MRS. JORDAN'S TROUBLES.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10267, 9 February 1899, Page 2

MRS. JORDAN'S TROUBLES.

■ ~. —=— ■•— ' . in the Australasia*. Mrs Jordan appeared at Mrs Dooley's I back door, and looked into the kitchen ■ where Mrs Dooley was making cakes. It I had required considerable courage to make I up her mind to come, but she felt she had r right on her side, and must, therefore, win tße day. She was somewhat out of breath, t however, for she was fat and had walked , fast, and that added to her nervousness. '. "Good-day," said Mrs Dooley, conscious I that the fact that she was using lemon- ' peel, currants, raisins,- and unlimited eggs [ must strike a chord of envy in Mrs Jordan's breast. f "Good-day," returned Mrs Jordan, affectj ing not to see the good things on . the r table, and holding her head on one side , with an air of hautour and indifference. '. "Will you step in?" inquired Mrs Dooley ' affably, breaking one egg after another into ' a basin. "Thanks; I'll not trouble you." "No trouble. It isn't often you step across." "You're right, Mrs Dooley!" She plunged with warmth into the subject. "You're right. And when I do step over it's because something's wrong." "Ah, Jordan been beating you?" MrsDooley glanced up commiserating!}-. "No, ne has not; an' it's not you should talk of beatin's when your own 'usban' is that terrified of the broomstick " ', "You're quite right. Dooley always was nervous, but don't ye let that worry ye; Til manage him nicely. Was you wanting to borrow a loaf or " "Mc borrow! I'd thank you to keep yer dirty loaves, Mrs Dooley,* fer them that needs them. No; I come to tell you I missed a black hen, and now I see 'er shut up in your yard, with a clutch of ten chicks, an' I'd thank ye to send 'er back. There's some that ain't above usin' eggs Chat don't belong to them, when other's fowls lay away, an , there's some that'll Use them under other's very noses, too." This with a meaning glance at the frothing basin.

"If you missed a hen, Mrs Jordan, you'll find the poor cvittur dead o , starvation down be the river, I expccfc.l wouldn't come lookin' fer mc hens in other people's back yards if I was you, even if. I-was that hard up, and 'mc pore children starving. I'd be, honest if I.#as poor, Mrs: Jordan. , ' "Mc not honest! Mc, with mc sister married to-. '- ■'■'■• ' "You've said that afore —married to .a minister in/Melbourne. .He's cut the con- : nection, though, ain't he?" ;, ! "What do you mean? 'Ow dare you?' ,, s spluttered Mrs Jordan, her face red, her ' ! eyes blazing. "Iv"e come for my 'en, an , 5 , I'll have 'er." ' "You're welcome, but if you touch any o' 1 ! mine I'll have the bobby down, an' there'll J i be trouble, not but what I'm sorry for you ' losin' yer hens through not 'avin' enough • for them to eat. I throw a few scraps I j over to them now an' agen, when mc own t are satisfied." Mrs Jordan was impotent. "I'll take : j that there 'en!" ! .j Mrs Dooley was soothing. "I'd leave J 'er alone if I was you. It would be a nasty ! i thing to see Mrs Jordan, sister-in-law to > j a Melbourne minister, hauled up before the y * J.P.s for stealing fowls." . "Stealing! The cap fits some one else J than mc! I'll take that 'en." i "Very well, you take her, Mrs Jordan. > She's whole an , sound, ain't she*" ■ i "Yes, she is. You an' yer J.P.s! IJlack, i as ink she is all over. Think I don't Mow : 'er when I see ? e'r?" mv »! "'Aye you missed anything else? lhat f there boiler, may be it's yours, an' strayed , over ; or that bag of flour, may be I enticed T that across; or them there flat irons, may i be you reco'nise them?" ! J "Poke yer fun where it's needed. I m " goin' t' take that there 'en now." L, "When you've caught 'er you'd better ■ i come up an' 'aye a cup o' tea; I daresay ! things are a bit short with you now an , ■ '' agon, though, you do look 'earty on it." ', i Mrs Jordan* made no reply, she felt she i was not equal to it, but turned, and made • her way into the fowl-yard; and Mrs I Dooley went into the dairy that she might i ' have a full view of the proceedings. A , ! The fowls resented a stranger's mll trusion, and rushed off with wild clteki ings to the further end, whither Mrs Jordan: ■' followed them.calling persuasively, "Chook! ; chook! Here, chook! chook! chook!" » But it was not feeding time, and the . fowls were deaf to her call. They huddled behind a water barrel, and then scats tered off in every direction when she ap- • proached, the black hen leading the way, • and the chickens screaming dolefully. Mrs I Jordan was determined, however, and, I though the day was hot, she pounded after i them vigorously, sometimes cutting out the - black hen, cornering, and almost catching j her, only to fail, as, with a scream and i infuriated clucking, the bird flew over her i head, and escaped again. The yard was in . un uproar ; the roosters crowed and cackled f angrily, proclaiming defiance, and then - bustling oil -with absurd loss of dignity, as ; the little, angry Avoman came bearing down 1 on them. r Mrs DocJey, watching, rubbed the scraps r of dough from her.fingers, and smiled. A rooster flew on to the barrel, and cackl- , ed with all his might, as X crying for help. t His stentorian voice almost drowned the diss tressed crows and cackles of the others. The . j black lien was growing weary; she was pantj ! ing and distressed; her chicks were scattered ) ; all over the yard. She made a dive for safety 5 behind a box; Mrs Jordan pushed it over - ; on her, and she was a captive, ana was cari : ried screaming with rage and terror to the . gate, whib the chicks cried sadly, and the t other fowls kept bursting in wild cacklings f of annoyance at being thus disturbed and ■ frightened. Mrs Dooley smiled again, and i went down tiie garden path. f "So you caught her, Mrs Jordan?" i "I did!" Mrs Jordan was damp, pant- ■ ing, ruffled m hair and clothes, but, hap: 5 pily, triumphant. . "You're goin' to take 'cr then?" ''Indeed, yes." She sniffed with contempt at such a question. ' "Hoy about the bobby" an , the J.P,'9, will you risk 'em?" "* ; "I can afford to, she's my , en." , "Your 'en's all black, Airs Jordan?" ''Yes; so is this one." | ,- ,-.'■ ' ' "An , your 'en's whole an' sound?" 1 "Yes/ , ' "Well, that there hen 'as white-feathers ■ in ;-'er tail. You lookj-'an' .she'sibtind ever since she was a chick of one eye."--* ■ Mrs Jordan's jaw dropped; it was as [ Mrs Dodey said. The eye was missing, and the white feathers were there. She j dropped the bird as if it had been red hot, . and turning, made her way across to t<he , outer gate without a word, j "Good day," cred Mrs Dooley. "Any time you feel you'd like a little * exercise, . come over an' chase hens ; it's an inter- > estin' amusement." Then she chased the > hen back to the yard, and went into the kitchen to finish her cakes.