WINTER. 



as haow I'd wait a spell, 'n then 

 go 'n take it away. I thort that 

 'ud fetch him sure ; but thar, 

 deu yeu b'leeve, I heern thet 

 feller cum' sneakin' along putty 

 soon, 'n he cum' raoun' to t'other 

 side 'n scairt all the hens aout the 

 hole. I heern a great squawkin', 'n I 

 put fer the place ez tight ez I cud, 'n 

 thar I see my best dorkin' hen in the 

 trap. Ef I'd only gyn the feller time, 

 like's not he'd a chawed off her lee, 'n 

 lugged her off to his hole in the rocks 

 yencler. I tell ye, everybody araoun' 

 what's got hens hez hed to take thet 

 feller's sass, 'n they'd orter be an end 

 on't. There's old Reuben Scales, 

 so poor he hain't got a pa'r o' 

 pants teu his back, 'n de- 

 pendin' on his faowls 



f' lb 



fer his meat vittles ; \ W& 



why, they tell me daown \i|fc 

 t' the store thet he's mF 



H3 



bin jest cleaned right , 

 aout, 'n hain't got 

 ^t, even a ha'r-backed 

 pullet left. They 

 ain't no gunniii 

 nuther. Thet red- 





s 





A SUNNY CORNER. 



