Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-15
EVENING STORY
mo CHICKENS FOR SALE"
BY Donald Allen.
Copyright, ,191l, by the Associated
Literary Press.)

The same train that carried Miss
Mildred Frayne up to her aunts
home at Long Point to spend the sum.
mer month also carried Mr.. Winfield
Chester. They sat In different coaches,
however. and there was no coinci'
dence about it: Had they sat. in the
same chair car he might have peen
reading q. magazine and she looking
out of the window.
A quarter of mile below Aunt ray
lors house lived old Mrs. Ryder. She
was a widow and lived alone. and now
and then she had bad turn with
rheumatism. Miss Mildred had known
her for several years, and it wasn't
two hours after her arrival 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 lamenta-
TONS" is chicken soup. It's better than
all the doctors. I know at least dozen
people who'd have died but for chicken
SOUP Chicken soup with little rice IN
it will make a we'll woman of you IN
two days.
Maybe it might help me-" the pa
tient sighed.
ut will. 1t must. 1t cured me when
I had typhoid fever and the doctors
had given me up. I 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 chicken.
"But it will be too much trouble
Trouble? Don't you think III Will
lingly go to some trouble to save your
dear old life? Just lie quietly till |
come back. You can groan all you
want to, however. Our family doctor
saws that grooming is great help IN
curing any one"
Back to Aunt Taylors the girl got
down the telephone book and called up
one farmer after another and inquired
about the chicken market. 1t was not
encouraging. Some had chickens ana
some hadn't, but those who had
answered that none was for sale. me
vary last address proved hopeful. The
cali was answered by a pleasant voice
saying: ,
"Why. yes, we have chickens here"
"And will you sell one?'
T e. don't think we have ever sold
chickens"
"But this is a special case. A
chicken is wanted for an old lady who
is ill.,
.eThen that alters the case, and can
promise you fat pullet."
'How much is it,"
"No charge"
"But I'm willing to pay and want to-
II you can send it down to old Mrs.
Ryder's I'll give you so cents for It..
Have the man bring change for a dol
lar"
"As I said before, we have no
chickens for sale, but
"And send him soon, please. Good
bye"
That message had gone to the house
of Mr.. Chester's mother, and he 1t
was who answered it. He believed the
voice to be that of girl. He hadn't
hung up the receiver before he be-
lieved her to be good-looking. His
mother hadn't come into the room be-
fore he had made I'D his mind to be
the bearer of that chicken:
81 know there is an old woman
named Ryder living about two miles
down the road said the mother, "but
she cant have telephone in her cot
tlge. 1t might have come from the
Taylor's. I'll have James kill a
chicken and take it down there"
"But I'm going to take it myself
said the young man.
"And Why?"