Free press., 1907-11-30
IN. PENN iINkLE BROUGHT HOME
4 SAVE FOWL


meekly bent forward, he blinked his
eyes in all humility.
Why, john" cried Mary, whatever
have you got there in that bag?"
And as she said the words the bag
moved, John standing as still as
stone, his gaze fixed on the floor in
front of him and giving no sign.
Good grief" cried Mary, gasping
for breath and turning slightly pale.
What on earth ails you, John?'
Nothing" said John.
Then what is in that bag?"
"a hen," said John.
"a hen?"
Yes" said John.
"a dead one?"
NO" said John.
"a live one?"
Yes" said John, and he gazed at
Mary at last in such a pleading, wist-
full way that she turned her head to
hide her look of pride.
Now they had rattle at the Of
fee said John, growing bolder at
Mary's silence, "and I won it,
He placed his hat on chair
1T is a game fowl" he eagerly add
ed.
He drew iackknife from his pock-
ct, placed the bag on the floor and
opened the knife to cut the string
that encircled the neck of the bag.
They are very rare" he added
again, flushing with pleasure at the
thought Of his proprietorship in the
fowl and Mary's kindness to him.
cold Marv xry;tI,
indulgence, put It down in the cellar
for the present, John, and We will see."
And If ever happy man first hung
his hat up in that hall and then car
ried a paper bag down into the cellar,
humming hymn under his breath
and walking softly as a true gentle
man should, it was our John the night
he brought the game fowl home.
Wont you have to build a coop for
it?" asked Mary after dinner
Yes; shall l go now?" asked John,
rising from the table. The poor thing
will have TO have coop; shall l go
now, Mary?"
She nodded gracious assent and
John tripped down the cellar steps
like a bride who is late 10 her we'd
ulllS, anu MnGll WGul uOWA a
little later and sat on the steps to
watch him work, Johns cup of happi-
ness was full and the chicken coop
grew beneath his hands like thing of
magic.
There, said John, after the coop
had been finished and set outside. a
rest and 4 perch placed in 1t and the
game fowl balanced on the perch.
Now, if she is only a good layer
But il seemed as if that was the
very thing in which the game fowl
was most deficient.
Did the chicken lay an egg?" was
Johns first question every night.
And every night Mary made sympa-
thetic answer:
NO, John; it didn't
Johns spirits dropped.
Perhaps" he said another night,
''she needs d bigger nest"
They enlarged her nest.
Perhaps" he said the third night,
she needs a few oyster shells we'll
cracked up"
They provided her with that deli.
cacy.
Perhaps" said John the fourth
night, she needs rum
They tied a string to her leg and let
her run.
The fifth night John had no sugges-
tion to offer but his manner was SC
disconsolate when Mary told him the
news of the chickens continued mac
tion that she could hardly restrain
herself from going right out and
boxing the game fowls ears. Stimuli
taneously an inspiration struck her
and the next morning she made &
special visit to the chicken coop and
Siyly slipped an egg into the next.
Il don't suppose the chicken laid al
egg" sighed John as he hung up his
hat that night.
Il don't know" said Mary, busting
around; I've been SO busy to-day I've
hardly had time to turn around. Come
TO think about it, though, she was
cackling like anything this after
noon
John rushed out and almost stimuli
taneously rushed in again, triumphant
ly carrying the egg.
We'll, well!" cried Mary
Isn't it large one," cried John.
'Of all things." cried Mary
And how heavy it is!" cried John
weighing it in his palm. Il never fel
such a heavy
It slipped-fell-brok o, bu
K was an ancient egg:
I wouldn't want to eat it, sale
Mary, turning fiery red.
20. they're not for eating!" crieC
Jchn; they're for setting"
"Gamy enough. said Mary.
Yes said John simply, she's {;
game fowl