, 1908-01-03
A RUSE THAT
FAILED
Mr.. PENNyWlHxLE DROUGHT HOME
A GAME FOWL

door like a cautious man who wishes
to make NJ noise. In his right hand
he carried a heavy paper bag which,
from the inscription Upon it had evil
IDENTIFY once served the purpose OF
holding 20 pounds, of -four; and Mr..
Pennywinkle held this bag securely by
the neck as though his souls salvation
hinged thereon.
john" cried a voice.
With a great sigh and a fearsome
look at the paper bag John answered
back:
my love?"
rs that your"
kitchen holding his hat in n hand
and the paper bag in the other and,
standing in the doorway with his head
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 a rattle at the of.
hce," said John, growing holder at
Mary's silence, and l won it."
He placed his hat on a chair.
ut is a game fowl" he eagerly add,
ed.
He drew a 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.
We'll" 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 a paper bag down into the cellar
humming a hymn under his breath
and walking softly as a true gentle
man should, 1t was Jul John the night
he brought the game fowl home.
Wont you have to build a coop for
it?" asked Mary after dinner.
Yes; shall I go now?" asked John
rising from the table. The poor thug
will have to have a coop; shall l &c
now, Mary?"
She nodded a gracious assent and
John tripped down the cellar steps
like a bride who is late to her wed
ding, and when Mary went down q
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 a thing OF
magic.
There" said John, after the coop
had been finished and set outside, a
nest and a perch placed in it and the
game fowl balanced on the perch.
Now, II she is only a good layer
put ~ caanpnl nc 20 tho@ A.
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 a run"
They tied a string to her leg and let
her run.
The fifth night John had no sugges
ton to offer, but his manner was SO
disconsolate when Mary told him the
news of the chickens continued mac
ton that she could hardly restrain
herself from going right out and