry as a fairy. dancing on a moonbeam. Every
 afternoon when the children came home from school, the duck, with many pro- tests, was lifted from the eggs to see if
 the rats had invaded the wash-basin and
 devoured the embryos. But each time as the duck quaked and flopped a fiuttering
 protest against the intrusion, the children ran upstairs to carry the glad tidingS or
 security and serenity to Mrs. O'Brien. Meanwhile an air of mystery and ex- pectation filled the O'Brien household as the time came near for the birth of the
 birds Cautionng the children, Mrs. O Brien said:
 Children, I'm afeerd ye have killed the little chickens or roosters, or drakes
 or ducks, whatever they are in the shells, bekase ye have been taking thim out from under the duck so often. Sure, thim eggs ought not to be touched or , handled at all Little ducks or chickens 1 is very finder whin they are young so
 they are Iris aisy to kill thim. Faith,
 l went down to kitchen last night, and
 what did see but a big rat lyin' on his back, wid one of the duck eggs clasped to his breast and two other big rats draggin' him across the floor by the tail. Thim rats is very fond of eggs. Twas luck went down to get drink O water, or they wouldn't be amy eggs lift, be-
 lzase the rats had chased the duck off
 thim. There's nothin' a rat likes to do so well as ballyraggin' an ould duck or hin whin she's sittin on a lot of eggs" In this harmless but expressing manner the days passed quickly by until March, with its butter, had passed away, and April, alternately smiling and fearful came tripping over the hills. As Easter day came nearer and nearer the interest in the birth of the ducks and chickens increased. All the children in the vicin- ity were eager to learn the sex of the feathered children when the birthday oc- cured.
 On the evening before Easter day Mrs. O'Brien was so greatly elated that she could not sleep. For nearly a month she had been calculating on giving her boy Patrick, surprise on Easter morning, and now Easter was only a few hours away. At 9 o'clock at night she sat in the kitchen watching the duck as she sat patiently waiting upon the eggs At 10 o'clock Mrs OBrien, unable to restrain her impatience any longer, put her hand under the duck and removed the hens egg. This she wrapped in a warm towel anu laid in her lap at intervals putting the egg to her ear to sec if she could per- ceive any evidence of life. Just as she was about to restore tho egg to the nest tneTe came a ulStlncI SHOCK rom the ln- siie of the egg. Mrs. 0Brien was startled to such a degree that she sat paralyzed for a moment. Then, to her intense de- light. the egg actually rolled over in her hand. This was intelligence of such tre- mendous importance that she quickly placed it back beneath the duck and then ran to awaken her husband. As he came into the kitchen sleepy and yawning sl.c exclaimed rapturously.
 Mike, dear, the hin chicken is alive! He's alive' Do ye hear me?' And how do you know that he's alive, acushla?' said Mike doubtingly. Didn't l feel him kickin' the shell an tryin' to get out?' said Mrs. O'Brien tri- umphantly.
 ''Well, darlint," said Mike, I'm glad if it plazes ye. But what makes ye so proud about it?"
 "Bekase I'm goin' to play little joke on our Patsy" replied Mrs. OBrien And now that tn chicken is near born I'll show ye what I'm goin' to do'' She took the egg from beneath the duck again and rolled 1t in a soft towel She then placed it in deep soup dish and ',I it in the oven.
 There's just enough heat in the oven to keep the baby alive" she said. 'In the