Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-05-15
One L,,tIe Feather becomes Five Hens.
7RAslAEEp, m Os lIAEs GHaIsIlAs AsRERssEs

- Asl'ATf ~ fnoA i'ee'fH''fHFt' -
: cYfhattsA sorritio stoyi'' said aIhen, and
indeed in a quarter of the city where the
story had not happened. THAT'S terrible
story in a hen-housej / can't sleep alone to-
night IT'S wen there are so many Of us sit
ting on the perch togetherl" Then she told
the story, SO that the hens ruffled their feath-
ers, and the cock let his comb fall. TITS all
true.n i'' .l.
Bat we win begin with the beginning; and
we must look for that in another quarter pf
the city The sun was setting, and the hens
were flying TO their perch. One hen with
white feathers and short legs, laid her regu-
lar egg and was, as hen, in every way re-
spectable. While she was flying TO perch,
she pecked herself with her bill, and little
feather fell out. M
@There they go, said she; "the more l
pluck, the bandsomer ami
She said this in a gay tone, for she was the
choice among the hens, besides, as ! said
very respectable; and then she went TO sleep.
Darkness was round about; hen sat by hen,
but she who sat next to the gay one, did not
sleep, she heard and she didn't hear-as IT
should be in this world, to live peacefully;
but she must tell il TO her next neighoor.
"Did you hear what was said2 ! mention
no names, but here Is a hen who plucKs her,
self to appear well. i'll were a cook, I'D
despise herr
Right over THE hen sat the owl, with her
husband and children. The family had sharp
ears; they all heard every word which the
neighbor hen said; and they rolled their eyes,
and the owl mother tapped her wings and
said:' d
"Only hear tberel-but you heard well
what was said l heard with my own ears;
and one must hear great deal not to drop
single word. THERE'S one OF the hens yonder
who has forgotten what becomes hen to
such a degree, that she plucks out all her
feathers to let the cock see her"
q Preaez garde au1 erlfdntsip said the owl
father;-'That's for the children"
arm tell it, however, to the neighbor OWL
that is a very worthy owl in the neighbor-
hood, and then they flew away.
"Hoo, hool whooM they both hooted into
the dove-cot ofthe doves within. Haye you
heard? Have you heard2 Whool There is a
hen yonder who has plucked out all her
feathers for the sake ofthe cock; she II freeze,
| if she isn't already frozen. Whool' .i
"Where2 Where?" cooed the doves.
"In the neighbor's yard. ! have as good as
seen it myself. 1t is almost improper to tell
the story; ifs all trueP
believe it--beieve every word" said the
doves; and cooed down into their own hem
yard. .-..
"Theres hen yonder," they said-"some
san there are too, who have plucked out all
their feathers so as not to look like the 9th
ers, and to attract the attention Of the cock.
That is a dangerous game, they'll take cold
and die of fever--and they're both dead.
'Wake upl wake upr crowed the cock.
"There are three hens have died for the love
of cock that's hateful story lwon't keep
it myself it may go further"
'Let it go further" whistled the bat; and
so the story went from hen-house to hen
house, and at last it came back to the spot
| from which il had first set out"
"Fiue hens the story said, chad plucked
out all their feathers, TO show which of them
would become thinnest for the love Of the
cock; and then they hacked themselves bloody
and fell down dead, for the joke and shame OF
their families, and their owners loss"
Now the hen which had lost the loose little
feather naturally, did not know her own story
again; and as she was respectable hen, she
said II despise these hensl but there are
more of the Sort so perhaps one should moi
keep silence, and will do my best to get the
story into the newspapers y
1t got into the newspapers, it was printed,
and It is all true; one little feather can really
become five hens.