The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-07-17
The CHICKEN FARMERS
By ANNE PAGE.

When. Unexpectedly. Paul Hendon
had . play accepted and had to rush
OF to Chicago, where rehearsals were
to begin At once, he left Jimmy Dean
in charge Of his feathered family. con-
sisting mostly of fine laying hens.
Dean and Hendon, chums since
school days. had taken the country
bungalow In the spring and had con-
sidered the selling of one Of Hendon's
| plays as q 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 commuted 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 ffty-three 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 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.
"Ditficult?" he repeated. Why,
that is ridiculous word to apply to
anything 50 absurdly easy. l under
stand it Is as simple as shooting fish,
but I really know little about it. Mr..
. Hendcn, who lived with me until some
deluded manager in Chicago bought
his play, knows all about it. They
are fine layers-1 know that much"
: He locked appealingly at the young
women, and because of the sympathet-
] ic expression he recognized in the
| eyes Of one of them he told them his
. bachelor troubles.
When he had finished his pathetic
account Polly Warner and Fanny
Turner exchanged suggestive glances'
Fan" said the former softly. don't
you think we could manage to pre-
: pare Mr.. Deans eggs and coffee for
!. him and leave them at his door each
. morning? We will be up early, you
know, feeding the chickens"
, Fannie Turner nodded. I'm sure
| we could"
1 I'D have to pinch myself to believe
, it was real II I found my breakfast
). at the door," Jimmy said.
You see," Fannie continued shyly
, I'VE were going to ask you II we could
continue to use your hennery until
a we found a suitable place Of our own
But we are stopping over therein
dicating a house near by-"for the
/ time being, and we don't want to lose
this opportunity to buy. Miss Warner
. and I want to try our hand at chick
en- raising, and II you would let US
She stopped and turned her wistfu
, eyes full upon Jimmy.
"The arrangement you suggest would
. be fine. Use the run az long as you
: like-and the whole garden" Jimmy
said.
, Hendon's hens received the most
scientific of treatment from that day
A on. But the care they received wa
no less perfect than was that accord
+, ed to Jimmy Dean. He found himself
j, rising a half hour earlier than was
) his custom, owing to the fact that
: the soft laughter Of girls was to be
. heard beneath his windows.
!. Once or twice he ventured to make
his appearance as the girls were
! leaving, and managed to have a short
chat with them. Polly Warmers quick
. laughter and merry glances haunted
! him through the days. He was fall
ing in love with her.
|, One morning after an absence Of
six weeks, Hendon suddenly appeared
and found Jimmy, Polly and Fannie
in the hen-run.
It was Fannie who saw him first
It was Fannie who uttered loud cry
of surprise and made . rush for the
arms he extended.
Jimmy gasped, Polly smiled com
placently.
well, I'll" Jimmy did not finish
for want of breath.
"Oh, it is all right-they're en-
gagged" explained Polly.
"Ah-yes, had gathered as much. ,
.. Polly glanced swiftly at Jimmy
! Paul knew that you would be help
less after he left" she went on rap
idly "He said he always took moth
erly interest in you and-well, really
he foresaw and arranged this whole
thing"
Not quite all of it, / think said
Jimmy knowingly. "Come-Polly. let's
take little walk. We're not wanted
here, and want to tell you the part