The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-09-18
The Old
Speckled Hen
BY NJ. QUAD
Copyright, 1915. by tho Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

farmers, nAd Deen nelSnbofs Tor ten
years. when In the same year Abel
Thompson was left a widower and
Aunt Martha Brown widow. Plenty
OF people said II would be only natural
for the two 10 marry after a year or
so, but what the principals In the case
thought OF 1t did not come out for over
two years. The farmer and the widow
saw each other every day during this
| time. She continued 10 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.
IL was one evening In winter after
the farmer had imblbed 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 10 have purity good
mill"
yes"
And the price is purity reasonable"
"Yes?"
I'VE wasn't talkin' about windmills
all the time continued Abel. as he
motioned for another glass OF cider
I'VE 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 l didn't git married
ag'in"
well, why don't you go and git mar
ried them
Gosh hang it, will. That's what
come over here this evenin for. Aunt
Martha, we have known each other a
long time. | know you are mighty
good woman and you know I'm a
purity good man. Our farms jine. and
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. II
know you to be a good man. but
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 marriag &c as one drives hogs I'll
keep right on and take your word for
it, and If you find you can't love me
III 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 l can
while you're gone" he replied.
What l want you TO look out for in
particular is that old speckled hen
know I've had her for the last ten
years. and I've learned to think a good
zeal of her. She hain't well tall jest
now, and hate to so away and leave
1er. She's got signs of the pip. and IL
| should come back and find her dead
t would almost break my heart. Abel,
want you to be kind to her. | want
Tou to sympathize with her / want
You to doctor and nurse her"
IN do it, Aunt Martha. I'll jest put
n all my time nursin' her up. III be
est as kind to her as l would be to
)aby."
That's good of you. She's only
ritter. but when one gifts use to crit
er he can even love an old speckled
len. she amt laid an egg for these
i've years past, but she's got hold on
ny affections for the eggs she used to
ay. Why, she's laid over a hundred
With double yolks, and one time she
It and licked a chicken hawk"
You go right on, wilder, and leave
t all to me-" said the farmer I'll do
est as much for that old hen as l
you'd for brother / haint sot up
night for the last twenty years, but
{ she's taken bad l shan't close my
yes till you git back"
The widow departed and half an
our later Abel was carrying the old
en- home under his arm. The three
avs went past, and the widow re-
1ned. She had only entered her
ouse when the farmer appeared with
1e hen in a basket. He had her
trapped in red wooden cloths. She
melled of camphor and various lini-
tents. Her toes had been trimmed
nd creased, and he had applied salve
, her comb. With proud deliberate
ess he removed wrap after wrap and
nally reached the last end and set the
en- down on the floor with:
There she is. Aunt Martha, and jest
5 good as she was five years ago. I've
orked over her for three days. and
IN tellin' you there hsin't a hen in
lie hull county can come up to her"
How splendid of you Abel how
3lendidr gasped the widow. and as
to corroborate her words the hen
Used her head. swelled out her breast
Id tried to cackle.
"See that-hear that. widder?" asked
bel.
Yes. do. and. oh. AbeI-
.sTs vour heart teched. widder?"