Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-23
A DAY IN THE COUNTRY

of his shabby home, which was in a
very small and dirty street.
Harry held the hand of his sister,
Mamie, who was only years old. He
was to take care of her on a trip to
farmers place whittier they were
going.
JOY was in their hearts as they
thought of the little chickens. the baby
calf, the colt, the cat and kittens and
the collie pup. For a lady had told
them they should see all these pets
when she took them with her.
BY and by she drove up in covered
carriage drawn by a pair of pretty
little brown donkeys with spots of pure
white.
Such a joy to sit on the soft seats of
the dainty carriage as the donkeys
trotted swiftly down the dusty street
and soon reached the beautiful coun-
tryl
AS they drove along the children's
hearts throbbed with joy and thank
fulness as they saw the flowers of
many colors the green grass glisten-
ing with dew, the trees with their
glossy leaves waving in the wind, and
the birds flying from bough to bough
as they sang their anthems of joy and
love.
Very soon they turned into a wind
ing lane and drove up to long bum
galow covered with vines.
The kind lady told the children they
could roll on the grass and pick all
the morning glories which We're grow
ing all over the fences, but they must
be very careful and not hurt the an
imals.
Dear children" she said, "little
kind to dumb animals; these poor
creatures cannot talk and tell us how
they suffer when they are sick or in
jured, and for that very reason all of
us. young or old, should do all We can
to care for them"
Harry and Mamie rolled on the
grass and Harry went across the road
and gathered black-eyed Susans and
made daisy chains for Mamie.
When the clock struck II the lady
came out and took them in to dinner
and such a dinneri
Great tumblers of creamy milk,
dishes of scarlet tomatoes, piles of corn
on the cob with kernels small and
juicy, roasted chicken, brown and ten
der; watermelon, apple pie and cakes
covered with jelly.
The children ate all these, while as
constituent shone in their eyes.
After dinner Harry and Mamie went
to the barn and played in the sweet
hay.
Presently a great cackling was
heard, and the lady told the children
that the hens had been laying eggs
in the boxes that had been placed in
the barn for that purpose.
They gathered the eggs and put
them in a dainty little basket. The
lady said they might take them home
for their supper.
Harry lifted little Mamie up to see
the old horse, Billy, who was so fond
of children that he would bend his
neck very far down. so that even the
smallest could climb upon his back.
Mamie laughed with glee when
Harry perched her on his back, and
love shone in old Billy's eyes as he
looked at the children.
The lady said the children must have
some lunch before they went home.
AS Mamie was eating her cake the
black rooster named Peary stole up
back of the child, snatched the piece
of cake and ran off, stopping from
time to time to gobble down the cake
Peary then jumped on the fence and
crowed loud and defiantly.
The kind lady wiped Nannie's tears
away and got her new piece of cake,
but Peary, watching his chance,
snatched that also.
The lady said; Never mind. little
Mamie; we will go in the kitchen,
where you can eat in peace
Mamie sat down to table to eat
her cake this time. and Peary stood
outside the door filled with rage and
jealousy.
The sun was now beginning to sink
and it was time to go home.
Again they sat on the soft seats of
the carriage drawn by the brown
donkeys.
AS they drove down the winding lane
Peary ran ahead of them, and as they
turned into the road he jumped on the
fence, tapped his wings and shrieked:
Cock-a-doodle,
Cock doodle,
Cock-a- doodle-doo!
MARY CHURCHMAN KINDER