Mother Carey's Chickens

il Gilbert turned the corner. He looked back, took of

hope he won't forget what he went for! I hope he won

ed as she turned

use, Nancy, so never mind. What would the Pathfinde

g to the new railway station in Boston now, and presently I should be at the little grated window asking for a return ticket to Greentown st

, one-from-ten-is-nine, five-from-eight-is-three,-thre

wer, 'No thank you; I always go in the common car to study human nature.' That's what the Admiral says, but of cou

ulah, shiny-rivered Beulah; not breathing a word about the yellow house for fear he would jump off the train and rent it first. Then he would say he never heard of Beulah. I would look pityingly at him, but make no

, because this is what good children do in the Sunday-school books, but I do not mingle much with

dores Nancy's tales. Peter has sat like a small statue ever since his quick ear caught the sound of a story. His eyes follow Nancy as she walks up and down imp

he is going to say you can understand him quite nicely, so I take up my bag and go down the aisle with dignity. 'Step lively, Miss!' cries the brakeman, but I do not heed him; it is not likely that a person renting country houses will move save with majesty. Alighting, I inquire if there is any conveyance for Beulah, and there is, a wagon and a white horse. I ask the driver boldly to drive me to the Colonel's office. He does not ask which Colonel, or what Colonel, he simply says, 'Colonel Foster, I s'pose,' and I say, 'Certainly.' We arrive at the office and when I intr

the story is fast approaching its climax,-everybody feels that, including Pe

aged one asks courteously, 'a

ddenly, as I gaze upward, my suitor's white hair turns to brown, his beard drops off, his wrinkles disappear, and he stands before me a young Knight, in full armor. 'Wilt go to the yellow castle with me, sweet lady?' he asks. 'Wilt I!' I cry in ecstasy, and we leap on the back of a charger hitched to the Colonel's horseblock. We dash down the ave

back. 'Here are house and lands, and all are yours, sweet lady, if you have a younger brother. There is

rother,' I cry, 'and

sitting on his hassock, his hands outspread upon his fat knees, his lips parted, his eyes shi

her laughter,

e flies in a great air ship from Charlestown to Beulah. And whe

es to his dimpled elbows and s

lettuce and potatoes and beets and onions and turnips and carrots and parsnips and tomatoes and cabbages. He ta

eter speedily lifts from the ground pots and pots

ps his hands, and hugs himself with joy, and rocks himself to and fro

Carey. They alight; Peter meets them at the gate, a pot of gold in each hand. They enter the castle and put their umbrellas in one corner of the front hall and their rubbers in the other one, behind the door. Lady Nancibel

at I had asked you to be mine,

rse he would remember his offer made when he was an old man with a goat

you nothing when I remember you have brought me back my youth

I have chosen none,' an

stly, as i

he Knight, 'since all I wish is to

Carey, 'and as we much do need a hand at the silver

d in great happiness and comfort all the days of their lives, and there they died when it

ut do change the end a bit, Nancy dear! It's dreadful for him to marry Kitty when he

Right you are, my hearty!' cries Prince Gilbert de Carey, 'and as we do ne

l,' she says, turning to the knightly stranger, 'that memory will not awake one day, and y

k on a far-away look and he

did love the Lady Nancibel passionately, a

Princess Kitty haughtily, 'for a million suitors

onds the luckless youth, the tears flowing

ighteen and the castle is set in order

. 'And I do beg the fair one with the golden locks to consider the cl

enteen,' responds the Crown Princess Kitty, than whom no violet could

ness forever after, and were buried by the shores of t

funny for words!-Oh, if some of it would only happen! But I am af

ed Peter. "I shall dig every sing

d yourself, filled fu

n your fairy tale while you re

y other, and you still tell a st

f late, Mother Carey looked at her eldest chicken and wondered if after all she had hatched in her a bird of bri