out　of　the　yard；　but　they'd　hang　around　the　front　yard　or　the　side　yard；　just　waiting　for　him　to

snooze　so　they　could　sneak　in　and　pounce　on　some

tender　little　mousy　vittles。

Then　my　brothers　started　trapping　the　mice；　which　I　thought　was　just　to　help　out。　I　didn't

suspect　a　thing　until　the　day　I　heard　my　mother　screaming

from　the　depths　of　their　room。　They　were；　it　turns　out；　raising　a　boa　constrictor。

Mom's　foot　came　down　in　a　big　way；　and　I　thought　she　was　going　to　throw　us　out；　lock；　stock；

and　boa；　but　then　I　made　the　most　amazing

discovery—chickens　lay　eggs！　Beautiful；　shiny；　creamy　white　eggs！　I　first　found　one　under

Bonnie；　then　Clyde—whom　I　immediately　renamed

Clydette—and　one　more　in　Florence's　bed。　Eggs！

I　raced　inside　to　show　my　mom；　and　after　a　brief　moment　of　blinking　at　them；　she　withered

into　a　chair。　“No；”　she　whimpered。　“No　more　chicks！”

“They're　not　chicks；　Mom　…　they're　eggs！”

She　was　still　looking　quite　pale；　so　I　sat　in　the　chair　next　to　her　and　said；　“We　don't　have　a

rooster…？”

“Oh。”　The　color　was　ing　back　to　her　cheeks。　“Is　that　so？”

“I've　never　heard　a　cock…a…doodle…do；　have　you？”

She　laughed。　“'41　blessing　I　guess　I've　forgotten　to　count。”　She　sat　up　a　little　and　took　an　egg

from　my　palm。　“Eggs；　huh。　How　many　do　you

suppose　they'll　lay？”

“I　have　no　idea。”

………　Page　34………

As　it　turns　out；　my　hens　laid　more　eggs　than　we　could　eat。　At　first　we　tried　to　keep　up；　but

soon　we　were　tired　of　boiling　and　pickling　and　deviling；

and　my　mother　started　plaining　that　all　these　free　eggs　were　costing　her　way　too　much。

Then　one　afternoon　as　I　was　collecting　eggs；　our　neighbo