Mariposa Democrat., 1858-01-07
a Has that hen layed YETI" asked Harry.

htdt HUH iiOi tii VIC SOi iiti Oi tSiiJ hihiJ
ON the sile--and then stan from under"
But Harry thought differently, and taking
me aside, we agreed upon little course Of
procedure which will be developed before am
through. Harry and | then proceeded, on
shore, in an earnest search after few hens
eggs of unusual volume, but met with little
success. They were all too small for our pur-
pose. AT last Harry exclaimed-"I have it !
Ducks eggs ~ Acting on this valuable sug-
gestion we proceeded to Fulton Market, where
wo found and selected six of the finest of the
ori of that flat-footed fowl Soon after, and in
drizzling rain, we were standing down the
bay, and out upon one Of the great marine
highways of the watery waste.
Harry and | then informed our clerical
friend of the peculiar relations which were
held towards the chickens between-declxs, by
Bnnacle, and of our firm intention to bring n
few pleasurable glows to the already glowing
face of the worthy captain, into all of which
he entered with spirit which belied the aus
terty which seemed to have slyly settled in
the sacred folds and creases Of bis spotless
neck tic.
doctor !" said Harry to the cook, as that
functionary was passing the waist on his way
to the galley-"I want to ask you two ques-
lions Can you keep a secret and is there any
hot water in the coppers?"
81 kin keep de secret, Massa, an Isc got de
hot waterl'
Well, here is a dollar for you; that's for
keeping the secret. Now want you to boil
an egg"
"Fotch him along, Massa dats de easiest
kline OBJ plain cookin' !"
In duo course of time, one of our duck eggs
was boiled harder than a iirc-brck. Every
thing being prepared, and we the conspirators,
having fixed upon the path of duty which each
was to travel, Harry went between decks, the
minister remained in the waist and has
tened to awaken the captain, and succeeded
after the utterance by him of several exple-
tives which had a special reference to the dcs
truction, by fire, Of his powers of vision. Inn
mcdiately upon arriving on deck, he was adj
dressed by the clergyman, who said, in meas
ured tones, through the gloom:
Captain think there has been an alter
cation going on between your fowls, down
stairs The noise was excessive"
At that moment sound was emitted from
between decks, which showed that Harry was
not unmindful Of his peculiar duty, and was
stirring up the animals" " Chut chut chut
Kerdarcut cut cut Kerdarcut, cluck /" cried
the rooster, in evident joy or tribulation over
some recent event. I" Keroot Kcroot Kuck
Kuck Keroot Kerdarcut cut cut y ex-
claimed his spouse in softer but oft-rcpeated
accents. 1t was now the turn of the captain
to become excited.
"Steward !" he shouted, "bring me Ian
tern Quick Bear a hand, now !" And he
dove into the cabin in search of that function
ary and light. As he did this, Harry came
stealthily on deck.
"Did you hear them yell ~ asked he.
"Yell,' replied the clergyman, they made
an exceedingly loud noise--very loudl"
The captain, in hot haste, came, lantern in
hand from the cabin and descended into the
steerage. A few minutes elapsed, when we
heard yell of surprise and delight in the stem
torian voice of the captain, followed by
"Wel, I'll be blowed if she amt done it !"
" Done what ?" | shouted down the hatch
way.
Laid u answered the captain, exultantly,
as he steadied himself up the companion-way
with the lantern in one hand, and something,
which he held carefully aloft in the other
" laid !" he repeated.
"What's that ?" said Harry
" An aig !" replied the ovcUoyed captain, as
he held out our recent donation to his hen-coop.
"An egg? ?" quericd the apparently aston
ished padre.
An aig, by-l"e calculated the captain, tri-
umphantly. "This comes from fresh straw,
change of climate, cleanliness, and my care" +"
continued the delighted captain "and ifthore's
a rooster in that air aig, and | should let that
hen set that air aig till it was hatched, I'd be
the owner of cock that would whip any fowl
in Cuba, with Mexico to boot--and it's warm
yet !" he cried, as he extended the "aig' for
our special endorsement of its condition.
In the midst of our eulogies, the captain
said "Let's liquorl" And he led the way
to his state-room, whore he became somewhat
argumentatiye and philosophical
al can't see"- said in an enquring and
puzzled tone Of voice-"how it is that this hen
has laid her egg at night. 1t is something
very unusual Isn't ?"
"Yes," replied the Captain thoughtfully,
'Pve been thinking of that myself; and there
is only one way to get over it. You sec it's
the natur of these things to drap their aigs by
daylight. Now we all know that natur's very
strong, especially in natural animals; and this
hen, if she had drapped that air aig in Java,
would have laid it at about Cooking at his
watch half past 'leven in the morning And