Los Angeles herald., 1908-04-12
The Incubator Scheme
CONTINUED FROM PAGE FIVE

"There" cried Mr.. Ritter. Didn't l tell
you so? Hurrah for Easterl"
Griggs' hand shook no more. and Rily look
ed keenly alive, and almost pranced around
the front of the incubator.
Carefully Griggs drew out the topmost
drawer and tenderly lifted the piece of soft
old quilt that covered it.
There was the author of the "pweep," right
in the midst of the eggs-a downy chick.
with bit of shell sitting jauntiy cap
fashion, on the back Of his head.
Grlggs grinned happily, and Rily undoubted'
But where were this chicks relatives who
ought to have been with him? Careful exami.
nation revealed the fact that not another of
the eggs was pipped, and shaking suggest
ed what breaking proved-the other eggs were
all chickless but not odorless.
The great incubator scheme was failure.
and as he realized that all his hopes had come
to naught, little Griggs, worn and nervous
prone upon the ground, sobbing miserably.
Rily. stood looking down at him with more
OF fatherly feeling expressed in his glance
than had been there for, many long day.,
Never mind, Griggsie," he comforted, awk-
wardly; cts hard. but"
Then miserable little Griggs sobbed out the
whole story. There was no need for secrecy
now. As he listened to the story of the lads
once thought of the "doingfor that he had
secretly expected, and he looked more of the
man than he had looked in years.
As he gazed at the PROSTATE form before
him, his slouching figure Strengthened up, he
squared his shoulders and seemed to shake
"Griggs,'' said he, ''the incubator hasn't
been failure after all Remember what l
There was new ring to his voice that
made the boy look up
"As hatcher of chickens, it is very near.
failure. But it has done something better.
mi 1haf tor hac hot hnH orrfn nf
lazy, good-for-nothing whelp. / Well, |
see things in a new light. l. Well, 1
boy, Tn going to be man from this time
As they went to the house, Griggs cuddling
the one orphan chick, the man walked with.
out symptom of the slouch that had for so
long characterized his gait.
Rily Ritter was as good as his word. The
new leaf turned over that Easter morning
was never turned back, but was speedily fol
lowed by the turning over OF many other
new and good leaves.
Work and Rily Ritter became fast friends
instead of bitter enemies. Things frightened
up at the homestead. The husband and
father worked intelligently as well faith
fully, and ere long the worn and weary wife
home b Of her @ grhood % half cured t already read of Of
her weariness by the anticipation of the treat
in store for her And there she remained
till the happiness and kind care had done
their work and she was content to journey
westward again.
One autumn day, Just as the sun was set
ting, l called at the Ritter homestead in
many particulars a different looking place
from what it once was.
On bench outside Of the kitchen door sat
Rily Ritter, honestly tired after a days hard
work, but without the suspicion of a slouch
about him.
In the door stood Mrs. Ritter, looking al
most young again, and on the step sat Griggs,
feeding with crumbs the sole child of the in
cubator, sturdy giant of rooster.
And so the incubator did not seem to have
been a failure after all. 1t showed man
that he was a man; or was this the work of
Griggs' unselfsh endeavor?