The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1921-12-15
Beulah and Her
Chicken Oyercoats
q. 1891. western Newspaper Union
~ HAROLD s~INcLAIRE.

-
% 1881, Western Newspaper Union.)
Miss Beuiah Jones was cutting up q
cake with q piece OF silk thread to
prove It's lightness, as there came q
knock at the door. She passed through
the sitting room with many a hurried
reach, for scattered garments and
fragments Of cloth In a hopeless eff
fort at tidying up.
Il do hope it isn't the minister, or
anybody but some neighbor," fiuttered
the neat and circumspect little lady.
ITS only me, Beulah," spoke the
bluff voice Of giantlike John Moore,
her distant cousin. "About once 4
year I get around here. Why don't
you ever come and see us, BeulahY'
"You know I never 80 anywhere
now" she said. briefly.
SWELL" spoke John, pumping down
into an easy chair. "r've heard some
wonderful things about those pet
chickens Of yours, and rye come to
find out about them. Welt Welt.
Wellw
His rudy face began to pucker com
ically, and he let out a great guffaw.
"What are you laughing at, John
Mooref" demanded Miss Beulah, with
severity.
Her cousin could not reply for some
time. Waddling around in the chicken
yard a full score of Plymouth Rock.
chickens were parading proudly, 40.
tired In close-ftting overcoats.
ITS great idea," said John, "but
it's the, funniest thing I ever saw"
f IT don't see anything very funny
about It," resented Miss Jones. some
of the poor things froze up last VIM
ter. They shan't this"
John Moore grinned the harder as
he strobe to the window and again
looked out. John Moore fancied he
saw something spectacular in It all.
I've got an idea, Beulah," he said.
".I'm looking for a novelty, and that's
what brought me here. I want to buy
those chickens"
Miss Beulah regarded her cousin
sharply and then suspiciously.
They're not for sale," she declared
at once. -
"Then I want to borrow. them
rent them, we'll call 1t. We are. work
ing up a procession" John went ON
to explain; ~"torchlights, music and
all that. We're going to have a hay:
rack, showing prosperity-heaps Of
apples, corn, goddess of liberty and the
like. I want to scatter those winter
clothed pets Of yours over the load.
It will be a great CATCH"
1t proved a greater catch than the
ingenious committeeman had expected.
It was two days later when Miss
Jones saw d wagon draw up to the
yard. Her pets, well fed and lively,
were &5eing returned safe and sound
to their coops. as her cousin had
promised.
The weekly paper had just arrived.
Miss Jones had flushed in a startled
way as she read 1.-THE news" It, ap-
peared that the overcoated chicks had
been the novelty Of the procession.
The district had a great many chicken
farms. The home display had won
over this interest, they had voted for
Allen Parsons, and that candidate was
elected. ~>.
Allen Parsons! How that name
awoke painful memories in the heart
Of the recluse! She had drawn open
a drawer in the old-fashioned secre-
tary and had taken thence a sheet Of
paper, closely written over, and q
photograph. The latter was a photo
type Of the portrait Of the successful
candidate in the paper. There was a
knock at the door. Miss Jones opened
It to face-the successful candidate.
II had to call to thank you for the
great support your pets gave me-"
spoke the stalwart,. finelooking visi-
tor. ""Why, Miss Jones-Beulah"
AT sight Of the man she had loved,
still loved in secret, her ~estranged
flance, Miss Jones paled, tottered, and
Allen had to help her to a chair in
the sitting room. AS he started to
leave her his face fell upon the pho
tegraph and the letter. His eyes d.
lated as he traced a line or two In the
latter.
"Beulah," he said, his lips set kindly
but determined. has this letter any
thing to do with YOUR rejection of my
suit two years a@o? B
ut has everything to do with it, .
faltered poor Bculah. .Can you look
at it and wonder why7 You wrote it. "
Eyes,, I wrote it. but as a model for
a friend who wished to propose to a
young lady in another town. How did
1T come into your possession
miss Simmons brought IT to me-
she said she found. IT."
"StoIe IT, more likely asserted Al
len. .My old landlady and a mischief
maker - oh, Beulahl And has this
foolish misunderstanding kept us 50
cruelty apart all Of this time? r.
John Moore, coming into the house
to see his cousin, halted, stared, stood
rooted to- the spot, and then retreated
softly with a great chuckfe Of salts.
faction.
For Beulah was resting c~onfidingly
in the strong, protecting arms OF Al
len Parsons. All had been explained
land the feathery canrpaigners had
done 1T.
just 81. ,s