Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-03-24

mONcWcheS, aiu tndt lnclI capaclties are equal
to the selfstyled lords of the barnyard."
Speckle said she did not and could not un-
dersiand the new tangled noiion of some of the
hens-Mss Crowant among the rest, and she
thought they would all live to deplore the day
she came into the yard And she added, "Old
John Moses must have been crazy when he
bought her. New Acquisition indeed"
StriPeneck looked all around, and speaking
in whisper, said
"fou must not say anything about ii, Spec
kle, but certain person told me that John Mo-
ses never did buy her-thai she was in the
great chicken show you have heard Of, and got
her head turned in consequence of being seen
and admired, and has been going about The
country ever since, lecturing on hens rights,
and that she was smuggled in here by Mr..
Longspur, without the knowledge of good Mr..
Oldsiyle.''
"Did you everl" said Speckle, and she
opened her wings wider than before. Again
she slipped and added, "a most pernicious inau-
ence she will exert among u.s.
"That is my opinion" said Stripeneck. -
"And another thing, | should not wonder il
Mr.. Longspur should get enough of the Crow
ants yet, for they say his wife, Mrs Biddy
Chanticleer, is to assist in the performance to-
morrow night"
''Dear me !" said Mr.. Speckle, "what are
the chickens Of this generation coming ioi'i
Stripeneck replied that size did not know I;
but one thing she did know, and that was, that
she would not suffer one Of her chickens to
hear the proposed lecture from Miss Crowant
Here the neighborly gossip was interrupted
by the loud talking of couple Of halfgrowu
pullets, who little way of, stood backing
against the fence to make their tails stand up
after the manner Of a cockerel.
"As | am alve.l" exclaimed Stripeneck,
Zone of those chicksns is your daughter /
would not have believed it,"
'Sure enough" answered Speckle, "and
the other is yours" And rushing as she had
never rushed ill then, except for her life, she
siezed her ambitious daughter, and picked out
two Of her brightest tail feathers, excaming
as she did SO ; "What in the world are you
doingi Why, never was so surprised and
shocked in all the days Of my life."
The little pullet shook herself free, and with
saucy look that said, "You are quite behind
the times, old hen,' flew 10 the tip-top of the
smoke house, and essayed TO crow.
Meantime Stripeneck seized her chicken by
the left leg, and demanded an explanation.
"Wretch,' she said, show dare you set up
your tail above the ordinance of naturei'
Because" replied the culprit, blushing red
was going to be all the fashion pretty soon !:
she is setting heis up, and says Miss Crowant
wears hers as high as a ROSTERS"
30, that ever should have hatched such a
pullet!" cried Stripeneck. "Whal will your
father say!"
"They are couple Of old fogies, sister
chick, never mind ihem," called the pullet from
the roof of the smoke-house. 81 have some
ideas Of my own about reform and hens rights,
and my old fashioned mother wont make nsa
wear my tail down in the dew and dust--I
don't care what she says. | have G right 10
wear short tail, and will wear il whether ii
pleases every young cockerel in the yard OF
not" And stretching up her neck, she at
tempted to crow again.
A couple Of roosters who were passing in
their shining pride, affected to be so mortified
at the conduc, Of the pullets that they hid their
heads beneath their wings that they might not
witness the disgrace of chickendom.
Notwithstanding the prohibition Of their old
fashioned mothers, the two ambitious young la
dies who were of Mrs. Biddy Chanticleer's s
way'of thinking, stole from their proper roosts
after night, aud, contrary to custom, went un-
attended, 10 hear the lecture Of Miss Crowant.
There was great sensation in the yard; 10 be
sure, some of the old hens would not even look
up as the reformers passed along; most of them
Peered slyiy, inst to see how the creatures did
look, they said. A few of the younger Chan
ticleers were generous enough 10 take their
wives TO hear what could be said, but mostly.
those who went, went alone-ihe majority, and
those known as the respectable class, absenting
themselves altogether. In their opinion, any
rooster who would hear Miss Crowant, com
promised his dignity. As for The tone of so
ciety being affected by such an upsiart, they
had no more fear of il, than that the moon
would turn aside for the mist on the hill top
They forgot that the oak is the growth of an
acorn, and that in domestic life, especially, the
the greatest anoyances spring from very triaes.
All the barnyard fowls, however, could not
make up their minds to preserve a digniied in
difference and number gathered about the
door Of the hen-roost with intent of making
disturbance, and crowed and caekled, and strut
ted up to the very door, 10 mockery Of the pro-
ceedings within.
A terrible noise they made when Miss Crow
ant was observed TO enter, accompanied by Mrs.
Biddy Chanlicleer. Indeed, some Kisses were
heard.
"For shame, gentlemen" said Mr.. Long
spur, standing up in the midst of the audience (;
"your mothers sirs, were hens"
eyes" replied one of the number outside /;
shut they did not pretend 10 be roosters''
Miss Crowant had evidently oiled her feath-
ers most carefully, but they lacked the gloss Of
the poorest cockerel in the barnyard, after all (;
but that sho was equal in the matter Of making
a noise, nobody could deny.
She was there TO speak in favor Of hens
rights, and she would speak-she would not
yield her right 10 crow 10 any selfstyled lord
OF the barn yard, she cared not how long were
his spurs, nor would she cease to demand for
her poor, down-trodden ssterhood an enlarged