so ingratiated
itself that they did not relish the idea of moving back to the city.

Bill Brown is ever kind. He sent a half dozen guineas, advising they
were "chicken-house sentinels." They multiplied more rapidly than any
fowls known; that the hen laid forty and fifty eggs in one nest. Mr.
Field and all the hands followed those guineas all summer, nor did
anyone find a guinea egg. After months of seeking guinea eggs, an old
lady familiar with guineas advised Alfred that all of Bill's guineas
were cocks. It was true; they were all Shriner guineas. Alfred procured
a few Suffragettes and guineas are now the most prolific fowl production
of the farm.

[Illustration: Home, Sweet Home]

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

It's curious what fuss folks makes 'bout boys that went away
Years ago from home.
There's young Bill Piper that used to keep recitin',
Do you know what he's done?
He's gone to actin', there's some that actually pay
To go an' hear Bill talkin', public in a play.
Why, he couldn't chop a cord o' hickory wood in a year;
He may fool the folks out yonder, but he ain't no hero here.

I am glad to have Uncle Tom visit us. He is a good man. It is true his
calling made him very narrow when a younger man, but he was always kind
hearted, and under his austerity there's a lot of man. I am doubly glad
he is to visit us. I want him to carry back to my old home, to those who
predicted a much different career for me, a few things I would like them
to know.

[Illustration: Uncle Tom]

"What are you going to do with Polly?" inquired the wife. Polly was a
bird purchased in New Orleans; warranted to be one of the best talkers
ever imported; talks French, English and Spanish. The bird came up to
the guarantee and even surpassed it. She can cuss in two or three
languages not specified in the guarantee. The wife suggested we carry
Polly to sister's. "But Uncle Tom will visit there and it would come out
that the parrot belonged to us. Besides, it would be disreputable to
have Polly's profanity charged to sister's family."

Janet Wolfe, a teacher of languages, was also a guest of the family. She
and the uncle spent a great deal of their leisure talking to Polly.
Janet was particularly interested in Polly's Spanish and French. One
morning the two were standing near Polly's perch. Polly was unusually
talkative. In answer to a sentence of Janet's purest South End French,
Polly rolled off sentence