The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-07-13
Evening Chat

One OF my neighbors keeps chickens
and loves them AL very much. Quite
often she tells. me story about one
OF them and thisI is her latest. As this
story Is for the children. grown.up'
need not read " "0ne OF ny pref
test bar-rocks hate his leg the other
day and foundi b sitting Imply on
his side with SAsthe other chickens
pscking at him. sIssaid Poor little
felicw," and cudSietlhtm up to my face
and he said Wee sWeet" and when
I Lut my hand over{him, he began a
little sleepy song M had sung for
me before and khetI liked. But It
wasn't bedtime yet ShfI took him into
the house, carrying ~ carefully with
my hand. while bfH-e off some tiny
pieces from a berry b6x and drew on,
some white cord from a little red
string basket hanging near the stove
Then sat down and holding him on
one side with my elbow, managed in
spite OF his determination to stand up.
10 hold two splints on either side OF
the broken second joint OF his leg,
which | bound on with cord.
And now lie must go TO bed. but
not under his mothers soft wings for
he mikht get crowded or even rub
off bis splints i gave him my green
waste basket for a bedroom and for
a bed. the red sleeve OF an old sweat
er. gave him for a cover a soft old
stocking and ! put the pad OF my
rec king chair over the top OF the has.
ket for fear ne might waken early in
the morning and hurt his leg trying
10 hop out. Then sat him on the
floor near my bed 50 II he cried in the
night might hear him
But he passed a good night and
in the morning | put him in a little
yard by himself and he had breakfast
out Of Q pretty pan with little round
cup to drink from. Night after night
he slept in the green basket and day
after day he passed in the little yard
by himself. Most OF the time he stay
ed on a grain sack but after a while
he began to hop around. finally he
balanced himself on his broken leg
Then took off the splints. Nearly
two weeks had passed and dreadful
thing had happened All the other bar
rocks had forgotten him and they
fol- eht him, and even his mothers eye
was cold and forbidding. He would
never again dare hang onto her red
wattles. looking so much like a fine
piece OF meat.
"Oh. well. he preferred my hand
anyway and ne always chirped in a
ocular "and hurry up. too" way when
re wanted to go to bed and havins
nothing else TO do. he kept early hours
81 first I waited " him but as he got
stronger ! left him alone to eat and
come to put him 10 bed when he call
ed
"Oue night I came as usual and
smoothcd his red sleeve bed in his
green basket bedroom. but he couldn't
go to sleep. lie cried "cheep. cheep
cheep." over and over again. When
took him out and held him In nv
hand. he cuddled down with a sleepy
little sound bu. as soon as | put him
back he cried out again. At last
discovered an empty craw. He had
been too lonesome TO eat his supper
md knew he ought not 10 go to bed
loean his soft little "che, che. che,
at way. Alter ] had fed him. he
hich I called his sleepy song and he
ent back to his red bed in his green
bedroom and slept soundly.
To-day this fine young rooster is as
gcod as new. For three nights he has
slept in a box with mixed crowd oil
new playmates whose mothers have
gone back into the egg business again,
leaving them to shift for themselves.
But every night he gets sleepy before
the Others and runs after me coaXing,
commanding to be put to bed and not
until dark does he finally decide 10
stay in the box bedroom with the 9th
In looking over a London paper one
Is struck forcibly with different
ways OF expressing things. 4 ste1'
ccrapher il a Shorthand typist' a
ervant Is "domesticated help" Nov
Jug pictures are animated pictures.
Required" is used where we say
wanted" youth" Is used in place
OF our young man." and lad required"
is used in place OF our familiar boy
wanted" One particular ad pleased
me immensely. II read Lady re-
arired TO assis. at service counter.
oes II not sound quaint and interest
ing? Lady required 10 supcrintend
cooking" was another alluring ad
Motor driver" chamber for rent"
and number Of other different ex'
pressions were very noticeable We
are sai dto be lacking in the English
dignity. AID dignity it is. but what
on earth would an Eaglishman do nm
der certain American circumstances
without our short. sharp all II
American slang. il you will, way OF
getting right to the point by means
OF a good tense American word.
can't tell you what life really Is.
or death either. can you? Sometimes
wake up in the morning and say 10