The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1912-08-15
Mary Elen's
Way

some chickens Of our own" said Mr..
Mary Ellen at the breakfast table.
The eggs we get would make hen
blush. They are always high, too.
Didn't you pay 80 cents a dozen last
winter?"
Mary Ellen admitted she did.
That's outrageous. We could raise
our own eggs for much less than that.
And have fresh ones in the bargain.
And broilers, too. Think OF delicious,
tender broilers!"
Mary Ellen was not partial to keep
ing chickens; but she only said mild
ly: Chickens are a sort of nuisance,
aren't they?"
Not If they are taken care Of
properly"
well, do just as you please. Fresh
eggs would be nice"
That night a consignment OF Rhode
Island Reds arrived.
The next day the iceman left the
gate open and the Rhode Island Reds
streamed into the yard, as IL putting
foot on their native heath. With q
meditative eye Mary Ellen watched
them as they settled down Industrious
" to the task of over-hauling Mr.. Mary
Ellen's pet flower border. They had
grand time. They followed the trail
of each worm to its beginning in the
lower regions. They took dust baths.
They INDUCED in vigorous leg exer-
cises. When the day was done and
darkness fell from the wings OF night,
their wings were folded contentedly
over a sense of duty thoroughly per-
formed.
What in thunder is the matter with
the flowers?" exploded Mr.. Mary FL.
len as he viewed the wreckage.
1.-THE iceman left the gate open and
the chickens got in," said Mary Ellen
meekly. isn't 1t too bad?"
Mr.. Mary Ellen stalked gloomily In
to the house. The next morning a
sign, shut the Gate" adorned that
feature Of the domicile.
About 10 o'clock excited squawks
and the furious footing Of an auto horn
rose on the air; and as the car whirled
on the king of the flock, the resplend-
ent rooster, lay a mutilated wreck by
the roadside.
I'm awfully sorry, dear, but the
rooster was killed today by an auto"
why don't you keep them up?'
"You said they were to run out
So Mr.. Mary Ellen spent the eve
ming mending the fence around the
chickenyard. He was not an expert
carpenter, and his hands looked the
worse for the experience when he
came in.
Ibid you get any eggs today?' he
, asked warily.
mo, l guess chickens have to gel
used to a place before they lay"
The days passed and still the eggs
refused to appear.
: Maybe 1t doesn't agree with then
: to be kept up" suggested Mary Ell
len.
What in thunder can you do will
them? You can't let 'em run ana
> you can't keep 'em up"
= "They are a problem" said Mar.
| Ellen sympathetically. "And 1t take
80 much of your time to read up abou
a chickens. It's a shame. You neve
/, get to read the magazines or new
|, books or anything any more. Tha
last book / got was a corker, just tn
!. kind you like"
Mr.. Mary Ellen sighed. A few day
later he said, Those chickens ar
scratching themselves awful"
Maybe they ought to be creased.
"Greased!"
Eyes. / have heard that when chicl
ems get to scratching themselves 20
+. have to catch them and grease theI
about the head and the wings and sue
places. It's a mess to do It,"
. "Not for NINE" said Mr.. Mary Ellel
- I'm no hen lubricator."
1t "But dear, they won't be healthy
r you don't grease them
10 ""Then they can pine away and di
[. 'drat EN-"
n ct is a shame for you to have
;. work so hard. wish you did not ha,
> them. You are just wearing yourse
out over those chickens. And the
" don't pay, either. They are not Wort
II, It."
t; The next day somebody called al
r. said Mr.. Mary Ellen, with a twink
in her eye, watched them depart.
Eyes, I did work hard" said N
Mary Ellen that night after suppe
"But I didn't mind that. II 1t b,
A. paid 1t would have been all right. B
there Is no sense in going on with
thing that does not pay"
IN mot a hit" said Mary Ellen blith
~ ly. "Only not everybody has the sen
!" you have to see it."-Chicago Post
sr, Had Earned q Rest.
Y. man WIN eats n lob nQWada