CHICKEN "MEEMEE." 23I

of down, and poor I was dropped behind the baby, and henceforth was called his,
the box in which the nest was, and no and named 'Chicken Meemee.'
one saw me. An hour or so afterwards, "I don't see that my name was of any
nurse, with her little charges, could not use to me. I never knew when the chil-
refrain from coming to take another look, dren called me by it; and I was no tamer
and the little boy in her arms shouted so than the rest.
eagerly, Me, me,' and held out his hands One day I had managed to jump up
towards the opposite corner of the wood- and sit on mother-hen's back. Blackey
shed, where the nest was, that the others number two wanted to come in my place;
looked that way, and there saw the chick- so he jumped up, and we both slipped
en that had been dropped, now almost down. Then I got up again, and took a
dead with cold. They took it, and kept peck at mother's comb, as we often did;
it in their warm hands till they found but she shook her head, and down I
their mother; and she gave it a few drops slipped again; and I heard a voice say-
of brandy and water, and held it tenderly ing very loud, Me, me.'
for a long time. The little thing began "I woke laughing! I stretched my
to look better ; and to the great delight arm, and felt inclined to assist its exten-
of all, especially of the little one, whose sion with my leg, and half expected to
whole language did not go much beyond see feathers all down it. But no, I was
his frequent 'Me, me,' the chicken was I, myself; and out of the window I saw
at length quite well. It was put into the I the chickens running on the lawn, and I
nest, and when, the day after, as all were looked after first one and then another,
found to be hatched, they were put into to see which I was, and then laughed
the coop in sight of the assembled fam- again at the droll confusion I felt in, as to
ily, the sick chicken was recognized by whether I was I, or Meemee the chicken!"