The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-17

Hen, as she chuckled a bit.
my dear Mrs. Hen. in the first
place. 1 have just dined off the Rab-
bit, and in the next 1 wanted you to
decide little dispute"
But l shan't come down to you 2,
mo? I have a sore throat today,
and could talk better if you would, but
let it co.
''And I want you to understand that
I am no spring chicken. to be taken in
by any of your tricks"
Lord, Mrs. Hen. I am as clear of
trick as a little Lamb. believe L did
eat your mother, but she was discour-
aged with life and was going to COM
nit suicide. 1 mentioned little dis
pute. 1t was with a Goose over at
Browns. We were talking about va
rious things when your name happen
ed to be mentioned"
"Just as if 1 cared what Goose
said!'' exclaimed the Hen in contempt.
of course. you don't really care:
but 1 thought you might have a bit of
curiosity, you know"
mot the slightest, and you had bet
teer trot along"
"Oh, if you say so. of course. but if
the Goose had asked what I used on
my face to keep the wrinkles away
and make me look young
What! Did she ask that?" cried
Mrs. Hen.
''She did. That's what we disputed
about She said that you were at
least ten years old, but that you used
some kind of face-bleach to make you
appear not over two"
''What an awful old liar she ISL
81 told her that your complexion
was perfectly natural. and that your
years. That's all 1 came to say, and
1 will co.
but don't be In such a rush Was
the old Goose trying to look girly?"
Trying her hardest. 1t was really
funny I am sure she's close to TWEEN
| ty. This throat of mine bothers me
| so that I'll have to quit talking
"And she tried to make me out to
be ten? ~ asked Mrs. Hen as she flew
down on the ground
yes she said you'd never see ten
again. Alack, isn't it funny when an
! old goose begins to hide her age? ?"
| I'll just go over there tomorrow
| and give her piece of my mind.
When an old thing like her begins to
| scandalize there's no telling"
| But that was all before the feath-
ers flew and the Fox twisted her neck.
| Moral-Curiosity provides the din
| ner, jealousy cooks it and the plotter
| eats it.
| THE PEASANT AND THE BUG.
| A Peasant who lay down on the
| grass after his MONDAY meal to get
| half an hours sleep before resumine
his labors had scarcely fallen into q
| doze when a sharp bite aroused him
and he sat up to find that a Bug had
| bitten his hand.
sWretch, but you have broken my
sleep!" he exclaimed, as he flirted the
Bug away
Seems to me you are making g
great fuss over a trifle,'' replied the
! Bug.
.sBut 1 was about to take a little
rest
ooh. as to that. 1 was sound ASLEEP
when a grasshopper ran over me and
| awoke me to bite you L complained
! to him. and he said he had been bit
ten bv an ant while meditating. Follow
the ant back and you will find thai
she was nipped by a flea while she
was wondering why she wasn't made
a bird
But why all this?" demanded tbs
Peasant Does it ease the pain o,
your bite or assist me to doze
again p
Moral: "Not at all, my friend" re-
piled the Bug. cit simply shows vol
that the process of getting even re
quires you to go and hit your mule
THE ASS AND WHIPPOORWILI
| One evening as the Peasant and his
wife had finished the labors of the
day and sat at their fireside. Whip
poorwill In the willows began his
II song, and, after 1t had continued for