The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1908-04-17


And as she said the words the bag
moved, John standing as still as
stone, his gaze fixed on the floor in
froGt 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 ona?"
NO" said John.
"a live one?"
Eyes" said John, and he gazed at
Mary at last in such a pleading, visit
full way that she turned her head to
hide her look of pride.
Now, they had a rattle at the Of
fee" said John, growing holder at
Mary's silence, "and | won it,"
He placed his hat on chair.
1T is a game fowl" he eagerly add
ed
He drew jackknife from his peck
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.
Well" said Mary, speaking with
indulgence, put it down in the cellar
for the present, John, and We will see."
And If ever a happy man first hung
his hat up in that hall and then car
ried paper bag down into the cellar,
humming a 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 coop for
it," asked Mary after dinner
Yes shall | go now?" asked John,
rising from the table. The poor thing
will have to have a coop; shall | go
now, Mary?"
She nodded a gracious assent and
John tripped down the cellar steps
like a bride who IS late to her we'd
ding, and when Mary went down 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
nest and perch placed in it and the
game fowl balanced on the perch.
Now, if she is only a good layer"
But 1t 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:
mo, John; it didn't"
Johns spirits dropped.
Perhaps" he said another night
she needs a bigger nest"
They enlarged her nest.
Perhaps" he said the third night
she needs a few oyster shells well
cracked up"
They provided her with that deli
cacy.
Perhaps" said John the fourth
night, she needs run"
They tied a string to her leg and lei
her run.
The fifth night John had no sugges
ton to offer, but his manner was Sc
disconsolate when Mary told him the
news of the chickens continued mac
ton that she could hardly restrain
herself from going right out ant
boxing the game fowls ears. Stimuli
taneously an inspiration struck her
and the next morning she made {
special visit to the chicken coop anC
slyly slipped an egg into the next.
II don't suppose the chicken laid al
egg," sighed John as he hung up hi
hat that night.
Il don't know" said Mary, bustlin:
around; i've been so busy today Tv'
hardly had time to turn around. Come
to think about it, though, she wa
cackling like anything this after
noon"
John rushed out and almost stimuli
taneously rushed in again, triumphant
ly carrying the egg.
Well WE'LL" cried Mary.
Isn't il large one!" cried John.
"Of all things!" cried Mary.
And how heavy it isl" cried John
weighing it in his palm. IL never fel
such a heavy"
1t Observation-Disclosures, o, bu
il was an ancient egg!
II wouldn't want to eat it, sal
Mary, turning fiery red
40, they're not for eating!" erie
John; they're for setting!"
"Gamy enough said Mary.
YES" said John simply. shes
game fowl"