as long as they would
stand it, and then go home and talk to Minerva's father, who was not
very strong, and passed away at one such time. It was my turn after
that. I came along just in time to take his place.

[Illustration: I ASKED MINERVA TO TELL ME IN A FEW SIMPLE WORDS WHAT SHE
HAD BEEN TALKING ABOUT AT THE MEETING]

"It was nice enough at first. I thought how smart Mother Crow and
Minerva were, and was proud when I saw them get up those big meetings.
You never saw such meetings as those were. I've seen the trees in every
direction black with our family, listening to Minerva and her mother
talk. I don't know what they said--I never could seem to get the run of
it, and, besides, I had to slip home early and get the supper, so I
never got to hear their closing remarks, which might have explained
things. Once when I asked Minerva to tell me in a few simple words what
she had been talking about at the meeting, it seemed to fret her, and
she said I seemed to understand private cooking better than public
questions, and had better stick to it; which I did, after that, and I
didn't go to the meetings at all. Minerva was not a cook herself, though
her mother had been before she took to society work, and she told me
some very good recipes.

"It was trying to learn those recipes that started my work in the
star-making line. She gave me a recipe for chicken-pie one morning
before she and Minerva started out, and the last thing she said, just
before she left, was that it was only to have one crust. I had never
made a pie that way. I always used two crusts--one above and one below,
so when it came to that part this time, I put a lower crust in the pan,
and then the chicken, and baked it just so, though I thought it would
look much better with a top crust. When Mrs. Crow and Minerva came home,
they were cross, and fussing a good deal at each other, because, for
some reason, the meeting hadn't gone well, and when they came in and
Mother Crow saw the open pie on the table, she asked me what I meant by
making such a looking thing as that. I told her I had put on only one
crust, according to her orders, and I thought, myself, a top crust would
make it look better.

[Illustration: SHE JUST WHEELED AND GAVE ME A CLIP]

"Well, she didn't say another word. She just wheeled and gave me a clip
on the left ear, and right then I saw three stars, just as plain as
anything, fly out of my head and start for the sky. I don't know which
on