迪文小说

第11部分（第3页）

rooster…？”

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

“Ive　never　heard　a　cock…a…doodle…do；　have　you？”

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

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

suppose　theyll　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　neighbor　Mrs。　Stueby　leaned　over　the　side

fence　and　said；　“If　you　ever　have　any　extra；　Id　be

happy　to　buy　them　from　you。”

“Really？”　I　asked。

“Most　certainly。　Nothing　quite　like　free…range　eggs。　Two　dollars　a　dozen　sound　fair　to　you？”

Two　dollars　a　dozen！　I　laughed　and　said；　“Sure！”

“Okay；　then。　Whenever　you　have　some　extras；　just　bring　em　over。　Mrs。　Helms　and　I　got　to

discussing　it　last　night　on　the　phone；　but　I　asked　you

first；　so　make　sure　you　offer　em　up　to　me　before　her；　okay；　Juli？”

“Sure　thing；　Mrs。　Stueby！”

Between　Mrs。　Stueby　and　Mrs。　Helms　three　doors　down；　my　egg　overflow　problem　was

solved。　And　maybe　I　shouldve　turned　the　money　over　to

my　mother　as　payment　for　having　destroyed　the　backyard；　but　one　“Nonsense；　Julianna。　Its

yours；”　was　all　it　took　for　me　to　start　squirreling　it　away。

Then　one　day　as　I　was　walking　down　to　Mrs。　Helms　house；　Mrs。　Loski　drove　by。　She　waved

and　smiled；　and　I　realized　with　a　pang　of　guilt　that　I

wasnt　being　very　neighborly　about　my　eggs。　She　didnt　know　that　Mrs。　Helms　and　Mrs。

Stueby　were　paying　me　for　these　eggs。　She　probably

thought　I　was　delivering　them　out　of　the　kindness　of　my　heart。

And　maybe　I　shouldve　been　giving　the　eggs　away；　but　Id　never　had　a　steady　ine　before。

Allowance　at　our　house　is　a　hit…or…miss　sort　of　thing。

Usually　a　miss。　And　earning　money　from　my　eggs　gave　me　this　secret　happy　feeling；　which　I

was　reluctant　to　have　the　kindness　of　my　heart