The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1912-10-25
CHANTICLERl HAT
What Happened Alter Neyin
Granny Ran Into Something
Sharp.
By GRACE MeklNsTRy.


You wouldn't have thought that the
top OF Maizie Moore's pretty head was
the place for q lighting cock, with
sharp heak and warlike tail feathers,
to rest, but the chanticIer hat nestled
down in most charming and becon-
Ing manner upon her blond braids.
AS matter Of fact, anything seemed
to be becoming to Maizie. she was 80
delightfully."- fresh and wholesome
looking. Nevin CRANKY thought so,l
most decidedly. But the worst Of It
was, he wasn't alone in this opinion,
for he hadn't called many times at the
house before observing that Bert
Ainsworth, also frequent caller,
thought the same thing. Bert and
Nevin boarded at the same place, but
they had never been particularly
friendly, and now It looked as II they
were in a fair way to hate each other.
Maizie was kindness itself to both
of them. she accepted Nevin's boxes
of Huyler's and Bert's violets with
equally gracious smiles. and Nevin
encouraged himself in the belief that
at least they were neck and neck in
the race But one gloomy evening he
\ discovered, to his dismay, that he had
fallen behind. The whole family were
In the library, and the inevitable Bert
also, when the subject of health came
up,
You don't seem to be such good
advertisement for your boarding
place, CRANKY, as Bert is" said Mr..
4 Moore, half jokingly. You need to
devote more attention to the matter
Of health, fancy. Drink a glass Of
milk every night, and take more ex-
ercise in the fresh air.
Nevin fancied that Maize was COM
pairing him with Bert, and he had to
acknowledge that the latter had all
the advantage. Not only was Bert
the picture OF health, but he was 30
sure OF himself, so seIf-assertive. that
he inspired admiration and confidence.
whereas Neyin had always been of
the pale, thin. quiet type Neyin went
home that night resolved that he
would not go to the Moore's again I'M
til things were different.
Well, how could he alter his appear
ance? He was little inclined to An
digestion. but had no serious i'll
health, so he hardly felt like consult
ing a doctor Let's seeto begin
with, he could fietcherize. Then, he
remembered how much he had read
about the danger of eating raw or m
sufficiently cooked food Mrs, Haw-
kins, his landlady, was not as particu-
lar as she might be-. And malt
tonic might build him up. too. And
he wouldn't forget Mr. Moore's advice
about exercise.
He told Mrs. Hawkins that he
would like to exchange his rooms for
one Of her little apartments with a
kitchenette. since he was about to be-
gin certain line of diet, and expect
ed to prepare many of his meals him
self. And he started in with all the
earnestness Of man who has a seri-
GUS mission in life.
He decided not to seek a new posi-
ton until his health was fully re-
stored. He didn't realize that Mrs.
Hawkins was growing suspicious. nor
did he dream that, when she saw the
row OF malt-tonic bottles outside his
/, ,sss0r she inferred that he had been
charged because he had taken to
drink. But, through Mrs. Hawkins,
Bert Ainsworth must have gotten the
idea, and through Bert, the Moores;
sSfor the next time that Nevin CRANKY
kalIed upon Maizie, the atmosphere
felt like q refrigerator
This did not tend to improve his
health. He grew paler and more
spirtiless as the days went on. Final.
ly, one misty evening. he started out
Y for lonely walk, scarcely noticing
where he was going. And the first
thing he knew. he had run into some
thing sharp something that caused
HIN to give cry OF pain, and put his
hand to his forehead! He felt blood
flowing down over his face, he dimly
realized that his left eye was hurt
but before he tainted he distinctly
. heard Maize Moore's frightened ex
clamation: "Oh. how horrible that
the beak on my chanticler hat should
have done this!"
Nevin was taken at once to the
hospital The conscience-stricken
Maizie was most attentive. in the way
J. Of calls. and inquiries, and delicacies
But she had heard so many stories
about the strange life that CRANKY
had been leading for some months
that her interest hardly went beyond
pity. and deep regret that she had
caused the accident. And, besides
she had almost decided to follow hel
fathers advice. and accept Bert Aims
worth. It was surprising how prout
and prosperous-looking Bert had be
come; her mother strongly suspected
that some long-lost uncle had left hin
fortune.
Maizie was thinking along this line
one day, when she stopped in res
eaurant near the hospital to drink {
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