The Van Buren press., 1860-06-29
MQiseellaag,
Willis and his Bantam.

Nobody has a happier faculty of describ-
ing home happenings of this kind than the
writer Of the Idlewild papers, in the New
York Home Journal
The small bantam rooster "Jake. - be-
came member of our family two years ago
"A present to my children from a gentle
man who is curious in such matters. With
his brown and gold back, his very red
comb and his feathercd legs, the new cock
swain was peculiar looking enough to draw
attention by his appearance only but he
was at once pronounced curiosity and
very much admired for the summary man
ner In which he took the mastery of the
barn-yard. One fight was enough for each
of the dunghill roosters and even Narcis-
sus, the peacock, soon learned not to spread
his very large tail between Jake and the
sunshine
But the little "cock Of the walk was,
at that time, somewhat past his meridian !;
and though he had all the habits and man
ners OF youth, the continuance was mr.
doubtedly mere pluck. At the beginning
OF what We presumed to be his sixth wear.
his wives, TO his evident ANNOYANCE and
mystitication, began to prefer walking with
the other cocks. Two or three little Sea-
bright roosters who had been added to cur
stock, gave him, at the same time rather
too mich to do for the maintenance
OF his sovereignty and in the course of the
winter bis one lawful wife, Ga hen of the
-s''san is-ess'. who hnd come wi.h hin, J WAS
found frozen in the helmlock tree which
she had preferred to his more sheltered
roost. The next spring saw him without
natural relative, and he was evidently ir-
uored altogether in the arn-yard $50 egqs-
acting are promiscuous fowls for his loss
OF Iovabieuess and usefulness
With general sympathy for his lonely
ldllngs about, and his evidently painful
loss OF social consideration, the mercy of
putting an end to Jake's troubles was sug-
Sested and discussed at our family table :;
but meantime he was gradually changing
his walk and conversation" Giving up
the barn yard altogether, he began to stay
about the portico and lawn and cultivate
the society of the children, following them,
coming fearlcssly to their hands to be fed,
and jumping into their laps with the conf
dlnSness OF favorite cat This change
was during the months of last autumn and
as long as there was any playing out of
doors, the venerable widower seemed to have
but the one desire to see as much as posi-
bic of those joyous little ones roosting inva-
nably in the large hcmlock which is direct
ly opposite the nursery window, and strut
ting and growing with pleasure at their
first appearance out of doors in the morn
ing. 10 the attentions of persons of more
advanced age (my own, particularly, as l
admired the old fellow, and wished to
smooth his feathers occasionally as he sat
upon the railing, he was quite Indifferent.
But as winters severe cold came on.
there was still more curious proof Of
Jake's preference for youthful consolation.
The portico facing to the south, and open
all day to the sun, was, of course, favor
ite haunt and sleeping place for our two
dogs, Golden ears, the setter, and Caesar
the survivor of the Kane Expedition to
the Polar Sea, of whose retirement at Idle
wild have before written) and with the
younger of these the venerable bird cult
waited friendship that was very much to
his comfort.
The morning picture. almost invariably,
for the servant who first opened the door,
was Goldy. lying in the most sheltered cor
ner OF the portico, with old Jake snugly
nestled in whatever hollow the posture of
the dogs legs afforded More shaggy and
less likely to stir as was the old Newfound-
lander, and doubtless more submissive and
good-natured, the younger dog was always
the comforter; and a familiar sight to our
family, in the daytime, all last winter, was
the handsome setter, lying on the portico
in the sun, with the bantam between his
outspread forelegs With the opening of
spring, Goldy naturally seeks the shelter
less frequently, and Jake is more alone,
but he keeps up his intimacy with the chill
dren. and avoids the comnany OF quiet old
Caesar, who, in turn, takes no notice Of the
venerable rooster.
WHEN To SAY " l WONT IF boys can