The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-09-14
The Old Speckled Hen

The speckled hen called her brood
OF half grown chicks around her. She
wanted to give them some good part
Ing advice.
my dear children" she said. '.the
time has come when you are no longer
my baby chicks. You are all now
large enough to make your own living.
for the incest worms and how to get
them. Now l will have to leave each
of you to scratch for living
When she said this, her handsome
son, who had always been called lazy,
threw his head UP in the air and said:
Scratch for a living. indeed Well.
I guess not" and he strutted about
the yard, lifting his feet daintily from
the ground. as II he were afraid they
would become soiled.
MY son." cried the good mother,
how do you. then, expect to make
your living If you do not scratch"
BY this time all of the barnyard
fowls had gathered around.
How do 1 expect to make my liv-
ing?" echoed the son. as he preened
and smoothed the glossy feathers in
one of his wings. Mother. you talk
II we were the commonest fowls In the
world" and he looked about him In
naughty disdain at the plain. white
chickens and those that wore dark,
dull coats.
ooh. you are all handsome children
a. far as that goes" said the mother,
but your beauty viii not bring you
your breakfast. What are you going
to do for something to eat?"
All OF the chickens, geese, ducks
and turkeys were anxiously awaiting
the young sons reply. They wanted
TO know what he was planning to do.
With a great fiirt of his crimson head.
he said: Well, mother dear, and my
good sisters and brothers turning to
them also II ara going TO sing for my
living
Sing" cried his mother.
Sing" cried his sisters and broth
ers. while some OF the other fowls
boldly smiled.
Yes, mean TO sing for my living"
and no strutted about boastfully.
At this moment a little bird began
sing ,oyously in the apple tree. He
sang as IL his little throat would burst.
Sweet, sweet" he cried.
There" said the mother hon, ''can
you sing like that?"
II am suro / can" replied her son.
Lets hear YOU she said.
Yes, do. dol" cried the old gray
goose.
do, dot" cried the other fowls.
VERY WE'LL" replied the vain young
rooster.
Give me room"
The fowls gave him a clear space
under the apple tree. He proudly
took his place upon the top OF the
coop.
Sweet. sweetr cried the little bird
again.
There" called the old gray goose.
'-sing like that
The young rooster saw that they
were all ready TO laugh at him If he
made a failure. so he throw his head
back. tapped his wings, and began
Sweet. called the little bird.
Cock a-doodle-do!" squawked the
young rooster in hoarse voice.
"Cock-a''--but could get no farther.
All of the fowls were laughing at him,
Tho funny old green headed duck
over in the corner quacked and laugh
ed until her sides ached. Even the
bassy calf in the next lot mooed with
joy. The young ROSTERS poor mother
and sisters were sorry for him, but the
other fowls we're glad. They thought
he had learned a lesson.
The next evening the old gray goose
went up to the mother hen. Where
is your handsome SOM" she askedd.
"Out in the back lot scratching
some supper for his sisters" she re-
piled.
Let us learn from this TO do those
things we can dc, and not. like the
silly young rooster. try to do those
things for which we were never in
tended.-The Chiid's Gem.