The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-12
THE CHICKEN FARMERS
BY ANNE PAGE.


had a play accepted and had to rusl
off to Chicago, where rehearsals Wer'
to begin at once, he left Jimmy Dear
in charge of his feathered family, con
sisting mostly of fine laying hens.
Dean and Hendon, chums since
school days. had taken the eountr!
bungalow in the spring and had con
sidered the selling of one of Hendon
plays as a remote possibility. So they
had not hesitated to make the arrange
ment whereby Hendon, at home all
day writing the play. should keep
house while Jimmy committed and
earned real money for the upkeep
of the shack.
! Those hens will have to be sold,
Jimmy decided, as he sat at the open
window and pondered the situation
over a midnight cigar. "Hendon Will
be gone month, at least, and month
of this would land me in Matteawan.
Next morning a newly-painted sign
appeared over the doorway of the
shack. 1t announced in neat, home
made letters that fiftythree hens and
the necessary equipment were for sale
on easy terms.
By Sunday he had almost decided
to close the shack and return to
town. A perfect summer day, brac-
ing swim in the sound, the soothing
hum of bees in the honeysuckle were
potent enough to induce him to try
it for another month.
That evening, a soft knock on the
door woke him from a nap in his
chair.
I'VE have called to inquire about
the chickens" said a cheerful voice
just outside the open door.
IF hens are not too difficult we
we think, perhaps, we'd like to buy
Them said another voice even more
cheerful in tone.
Jimmy looked at the unheralded
visitors and decided that they were
really worth while; and both girls !
looked askance at Jimmy. He did not
look as if he were an authority on
poultry raising, and yet they supposed
he must be.
Difficult" he repeated. Why, |
that is ridiculous word to apply to
anything 50 absurdly easy. | under
stand 1t is as simple as shooting fish,
but really know little about it. Mr..
Hendon, who lived with me until some
1eluded manager in Chicago bought
his play, knows all about it. They
are fine layers-I know that much
He locked appealingly at the young !;
women, and because of the sympathet.
c expression he recognized in the
eyes of one of them he told them his
bachelor troubles. Il
When he had finished his pathetic
recount Polly Warner and Fanny
turner exchanged suggestive glances.
Fam said the former softly, don't
'ou think we could manage to pre-
are Mr.. Deans eggs and coffee for
i'm and leave them at his door each
corning? We will be up early, you
now, feeding the chickens"
Fannie Turner nodded. "Pm sure
ve could"
I'd have to pinch myself to believe
was real if found my breakfast
the door, Jimmy said.
You see,' Fannie continued shyly.
we were going to asa you If we could
ontinue to use your hennery until
e found a suitable place of our own.
ut we are stopping over therein
Eating house near by-"for the
me being, and we don't want to lose
lis opportunity to buy. l.i.s Warner !!
ID want to try our ha & at chick
raising, and if you would let US"
ne stopped and turned her wistful
res full upon Jimmy. III
The arrangement you suggest would vi
hne. Use the run as long as you n
le-and the whole garden" Jimmy ii
i'd.
iendons hens received the most \
ientlfic of treatment from that day III
!. But the care they received was III
less perfect than was that accord III
10 Jimmy Dean. He found himself III
ing a half hour earlier than was III
custom, owing to the fact that
. soft laughter of girls was to be III
ard beneath his windows, II
once or twice he ventured to make III
appearance as the girls were iii
wing, and managed to have a short All
At with them. Polly Warmers quick Hi
ghter and merry glances haunted Hi
q through the days. He was fall. Hi
in love with her. Hi
)ne morning after an absence of |l|l
weeks, Hendon suddenly appeared III,
found Jimmy, Polly and Fannie Hi
the hen-run. |l
was Fannie who saw him first I|ll
Vas Fannie who uttered a loud crv I'LL
and made a rush for The |Il
rs he extended. l|llI
immy gasped, Polly smiled com. Hill
Gently. Hill
Well, III" Jimmy did not finch Hill
want of breath. Hill
On, 1t is all right-they're en-. Hill
ed" explained Polly. Hill
Ah-yes, l had gathered as much ,, Hill
oily glanced swiftly at Jimmy lHl|
III knew that you would be beln. |I|ll
after he left" she went on ran. l||l|
He said he always took a moth. HIN
interest In you and-well. really Il|lE
foresaw and arranged this wboia u
G." ms "hoie
Not quite all of it. l think" said
my knowingly. "Come-PoIlv le,,s