CHAPTER XXXIX. THE NEW MOTHER.

AndTiffupliftedaquaveringstaveofafavoritemelody:— "Mybrother,Ihavefound Thelandthatdothabound Withfoodassweetasmanna. ThemoreIeat,Ifind ThemoreIaminclined Toshoutandsinghosanna!" "Shoo!shoo!shoo!"hesaid,observingcertainlong-legged,half-grownchickens,whoweresurreptitiouslytakingadvantageofhisdevotionalengrossmentstorushpasthimintothekitchen. "'Pearslikedeseyerchickensneverwilllarnnothing!"saidTiff,findingthathisvigorous"shooing"onlyscaredthewholeflockin,insteadofadmonishingthemout.SoTiffhadtolaydownhisworkandhisthimblerolledoneway,andhiscakeofwaxanother,hidingthemselvesundertheleaveswhilethehens,seeingTiffatthedoor,insteadofacceptinghispoliteinvitationtowalkout,actedinthatprovokingandinconsideratewaythathensgenerallywill,runningpromiscuouslyupanddown,flappingtheirwings,cackling,upsettingpots,kettles,andpans,inpromiscuousruin,Tiffeachmomentbecomingmoreandmorewrathfulattheirentirewantofconsideration. "Bressme,ifIeverdidseeanykindo'crittursoshallerashens!"saidTiff,as,havingfinallyejectedthem,hewasbusyrepairingtheruintheyhadwroughtinMissFanny'sfancifulfloralarrangements,whichwerealllyinginwildconfusion."ItoughtdeLordmaderoomineverybeast'sheadforsomesense,but'pearslikehensan'tgottheleastestgrain!Putsmeout,seeingdemcrawkingandcrawingononeleg,'causedeyhan'tgotsense'noughtoknowwhartosetdownt'oder.Deyneverhasnoideeswhatdey'sgoingtodo,frommorningtonight,Ib'lieve!But,den,dere'sfolksdat'sjustlike'em,datdeLordhasginbrainsto,anddeywon'tuse'em.Dey'salwayssettinround,butdeyneverlaysnoeggs.Sohensan'tdewustcritters,arterall.AndIrallydon'knowwhatwe'ddowidout'em!"saidOldTiff,relentingly,as,appeasedfromhiswrath,hetookupatoncehisneedleandhispsalm,singinglustily,andwithgoodcourage,— "Perhapsyou'lltinkmewild, Andsimpleasachild, ButI'machildofglory!" "Laws,now,"saidTiff,pursuinghisreflectionstohimself,"maybehe'sdeadnow,sure'nough!Andifheis,why,Icandofordechil'enraalpowerful.Isoldrightsmartofeggsdisyersummer,anddesw