CHICKEN LITTLE JANE ON THE BIG JOHN

Came half way across and held out his hand.

Chicken Little Jane

By
LILY MUNSELL RITCHIE

New York
BRITTON PUBLISHING COMPANY

Copyright, 1919, by
Britton Publishing Company, Inc.
Made in U. S. A. All rights reserved.

11

WITH HUZ AND BABY JILL IN THE PASTURE

“Chicken Little–Chicken Little!”

Mrs. Morton’s face was flushed with the heat. She was frying doughnuts over a hot stove and had been calling Chicken Little at intervals for the past ten minutes. Providence did not seem to have designed Mrs. Morton for frying doughnuts. She was very sensitive to heat and had little taste for cooking. She had laid aside her silks and laces on coming to the ranch, but the poise and dignity that come from years of gentle living were still hers. Her formal manner always seemed a trifle out of place in the old farm kitchen. On this particular morning she was both annoyed and indignant.

12“She is the most provoking child!” she exclaimed in exasperation as Dr. Morton stepped into the kitchen.

“Provoking–who?–Chicken Little? What’s the matter now?”

“That child is a perfect fly-away. I can no more lay my hands on her when I need her than I could on a flea. She is off to the pasture, or out watching the men plow, or trotting away, no one knows where, with the two pups. And the worst of it is you encourage her in it, Father. You forget she is thirteen years old–almost a woman in size! She is too old to be such a tomboy. She should be spending her time on her music and sewing, or