The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-07-13
BY Donald Allen.
Copyright. 1911, by the Associated
Literary Press

/ Literary Press.)
! The same train that carried Miss
| Mildred Frayne up to her aunt's home
at Long Point to spend a summer
| 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 been
reading a magazine and she looking
out of the window.
quarter of a mile below Aunt
| Taylors house lived old Mrs Ryder.
She was a widow and lived alone.
and now and then she had a bad
| turn with rheumatism. Miss Mil
dred had known her for several years.
! and 1t 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
! lamentations IS chicken soup. It's
/ better than all the doctors. l know
at least a dozen people who'd have
died but for chicken soup. Chicken
soup with a little rice in 1t will make
a well woman Of you in two days.
Maybe 1t might help me-" the
patient sighed.
1T will. It must. It cured me
when I had typhoid fever and the
doctors had given me up. | can get
the rice up at the house. but az for
the chick en-let mo see We have
none. but one must be found some
where. Til go back and telephone
to some Of the farmers around here.
Some of them Will surely spare me a
chicken"
r. tch fsrnr AL
Trouble? Don't you think II
willingly go to some trouble to save
your dear old life? Just lie quietly
TIL / come back. You can groan
all you want to. however. Our fam
lily doctor says that grooming is q
great help In curing any one"
Back TO Aunt Taylor's the girl got
down the telephone book and called
up one farmer after another and In
quired about the chicken market II
was not encouraging. Some hao
chickens and some hadn't but those
who had answered that none was fol
sale. The very last address proved
! hopefui. The call was answered By
a pleasant voice saying.
why, YES. we have chickens here.
And will you sell one9"
II don't think we have ever SOLD
chickens"
chicken Is wanted for an old lady
who is i'll"
Then that alters the case. and
can promise you a fat pullet."
How much is ii %
"No charge
'sBut Tn willing to pay and wan
to If you can send 1t down to OLE
Mrs. Rytiers IN give You so cents
3 RS fsrirp
for a dollar
"As ! said before. we have M
lchickens for sale. but"
"And send him soon. please. Good
bye"
That message had gone to the hous'
of Mr.. Chester's mother, and he
was who had answered It. He be
Ilieved the voice to be that OF girl
He hadn't hung up the receiver be
fore he believed her to be cookbook
ling. His mother hadn't come into tn
room before he had made up hi
mind to be the bearer of that chicken
II Know there Is an old woman
named Ryder living about two miles
down the road" said the mother, "bu
she can't have a telephone in her cot
tage. 1t might have come from thu
Taylor's. I'll have James kill a chick
en- and take 1t down there"
But I'm going to take 1t myself,
said the young man.
"And why?"
II want to see the girl who own!
that voice"
.Nonsense; Mrs. Taylor is IA old a.
I am. I don't know of a girl within
Ave miles OF here"
Nevertheless, the young man insist.
ed on going. and after the unhappy
pullet had had her neck wrung he
tstarted off with the body dangling
from his right hand. Before his two.
mile walk had been accomplished dusk
had fallen and the moon had come
up. Thus. as he approached the cot
tage, he saw q figure of girl stand
ling in the highway. and heard q voice
calling:
'If you are the man with the chick.
len make haste, please. Yes, you have
lit, and I'm so glad and thankful. You
lsee, want to get the soup made rtght
Iaway. Did you bring change for 9
dollar?"
"Well--er--n-o-o." was the reply.
"Why, you are not a farmers hired
mani" exclaimed the girl. rs she look
ed at the chicken carrier for the first
time.
mo, but T have brought the fowl
Let me carry 1t Sin for you. please
It's bleeding yet. My name ts Ches-
ter" ..... ,..,.-........
/ But really"
"And do you know how to pick
and dress a chicken"
| 4 my stars, but l never thought OF
that. and Mrs Ryders sound asleep
am Miss Frayne, Mrs Taylor's
niece. I'll have to run up and ask
auntie.' S
Perhaps I can help you" said the
young man. trying hard to look wise
ITO get the feathers or easily you
| have to scald the bird. believe. Car
! you get some hot water?"
rive got big kettle on the stove
and here's the dishpan. But you
mustn't help. You must take your pay
and go That is--that--''
| THAT Is I'm going to help with the
| chicken. You might spoil It for soup
you know. We lay Il In the dish. Now