The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1866-01-13

! lltf, ana went OuI nIoilthaulhS VIII wv
captivating Mrs. Red Comb, a charming
young Spanish widow, who had just been
imported into the nrighboring yard.
''Rlcss my soul" said he, you've no
idea how cross my wife is.
80 you horrid creature !" said Mrs. Red
Comb chow little you feel for the weakness.
OF is poor hcns''
"On my word ma am" said Gray Cock
''you do me injustice. But when a hen gives
way to temper ma am, and no longer meets
her husband with sniile.-whcn she even
pecks at him whom she is bound to honor
and obey
''llorrid monster talking Of obedience
SHOULD say, sir,.you came straight from
Turkey" and Mrs. Red Comb tossed her
head with Il most bewitchng air, AID pre-.
tended to run away, and old Mrs. Scratch
ard loohcd out of her coop and called to
GQody kcrtcrI;ut,-
''Look how Mr. Gray Cock is flirting with
that widow. always knew she was Il bag,
I gage"
'And his poor wife left at home alone"
said Goody Kcrlcrkut. the way with
them all!
'lcs. yes" said Dame Scratchard, '.shc Il
know what real life is now, and she won
30 about holding her head 50 high, and look,
ing down on her practical neighbors that
have laiscd Gamiles.''
Poor thing, what'l she do with fam
ily?' said Goody Kcrterkut
"Well, what business have such young
tIirts to ret married? ~ said Dame Scratch
ard. Il don't expect she'll raise siuglc
chick; and there $ Gray Cock flirting about
as fine as ever. Folks didn't do so when
was young. I'm sure my husband knew
what treatment II setting hen ought TO have.
poor old Long Spur,-he never minded
peek or so nov and then. must say these
modern fowls II MT what fowls used to be.
Meanwhile the sun rose and set, and Mas
ter Fred was almost the only friend and as,
socatc of poor little Mrs. Feathcrtop. whom
he fed daily with meal and water, and only
interrupted her sad reflections by pulling
her w occasionally to sec how the eggs were
coming ON.
At last, Peep, peep, Pccp!" began to be
heard in the nest. and one little downy head
after another pohcd forth from under the
feathers, surveying the world with round.
bright, winkng eyes, and gradually the
brood were hatched, and Mrs Fcathcrtop
arose, a proud and happy cther, with all
the busting, scratching care taking instincts
Of lamily.lIc warm within her breast She
cIuckcd and scratched. and cud lied the it,
tie downy bits Of things as handily and dis
crccty as a seven year old hen could have
done, exciting thereby the wonder of the
community
Master Gray Cock came home in high
spirits, and complimrntcd her: told her she
was loo ling charningly once more, and said.
Very well, very nice :" as he surveyed the
young brood. SO that Mrs. Feathcrtop be
gan to feel the world going well with her,
when suddenly in came Dame Scratcharl
and Good kcrtarknt to makca morning call
Lets see the chicks" said Dame
Scratcharl.
"Goodncss me, said Goody Kertarliut,
s. what a likeness to their dear papa
"W"ll. but bless me. what's the matter
with their bill q said Dame Scratcharl. -
Why, my dear. these chicks are dcfprmci,
I'm sorry for You, my dear, but it's all the
result of your ineXpcrrncc: you ought to
have eaten pcbblc-Stones with your meal
when you were sitting. Don't you see,
Dame kcrtarkut, what bills they have?-
That Il increase, and they'll be frightfu -
"What shall do ~ said Mrs Fcathcrtop,
now greatly alarmed.
" Nothing, as | know of" said Dame
Scratchard, "Since you didn't come to me
before you set. | could have told you al
about it. Maybe it won't kill 'em, but
they'll always be detormcd."
And so the gossips Departed leaving u
sting under the pinicathers of the poor little
hen mamma, who began to see that her
darings had curious little svoon-bils, diff
fcrcnt from her OWN and to worry and fret
about it.
"My dear she said to her spouse, - do
get DR.. Peppcrcom to come in and look at
their bills, and see it anything can be done. -
DR.. Peppcrcorn came in, and put on IA
monsrous pair of spcctacles, and said,
"Hum! IIa. Extraordinary case,-very
singuar!'
Z" Did You ever see anything like it, Doe
tor?'' said both parents. in breath.
"Ivs read of such cases. It's cacar-
eous enlargement of the vascular bony tissue,
threatening ossfcation, said the Doctor.
so, dreadful can it be possibIey
shrieked both parents. Can anything be
done?'
"Well, should recommend daily lotion
made of mosquitoes horns and bicarbonate
OF frogs toes, together with powder, to be
taken morning and n$ght, Of muriate of heas
One thing you must be careful about they
must never wet their feet, nor drink any
water
''Dear me, Doctor, don't know what
shall do, for they seem to have particular
fancy for getting into water"
eyes, morbid tendency often found ii
these cases of bony tamifcation of the vas
cu!ar tissue of the mouth but you mus
resist it, ma am, as their life depends upor