Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-10-28
BY ENocH PrTTswnlsTLER.
Philander Limpton lived in Norwa

Maine. Now Philander was youth o!
exceeding good habits, being anxious TO
lift his head in the world, and unders tand,
ing thing or two, but Philander's daddy
was poor, and so the youth was obliged
10 look TO his own exerlions for procur
ing books. The elder Limpion could not
but appreciate his sons laudible desire,
and so he gave to philandcr small lol
of land, that the outh nigh, cultivate il
and raise therelrom the wherewith to pur-
chase grammar, and such other (houghl
by the old man useless-for Tins was for
ty years ago. books as he thought
proper.
Phlander broke up his small lot land;
and after due deliberation he planted
therein corn. The sunshine smiled, and
the clouds wepi, upon Philander's land,
and in due course of time the full corn
was ripening in the ear. Blu, alas! short
IL before the season for harvesting, the
youth found that to,0I depradatons were
being committed upon his premises.
Now over against the spot where Phi
lander Limp,on had planted his seed, liv-
ed one Sampson Easy body, an old man,
a cooper by trade, who planted no corn
of his own, bu, who kept large number
of hens, and to Philander il soon become
eviden, that said hens were living upon
the products of his own hard labor. In
fact he knew such 20 be the case, for he
caught the whole squadron of fowls in
his lot, picking away at the ripened ears
for dear life. With rueiuI countenance
Philander waited upon old Sampson Ea.
sybody, and stated his cause of griev.
ance.
WELL said the old man with cool
ness that utterly as,onished his youthful
visitor, 4 s'9ose my hens love your corn.
Hens generally do. sir replied Phi
lander.
.Cer,'nly, AN that's wot makes EN- ca
jus, the same as you an me eats wo
we love,-only hens haint got human un
.dersiandin' yer know, an so they dom
know your corn from mine. I'm sorry
Philander, "a, my hens makes such mis-
takes, but really, l don's see how car
help it,
You can shu, them up, can't you!
said the youth, in tone rather of the
peremptory order than the suggestive.
What uttered old Easybocy, in q
manner indicative Of great surprise
How would you like TO be shat up?-
Hens hahn, got unders,andin', but, they
have feelin's. Now, look here, continu
ed the cooper, while ray of extraordIn
airy thought sho. athwart his old visage
.the case stands jest here:-That little
spot over there is yours an you've plapt,
ed corn on it, an of course you had a
right to plant it there
Most certainly had replied Philan,
der:
SAN this land here is mine, faint it,
querried Easybody.
Yes
AN I've got as good right TO raise
hens here, as you have to raise corn
,herer
Certainly
We'll, now I've taken my course, and
you've taken yours, only I'm more lucky
than you, cause yon see, you get all the
trouble. Nov if my hens get among
your corn and hur.it, why then I'm sorry,
hui then can't help it; an SO if your
corn should get among my hens and hurt
EN-, you'd be sorry. cause you couldn't
help It. Blu, hens has got natur' and
corn hain't, SO I'm on the safe side, for
corn's good for hens. Next year plan.
som,hin' ,hat'll hurt 'em if you've q
mind to,--corn won't
In vain was ii that Philander plead
with the old man, and in vain that he urg.
ed his claims of right, and with heart
swelling with Indignation, he turned his
steps homeward. As he came 10 his
corn LOT he stopped, and he looked over
the fence, and his feelings were no ways
relieved by finding that old Easybody' IS
hens were mos. indus.riously at work.
For full ten minutes the youth gazed in
silence on this scene, but at the end OF
that time his eyes beamcd with a happy
thought, and bringing his hands together
with much vchemence, he uttered 'TH do
iG'
Philander Limpton leaped over the
fence and after searching about for few
moments he found an ear of corn thai
was perfectly ripe, with kernels as hard
as brick. bats, and breaking it from its
stalk, he slipped it into his pocket, and