Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-03-31

the Grocery mans bill, she exclaimed, IN a
most surprising tone Six dozen OF esgs
in one week al thirty cents a dozen Y (she
dew a very long breath at this point, !
followed suit,) comes TO one dollar aud
eighty cents a week Y
Exactly 1 replied rather sharp and
prompt
I'D like TO know what we are coming to"
inquired my better half
That's my sentiment I remarked in
low tone, and raising my voice and speak
ing to younger S-th, who was eating
breakfast with me John, see what Yer
coming to when yer get married 7 He
smiled, tried to, but it was very hard
work
L don't believe resumed my wife, but
what the Grocery,man tucks on cent or
two just because he knows you CHATS me,
thought y won't say a word. / don't see
why eggs should be so high p There was
deadcalm for two minutes-my eyes we're
resting upon the last boiled egg on the tn
ble in a profound meditation. just as |
was about to remark that we had better
get along with less eggs, caught glance
OF my wife's eyes, and concluded that 1t
would be well to let her do the talking -
1 don't see Why she again resumed, chat
1t should cost so much to live 7 We ought
to raise all the eggs VIC want to use, our
selves.
Good business / said, that of raising
eggs My wife continued
There's Mrs. c., she has all the eggs
she wants, and some to sell. She keeps
hens, and her back yard is no bigger than
ours. Now, let us keep hens we can save
a dollar week. John smiled, nv wife
smiled, smiled, in fuct, the whole family
--even down to the youngest S--th, smil-
| ed. ... .
Good 7 said |. a.
AT this point my wife enlarged upon the
merits Of Chittagongs, Shanghais, Durham
Pootras, Chnas, Dunghills, and host OF
other different kinds of hens. The subject
was the only one discussed at our meals
for the next week She bought all the
different books relative to raising hens she
could find in the book stores, and on the
seventh day the entire family had an attack
Of the hen fever Even the youngest
S-th's attack was so severe that he rolled
out of the cradle in attempting to clap his
arms and crow.
The building of hen-coop was decided
upon My wife was the architect 1t
was built after an original design, aud re-
sembIed patent sausage stuffer as much
as hen coop. Her next proceeding was
to send me to Rocky Hill, among her ag-
ricultural acquaintances, after peculiar
breed of hens--they were fully purchased
and installed in our coop. So far, all right
and successful. That night there was
procession of hens and chickens, headed by
Il dozen gigantic rooSters, that reached the
entire length of Main street. They of
course paid a visit to my wife-and Of
course / made speech-and they respond
ed by such tremendous Growing and cack-
| ling that it sounded as if Pedlam had bro
ken loose. AS each pullet passed my door,
she made most graceful courtesy and
dropped an egg--the ground was covered,
and looked as if there had been a storm of
eggs. filled the huttery. cellar, garret,
closets, and every possible nook and corn
er with eggs and | was about to put
| o-bushe basket full of them in the par
lor under the piano when stumbled and
upset the entire lot upon that instrument,
breaking every single egg. The yellow
| liquid ran down through the keys of the
piano, thence on the nice Brussels carpet, j,
all over my wIfe's dresses and furs-which
had been brought out of the closet to make
more room for eggs. That moment was
one of great despair-clinchng both hands
into my hair, / screamed out one of the
widest and loudest Shrieks that mortal ears
ever heard.
Goodness p shrieked my wife, jumping
out of bed and landing in the middle of
the room, are You crazy !?
NO, guess not, said |, waking mp and
collecting my scattered senses, only an at,
tack of the hen fever
Since that memorable night six mortal
weeks have passed, during, which time
have watched, fed aud taken the best care
of those Rocky Hill chckings,' and in
stead of saving dollar week, they have
increased my expenses Like certain bank
stocks-I have given up all hopes of a
dividend. | had looked regularly every
day into that hen-coop only to be dsap-
pointed-not single egg had they seen fit
to Law. As the holidays were coming, |
suggested to my wife, as the old rooster
seemed to be an almost useless member of
the coop, the proprety of wrnging bis
neck. Mr.. S-th, said she, L want you
to know that the rooster belongs to me,
aud intend to keep him, whether the hens
Law or not = For the first time in my life,
the green-eyed monster took possession OF
my breast vowed eternal vengeance up
on the old rooster-just think of it for a
moment, an old Shanghai rooster. You
can't expect them to lay this cold weather,
said she, breaking the silence, it is so cold.
If they had dose of rcd pepper, il might
do them good 2 r..-.f p 49,
Yes, said /, red pepper might do them
some good NOw's good time to give
that rooster fits Red pepper, thought
to myself. So prepared dose of red
pepper for them, looking ont to give my
wife's old rooster double dose. You can
little imagine, Mr., T., with what Infinite
satisfaction and delight, / watched the pro.
gress of affairs in that coop. The next
day actually found an egg in the coop. ]
marked it No. ], carried it into the house
and requested my wife to save it till she got
a dozen. / gave my wife's rooster another
dose of red pepper. The next day found