The Golden Bird

en flagstones back to the barn, and his voice was so sweet and gentle with solicitude that I felt I must an

aintenance I have made myself responsible, and my mind is scared to death,

, Ann, and let me

but there is something in this low old farm-house, this tumble-down old barn, that leafless old garden with its crumbling brick walks, and these neglected, worn-out old acres, which seems to-to feed me and which I know I wou

l be here, Ann, whenever you want me, and if you say that chickens must fill my future

of the shadows of the barn interrupted me and an apple-blossom in the shape of a

violets were before they became a large commercial product. Her gingham dress was cut with decorum just below her shoe-tops and, taking into consideration the prevailing mode, its length, fullness, and ruffles made the slim young thing look like a picture from the same re

ough the young thing never so much as glanced in his direction as she tendered me a quaint

d of Polly and my incarnation in the atmosphere of Riverfield, my lips met the rosy ones that were held up to me. I felt s

I presented him to Polly, who answered that she was "pleased to make his

Bird, clucking and scratching along behind him. He had led the family out into the pasture and was now wisely returning them to t

to squeeze him once," she demanded of Matthew, confident where she had before been fearful. His response was long-limbed and enthusiastic, so that in a few seconds Mr. G. Bird stood pecking grains from her hand. The spectacle was so lovely that I was not at all troubled by twinges of jealousy, but enjoyed it, for even at that early moment I think I felt a

danced with artistic pleasure. "You love 'em, don't you, Miss-Miss Corn-ta

she looked up at him merr

interest in hers to me?" he asked of her in his jolly booming voice, with a smile many inches wide acro

could both get ribbons," she answered as she dimpled up at me as affectiona

. I'll start the search right now," said Matthew, teasing the kiddie as if he had known her all his life, but with an expressio

ung farmer whose ears had cooled down the day before over at Riverfield enough to let him admire the Golden Bird and family appeared around from behind the huge lilac at the corner of the house. He was attired as ye

ue and shy as hers. He looked right through Matthew until I introduced them, then he sh

ing more charm of manner than I had ever seen him us

for Polly this spring if I sell my hawgs as good as Mr. Adam perdicks I will. I brought her as a present to you, Miss Nancy, 'cause she's been a-

in all my life!" This I said before the face of Matthew Berry, with a complete loss of memory of all of the wonderful things he had been giving me from

nd Red business together? We were just deciding the details as you came around the house. What do you say to coming in? How many shall I buy? Say, about fifty hens and half a doze

ch stock," answered the brother Corn-tassel. "Miss Nancy has

r than a hen can fly. I'm growing heady over this business and must go back to town to set the w

id the paternal twins good-by, we all rode merrily and joltily down the long avenue under the old elms to the big gate at the square in Riverfield. In front of the post-office-bank-grocery empor

se enough to his shoulder to talk and not interrupt the powerful engine. "I want

nd you have made this day-possible," I sai

don't want me-now?" he asked me as he sent the c

I nestled a little closer to him. He

r any old thing that keeps me in your aura. I'll grow chickens with the Corn-tassels or-here we turn bac

test. I finally made him see that I really was not equal to another "rocking" over the ro

of the present and began to walk slowly up the long avenue into my future. "I've never known anything but dancing and motoring and being happy, and how could that teach any woman what love is?" I queried as I stopped and picked up a small yellow flower out

rce little wind, that was earthy and sweet, but strong, ruffled across my path and up into the tops of the elms, and with a bit of fury tore

e came Pan's reedy call, and it ended with the two Delilah notes that I had thought I heard in the early morning. It was with no will of my own that I answered with that coo which I had heard M

he oak-tree," came human words from Pan

ches of the old oak and upon a scene of tragedy, that is, it was almost tragedy, for the poor old

l tenderness that I came close to him because I couldn't resist it. "She dropped twin lambs last night and she is down with exhaustion. They are getting cold, and I want to take her right up to the barn where

it and my arms, close against my warm solar plexus, which glowed at their soft huddling. One tiny thing reached out a little re

the beasties," said Pan as he s

h pathetic inertia while Adam stood

lly burden for what I knew would seem a long march. "I'll get 'em to the barn all right," I assured their first friend, who

is legs far apart and lifted the limp mother sheep up across his back and shoulder. It seemed positively weird to be standing there acting a scene

ed close to my breast until at last we deposited all t

e isn't a bit of any kind of food on this place but

y just being out of the wind and in the warmth, and I don't believe she needs any medicine. She wouldn't let them to her udder if she wasn't all right. Now we can leave them alone for a time, and I'll give her a warm mash in a little while." As he spoke Adam calmly walked

model hen-house? Trap nests! I wouldn't have believed it

aise that was beaming from Pan's eyes upon all of us, but I fought and conquered it with nobility. "Matthew Berry came out a

he front of Gale Beacon's box at the Metropolitan," answered Pan, with a little flute of laughter in hi

shment as I followed him into the last of the s