Year: 1876

rag BOY's BEDTIME STORIES.


BY UNCLE ZACH.


You remember what you prom
ised, my lads Pho backing out,
now rp


Eyes we said we'd hear the moral
to story. But don't make it mean


SNOt mean you Pot course 1
shall That's just what big folks
want about sermons-they want the
minister TO make a snug fit for
somebody else. But my morals al
ways go right to the mark, like an
Indians arrow"


"Oh tell US bout an Injun :"


mot any, my boys there are no
morals about the Indians-sO the
traders say. L will tell you about the
smart little rooster.


Once there was an old hen who had
q nice brood OF young gehickens-seven
tiny little fellows who were not big
enough to wear feathers, but had soft,
yellow down all over 'em. Their
eyes were brish. as beads, and always
closed at early bedtime their pink
bills never opened except to let out a
peep-peep, or let in 3 bug or sOme-
thing else nice to eat and their lit
tie legs went trotting around after the
hen all day long. They never had to
70 ho a laA 70 g.
bed, but snuggled under their man.
mas feathers as quick as she called !;
and they never kicked of the clothes,
or played circus, nor tore the bed to
pieces, nor quarreled, nor anything.
And when she'd elueked 'em one
story about 8 hawk and another about
q weasel, they never teased her for
one more about a funny old tom
turkey who sWelled up till be bust,
trying to look as big as he felt. And
In the morning they didn't snOozle
way past the second bell, and only
got up when they heard there were
pancakes and maple syrup for break
fast. They were q very nicely be-
hsved family Of chickens, you'd better
believe.


But as they grew up a little, and
got about to the pin-feathsr age, one
OF tnem-he was young rooster
came to think he knew more than his
mother. Did you ever hear OF such 3
thing Pa chicken only two months
old s'posing he knew more'n q ben
who was seven or eight years old ?


None Of them saw very much OF
their father he WAS busy day-times
finding corn, and making q greater
fuss about q single kernel than the
mamma-hen did about q whole ear.
Besides, he had q great deal running
around without going anywhere, to
do, and lots OF Growing to attend to,
and cAucuses and clubs to run after,
and he couldn't be bothered with
chickens.


But this young rooster got into lots
Of trouble by thinking he knew so
much. One day the old hen called
very loud and sharp, ruffied out the
straight on her neck, and
spread her wings so that every chick
under them except the
smart little rooster. He heard the
alarm, but said he'd come sin q min
ute" and went on picking up meal.
Just then q big hawk swOoped down
on him, and would have carried him
off for his dinner IL the farmers boy
hadn't been there and driven the
hawk away with his bow and arrow.
Another time q chlcken-eating cat
almost nabbed aim, under the barn,
where his mother had told him not to
go. And one day when it was rainy
and cold he wouldn't stay with the
rest under the shed, where it was dry
and warm, but kept going out into
the wet grass, looking after grasshOp-
pers that were too cold to jump away.
He had just begun to learn to crow
and the next morning about five
o'clock q strange noise started up
avery hen and chicken in the coop.
lt seemed TO say: "Ur-a.ur-u-r-r-h 90
but vas 30 hoarse and crOaky that it
sounded like Q big bull.froE with a
sore throat, and q boy with the Group,
and crow with q slip-nooss around
his neck, all making q noise together.
What do you s'pose 1t was ?"


"I dunno"


"ls was the smart young rooster,
growing He'd got his feet wet the
lay before. and caught an awful cold,
and when it crowed it just scared
svery chick out Of the coop. And he |
iidn't know his own voice, It was so
lOane aud broken. OF course he
ildn't have any licorice, nor hoar-
hound candy, nor balsam, nor wear
my flannel on his neck; and so he /
ned TO stuff it out the best he could. |
But rooster has pretty long throat, |
7Ou know, and 1t seemed twice as long |
V 1t was when he was swallowing |
,orn that day. And all the time he
vas sick he thought he'd mind his
mother next time. He forgot some
lines, but was so much better be-
laved that when he got big and fat
hey put him In q nice chicken pie for
where all good chickens
70.


MORAL


"Oh, you needn't make up any NOR
Yl-it's all mixed In the story and 1
Ion't believe 1t, either. Tell Us about
ONE buffaloes or IDjuns."