Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1852-03-11


ms hens and hurt em, Why You would B.
sorry cause you couldn't help It. But hens
has got natur and corn haint, so I'm on the :
safe side, for corn's good for hens Next !.
year plant somethin' thatll hurt 'em, Is :
you'yea MAD to-eorn won't
In vain it was that Philander plead with.
theol man apa in vain that he urged his
claims of right, and with heart swelling
with indignation Returned his steps home,
wand. As he came to his corns lel he stop-
ped, and looked over the fence, ana his feel,
itlgs were in no way relieved BY finding that
old Fasybody's hens were most INDUSTRIOUS
Ii at work For full ten minutes the youth
.azed IN silence upon this scene, but at the
-.0 q |.at time his eyes bcamed with a hap
" Thought and bringing his hands together,
With much vehemehce he uttered;
aIll do itr
Philander Limpton leaped over the fence.
and after searching about for few mo-
monts, he found an ear Of corn that was per-
fectly ripe, with kernels hard as brirk6ats,
and breaking it from its stalk, be slipped il
ward. Old Limpton had in days gone by
been trainer, and among his aceoutrementss
incidental to that profession, he still retain.
,fuliold musket had become a terror to all
hawks, crows, etc, and toward this memento
Of his daddy's bloodless valor, PhiIander
made all haste The musket was soon
charged with. little less than. half aspint of
powper, and then, with eyes sparkling in all
the brilliancy of lis happy thought, the.
youth took the car from his pocket, shelled
off the almost crystalline kernels, and zdelib-
erately poured them into the eapacious bar
rel of his weapon. A wad Of tow fnished
the dose, and then placing old Queens
Arm upon his shoulder, he started of to-
wards his corn lot.
H Silently and stealthily, with fendish feel.
ings of dire revenge swelling in his bosom,
+ Philander Limpton erept towards the fence
that should have protected his corn AT
The hens were revealing in the very ..h,,sttt
half satisfied appetite, and in ona
several fine cars of corn bad been "a
Of their. husks,1 were huddled together some
dozen of the old coopers latest fowls Di.
rectly upon this unsuspecting congregation
I of feathered bipeds, Philander pointed his
gun, and on the next instant pulled the trig-
ger. 1t is no wonder that the ground few
up and hit the adventuror all along7on the
\ back, but whenat length terra frma let 20
its hold, and fell back tolits wonted place,
! Philander was somewhat astonished at the
sad havoc he had made, for upon examine
tion he found that seven hens had become ir.
rddeemably cornod.
f Mr. Eas5body,1 said Philandcr. as with
rueful countenanee he entered the old mans
Shop with the fallen fowls ID his hands, I'm
sorry for what's happened, but really, sir,
my corn has got among four hers, and hurt
'em dreadfully just look here
81 4s be spoke, be opetfed some Of the bleed.
ing wounds and took therefrom several ker.
/ nels of the fatal corn Z Sampson Easybody
mad heard the cannon like report Of the old
nusket, and in q moment he comprehended
the truth. First. lie looked searclingly@ 3,
the honest face of Philander, then cas- i
7 eyes sorrowfully upon the defunct eg
lkcrs. and then essayed to speak in ton
I wrath; but suddenly change cam
= bis Erinkled face, aud taking one mo-.
corpse of.the foremost hen