Litchfield enquirer., 1857-01-22
Communion in the Poultry Yard,

"Have you heard of the shocking affair that has taken place in owl-houscT asked a hen who lived in distant part of the town: Happily VIC are so many the roost, or indeed should be afraid to sleep alone to night" And she related circum- stance that caused the feathers of the other hens to stand on end and the crcss of the cocks to fall but it is quite true
 But we will begin at the beginning; And this took place in fowl-housc in another quarter of the town The sun went down and the fowls flew up. One of these-shc had short legs and white feathers, laid her egg regularly every morning, and was altogcth- CT rcspectabl after having settled herself the perch, began numing herself with her bcak and q tiny feather dropped from her coat.
 There, tbat gone Y said she. The more trim my feathers the more beautiful shall be !' This she said in the ightness of her heart, for she the mcrriest soui in the poultryyard but other wise, as have said a very worthy hen. And here unOn Shc went to sleep.
 Darkness rcigned around. On the roost, hen was closely pressed to hen but the nearest to her who had just spoken was not asleep. She heard, though she fcigned not to hear, as is the wsest way if we would get comfortably through the world yet she could not refrain from whispering to her neigh bor on the other side; |" Did you hear the words whi 'h were spoken just now will not mention names, but there is hen here the roost who picks her feathers to make herself look pretty 1T were cock would despisc her
 Opposite to the hen roost dwclt an old owl, with her owlsh husband and young ones and these being
 sharp cared heard all that passing among their neghbors, the fowls. They all rolled their eycs but mother owl Topped her wings, and exclaim ed ' For goodness sake do not listen! But I m a. frail you did hear what was said heard with my own ears, and indeed one may hear great deal be- fore they drop off. There is hen who has lost all sense of propricty 80 mnch that she sits plucking off her feathers while the cock is looking on
 Prcnez garde aux eufants ' said papa owl; chil dren ought not to hear sach things '
 "l think must go over and tell nay opposite Reighbor the news-she is. such respec table owl. And SC spying, mama owl flew of.
 ..Hu-hu whu!' hOoted tho two female owls down to the doves in their cot in the opposite yarHavc you heard it ? wuh! There is hen, who has pluck ed off ali her feathers for the cocks sake. She will die of cold if she be not already cead v
 We beleiyc tive belcive every word of itl s,id ahe pigeons: and they coed down to the fowls on their yard; q Only think, there is hcn nay some say there is two-who have pluckcd themselves of a their feathers to make themselves look dief eDt from other fowls and attract the attention of ths cock. It is bold game they are playing they might catch cold and die Indeed they are already
 Spread it further! piped the bats ;ani the fowls cackIed and the cocks crowed, Spread it further - Spread it furtherr And the story spreadot rom ftwl ward to fowl yard, until at length it came back to the place whence it originally had gone forth.
 ..rherc are five hens" 50 it was said :" that have plucked off all their feathers, to which of them lad grown the thinnest from love of the cock and then they pecked each other till the blood fowed and they fell dowH dead, entailing shame and dis honor on their families, and great loss on their owner" t-s a~l a..
 The hen who had picked tho tiny feathers rom her coat did not of course recognizs her own story but being very respectable hen she said, despise si,ch hens but there are many like them Sucn things ought not 10 be passed over in silence Iwin do my best to get the story into tho papers thss v may De known all over the country {; IL VII w
 And it was pnt into the papers and widely erenls. ted and it is quite true. One sxalI fcak& nsy ssAs ss A,rned buoy yfse h,v