The Washington times., 1912-10-08
For The Times Children
Just Before It's Bedtime
REBEccA's STRATEGY.
\ EBECCA was a very large black
= and white duck She lived on
\ Hill Top Farm away up In ver-

X and white duck. She lived on
IN Hill Top Farm away up in ver-
mont.
Beckey and Ikey also lived on Hill
Top Farm. Beckey was a brown speck-
led duck, and Ikey was a drake whose
feathers were white and tan color.
Ikey. Rachel. and Beckey had lived on
Hill Top Farm for about three years
They never associated with the hens or
paid the least attention to any of the
animals and lived in perfect harmony.
II Ikey happened to wander away
from his two friends they would walk
about the farm yard auacking and
stretching their necks until he answered
and the three would waddie away to
their supper or dinner.
Beckey was lame and some times she
would lie down In the cool grass to rest
and Ikey and Rachel would be SO inter-
ested in talking they would not miss
her. Suddenly Rachel would look be-
hind and not seeing her friend she
would quafk to Ikey who would stretch
his neck and look all around.
Then both would waddle back auack-
ing as they went. Beckey would wait
until they almost reached the spot
where she was resting and then she
would slowly rise and limp toward
them.
box arrived and Solomon and fifteen
ducks took up their abode at Hill Tor
| Farm.
Ikey, Rachael, and Beckev watched
them as they waddied In line around
the farm, looking over their new home
| Those ducks are skinny looking
creatures" remarked Rachael. who was
almost as large as two ordinary ducks
II Beckey was not lame she would b'
larger than any of them"
| Solomon is rather a handsome fel
low," said Beckey. who had heart
Farmer Henry call solomon by nam,
when he flew out of the box.
He isn't any hondsomer than key,
retorted Rachael. Il think Ikey carries
himself with more dignity. too"
key all this time had maintained {
dignified silence. but he kept his eye
on the pretty little ducks that had ar
rived with Solomon, and as soon as h
could he slipped away from Beckey an,
Rachael and Joined the new comers.
As have told you. Rachael was ol,
and Beckey was lame, and when from
under Q currant bush where they wer
resting they saw Ikey waddling alon
with Solomon and his young family
/ they felt a pang shoot through thei
feathered breasts
| Anyway. | don't believe anyone o
them can lay such nne eggs as you can
Rachel" said Beckey who looked upoi
Rachel as beyond compare since tn
morning an egg of extra size had bee
found in Rachaefs nest.
| Rachel stood UP, stretched her wing
and shook out her tail feathers. "Nc
I do not expect they can." she saic
"and IN show them larger one tina
the one you saw.
They needn't think they can com
here and waddie around as though the
owned the farm Just because they ar
Younger than we. They will soon nm
out that the duck that can lay tn
J largest egg is the one VINO holds swa
here"
, 20, ] feel sure that you will be tn
most popular duck with Farmer Her
ry." remarked Beckey, but, Ikey, VIVA
J shall we do about him ! would neve
, have believed he would desert U.S."
Leave that to me-" said Rachel. ian
, don't you say word to Ikey about
or let him know that we saw him."
/ A few days later key. Rachel an
, Beckey were taking a walk. In the di
tance Rachel saw Solomon and HI
0ung family Don't you think "
better speak to them?'' she asked Ike
I, I'VE do not need to associate wit
them, but ] think It would be wise
ovrSn ~ hsaan 10 fall inst then ar