Middletown transcript., 1911-08-26

Miss Mildred Frayne up 10 her
aunt's home at Long Point TO
spend the summer month also Mr..
winfield Chester. They sat in
different coaches, however, and
there was no coincidence aboutit it.
Had they sat in the same chair
car he might have been reading
q msgaztue and sic sic iieeaziHgg o11t
of the window.
A quarter Of q mile below Aunt
Taylor's house lived old Mrs.
Ryder. She was 8 widow and
lived alone, and now and then
she had a bad turn with rheu-
matism. Miss Mildred had
known her for several years, and
it wasn't two hours after her ar
rival that she started out to see
the old lady. She found her in
bed and sadly needing nursing.
What you need, sagely replied
the girl when she had heard the
lamentations, is chicken soup.
It's better than all the doctors.
I know at least dozen people
who'd have died but for soup.
Chicken soup with a little rice in
it will make a well woman of you
in two days.
Maybe it might help me, the
patient sighed.
1t will. It must. 1t cured me
when had typhoid fever and
the doctors had given me up. |
can get the rice up at the house,
but as for the chicken-let me
see? We have none, but one
must be found somewhere. I'll
go back and telephone to some Of
the farmers around here. Some
of them will surely spare me a
chicken.
But it will be too much trouble.
Trouble? Don't you think III
willing 60 to some trouble to save
your dear old life 4? Just lie
quietly till / come back. You
can groan all you want to, how
ever. Our family doctor says
that groaning in q great help in
curing any one.
Back to Aunt Tsylor's the girl
got down the telephone book and
called upone farmer after another
and inquired about the chicken
market. 1t was not encouraging,
Some had chickens and some
hadn't, but those who had an
swered that none was for sale.
The very last address proved
hopeful. The call was answered
by a pleasant voice saying.
Why, yes, we have chickens
here.
And will you sell one /?
II don't think we have ever
sold chickens.
But this is q special case. A
chicken is wanted for an old lady
who is i'll.
Then that alters the case, and
I can promise you fat pullet.
How much is it?
No charge.
But I'm willing to pay and
want to. If you can send it down
to old Mrs. Ryder's Ill give you
so cents for it. Have the man
bring change for dollar.
As | said before, we have no
chickens for sale, but
And send him soon, please.
Goodby.
That message had gone to the
house Of Mr.. Chester's mother,
and he it was who had answered
it. He believed the voice to be
that Of d girl. He hadn't hung
up the receiver before he believ.
ed her to be good looking. His
mother hadn't come into the room
before he had made up his mind
to be the bearer of that chicken.
7 know I'll re is an old woman
named Ry der living about two
miles down the road, said the
mother, hut she can't have tele
phone III her cottage. It nigh
have come from the Taylor's, II
have James kill chicken anC
take it down there.
But I'm going to take it my
self, said the young man.
And why ?
| want to see the girl who own
that voice.
Nonsense! Mrs. Taylor is a
old as | am. don't know of
girl within five miles Of here
Nevertheless, the young ma
insisted on going, and after th
unhappy pullet had her nee
wrung BE- started off with tn
body dangling from his righ
band. Before his two.miIe wal
had Lien accomplished dusk ha
fallen and the moon had come W
Thus, ss he approached the CO..