The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-09-02
THE BLUE
HEN
BY oTILLIA F. PFEIFFER


er two years Of married life and was
about to abandon his pretty little
country place at HeXham, when a poor
relative asked him to take charge Of
a child he had adopted, rs he himself
was III and could not afford to pro
vide for the boy, Eugene.
out of sheer pity and because he
was lonesome Worth accepted the
duty. The lad had a twisted limb
was thin and pale and had to use a
crutch, but the shining soul in his
eyes very soon brought to Worth
comfort ana joy that in a way took
the keen edge away from his recent
bereavement In a short time the five
year-oId waIf had paid in gratitude
and love for the kindly care Of his
new parent. To him the dear little
farm was a paradise. He became the
friend of every bird fowl and animal
about the place. His days were full
of song and laughter and he shared
and alleylated Worth's solitude.
Worth was seated in the kitchen
mending a broken harness, when an
exultant shout from outside brought
him to the rear door 1t proceeded
from the lips Of Eugene. Worth To-
cated him, alive with excitement,
limping about before the closed gate
of the chicken house, and rs the little
fellow saw Worth he swung aloft his
crutch, shouting joyousIy.
"Tvc got them mall OF them"
Oh, come quick and see!"
The chicken yard had been empty
for over n week ANA Eugene had
mouned sorrowrully, for the feathery
brood had been among his rarest pets.
A freshet had scattered devastation
throughout the entire district and they
had arisen one morning to find yard,
garden and field flooded and the 40
odd chickens drowned. The catastro-
phe had we'll nigh broken little Eu-
genes heart and Worth had it in his
mind to replace the loss. He fastened
to Eugene's side now and in amaze
ment stared into the denuded chicken
shelter.
"They came over the rise yonder
and walked right in here MS if it was
home :! cried the little fellow, "and
shut them in. Look, a blue hen! Did
you ever hear Of such Il thing before?
And nine little chicks Hear them"
q declarew uttered Worth, "where
can they have straycd from?
Maybe they got lost in the storm
and have been trampng around in the
woods" suggested Eugene.
"Of course they must belong to some
body" continued Worth, although l
never saw Il hen of that breed before
Blue, sure as you live! At least
enough of the tinge to look like the
sky or the lake a healthy, thrifty
progeny, too. Well, get them some feed
and wen take care Of them until the
owner turns up"
"And then you1l buy them, won't
you? Oh say you will" pleaded Eu-
gene urgently. I've been so lonely
since the freshet killed all the old
! ones"
Nobody appeared to claim the blue
hen ard nobody who saw it and its
progeny had heard of a blue brood any
where in the section. Two weeks went
by and Eugene had begun to acquire
a sense of permanent proprietorship
as to the wandering waits, when one
| morning Worth set Off in his light
wagon TO drive about thirty miles over
the state line to look over a team of
horses. He reached his intended des-
| tnatiOn, found the horses not to his
liking and about noon was returning
homeward when, passing through the
little town of BrOmptOn, he halted his
horse as he noticed lady's hand bag
lying in the middle Of the dusty road.
Worth alighted and picked up the
object that had attracted his attention,
| He inspected its contents to find inside
few silver coins, a pair of gloves
and an envelope. What had apparent
ly been its enclosure lay folded beside
If, and Worth glanced at its opening
lines to see if they would give him
any cley as to the owner Of the hand
bag.
"Well this Is queer" he cogitated as
he read the words: Dear Sister
Madge: | suppose You will be glad
to hear from your folks in the Blue
Hen state" and there followed some
casual family news.
"Blue Hen, state'| soliloquizec
Worth. 81 never heard of any sgch,
and CHANGING at the head of the letter
he found that It was dated from Dover
Delaware. Then he read the super
scriptlon Of the envelope. Mrs
Madge Ellis"
"And you never heard Of the Blue
Hen stale-why, that IS just what they
call It. ms they do another the Grass
homer state, and still another Tho
Badger state, and so on" lightly, cheer
ny explained Mrs. Madge Ellis, bux
ON widow Of thirty, when Worth hoC
located her. and you never hearC
Of n blue chicken before? That wa'
fathers special breed when lived a
home. And you've found my brood th'
freshet drove out, and your little BIO!
Is in love with them? Well, finders
keerers. | guess, in this instance"
And so interested was the comel!
lady that she promised to drive. owe
with her two little children some da,
soon, and kept her pledge
She repeated the pleasant visit twic
and then stayed permanently