The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-05
The Old
Speckled Hen
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1916. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.
By M. QUAD

| Thompson was left a widower and
Aunt Martha Brown a widow. Plenty
Of people said it would be only natural
for the two to marry after a year or
SO, but what the principals In the case
thought Of It did not come out for over
two years. The farmer and the widow
saw each other every day during this
time. She continued to run her farm
by the help Of hired man. but he was
more or less interested. They sat to-
gether Of evenings and talked of every
! thing but what other people were talk
ing about.
It was one evening In winter after
the farmer had imbibed a quart of
cider and eaten three or four apples
and realized the loneliness of his own
home that he hitched around on his
chair for awhile and then said:
"Widder, there was windmill man
along today. He wants to put up a
mill for me in the spring."
"Yes, windmill men come along about
once in SO often" she replied.
He pears to have purity good
mill"
"YesY'
"And the price is purity reasonable. !"
"Yes?"
1--WE wasn't talkin' about windmills
all the time" continued Abel, as he
motioned for another glass Of cider.
1--WE was talkin' about other things"
They are great folks to CAB. I've
known 'em to hang around all day and
do nothin' but talk"
THAT windmill man said folks was
wOnderin' why didn't git married
ag'in."
well, why don't you go and git mar
sied then?"
Gosh hang it, will That's what /
come over here this evenin' for. Aunt
Martha. we have known each other
long time. 1 know you are a mighty
good woman. and you know I'm a
purity good man. Our farms jine, and
l. can run two farms as well as one.
You must be lonesome too. If we jine
forces then neither Of us need have
any more lonesomeness."
"Abel, stop right there. said the
widow kindly but emphatically. 81
know you to be good man, but I
hain't in love with you. You haven't
teched my heart yet. Until you do
don't want to talk about marriage"
"Well' said the sutton as he rose up
to go. 81 hain't one to drive woman
Into marriage as one drives hogs. I'll
keep right on and take your word for
1t. and if you find you can't love me
I'll stay single all the rest Of my days.
I'm kinder sot on you, you see, and
don't want anybody else"
During the next month things went
along as usual and there was no fur
Their reference to matrimony. Then
Abel was sent for, and as he reached
the widows house she said:
Abel, my sister over at Tompkins-
vile is sick and has sent for me. I'm
goin' over and may be gone three or
four days"
We'll, I'll run things the best 1 can
while you're gone" he replied.
What l want you to look out for in
particular is that old speckled hen.
You know I've had her for the last ten
years, and I've learned to think good
deal of her. She hain't well tall Jest
now, and hate to go away and leave
her. She's got signs Of the pip, and If |
should come back and find her dead
It would almost break my heart. Abel,
want you to be kind to her. l want |
you to sympathize with her. l want |
you to doctor and nurse her"
I'll do it, Aunt Martha. I'll Jest put |
In all my time nursin' her up. I'll be |
lest as kind to her as l would be to a |
baby"
That's good Of you. She's only
critter, but when one gifts use to crit
ter he can even love an old speckled |
hen. She amt laid an egg for these !
five years past, but she's got hold on
my affections for the eggs she used to |
lay. Why, she's laid over a hundred |
with double yolks. and one time she |
lit and licked chicken hawk"
You go right on. widder, and leave |
it all to me- said the farmer. "I'll do
'>'N w. 'a"Nh ioi tiot OIu ueu us L
would for brother. l hain't sot up
night for the last twenty years, but
II she's taken bad / shan't close nv
eyes till you git back"
The widow departed and half an
hour later Abel was carrying the old
hen home under his arm. The three
lays went past, and the widow re-
turned. She had only entered her
house when the farmer appeared with
the hen In basket. He had her
wrapped in red wooden cloths. She
smelled OF camphor and various lini-
ments. Her toes had been trimmed
and creased, and he had applied salve
to her comb. With proud deliberate
ness he removed wrap after wrap and
finally reached the last end and set the
hen down on the floor with:
There she is, Aunt Martha, and lest /
as good as she was five years ago. I've
worked over her for three days. and !,
I'm tellin' you there hain't a hen in
the hull county can come up to her."
How splendid of you Abel - how
splendid! gasped the widow, and as
II to corroborate her words the hen
raised her head, swelled out her breast
and tried TO cackle.