Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-10-17

ty, and with q loud scream she darted against
the parlor window, broke through, knocked
down the canary cage, and landed plump in
the silken lap of Mrs. Gray, who was board
ing at the farm house.
Mrs. Gray screamed with horror, and start
ing up, dislodged biddy, who few at her re-
Election in the looking glass with an angry
hiss. The glass was shattered and down
came the hen, astonished beyond measure,
against vase of flowers, which upset, and
in falling knocked over the stand-dish and
deluged with water a pair of drab colored
velvet slippers which Helen Maria was en-
broidering for her love, Mr.. James Hen
shaw
Helen entered the room just as the mis-
chief had been done, and viewing the ruin,
she at once laid it to her brother Timothy.
She heard his step behind her, and the un-
fortunate hen she flung full into his face.
There was a smothered oath, and the hen
came back with the force of a twenty pound
shot.
Helen was mad. Her eyes were nearly
put out with the feathered dust and dough,
and she went at Timothy with true femi-
nine zeal. She broke his watch-guard in a
dozen pieces, crushed his dickey and began
to pull his whiskers out by the roots, when
suddenly she remembered that Timothy had
no whlskers to pull out by the roots
But when she came to look closer, she
perceived that the man she had nearly an
initiated was not Timothy, but james Hen
shaw
Poor Helen burst into tears and fed into
ner chamber, the usual refuge for heroines;
and James, after washing his face at the
kitchen sink, went home, sterny resolved
never to marry a woman with such a tenn
per as Helen Hayes had.
The hen, meanwhile, who is the heroine,
returned to the barn to establish herself on
the ruin of her nest. determined to set if
the heavens fell.
Mrs. Hayes soon discovered her, and she
having heard that dipping in water would
cure ''broodiness," she set forth for the
brook with fowl in her apron
Mrs. Weaver, an old lady of very quarrel
some temperament, who resided near, and
was at a swords point with Mrs. Hayes,
was just coming to the brook for pail of
water, and spied the yellow head of the bird
peeping out from Mrs Hayes apron.
There" she exclaimed, "now / have
found out what puzzled me to death nigh
about a week. I've found out where that
yellow pullet has gone to. Mrs. Hayes, l
allars knowed you was wicked, desateful
woman, but didn't think you d steal
''Steal? me steal? who are you talking to
Mrs Weaver?' said Mrs. Hayes, on her
dignity.
I'm talking to you, madam, that's who
I'm talking to- You've stolen. my hen,
what got over to Uncle Gillies, and paid
for in sassengers. She is the real Dorking.
Give her to me right here or III use force.
''She's my hen, and you touch her if you
darel"
''Tll show you what darel'' yelled Mrs.
Weaver, growing purple, and seizing the
ill-starred fowl by the tail, she gave wrench
and the tail came out in her hand.
The sudden cessation of resistance upset
Mrs. Weaver's balance, and she fell back
ward into the brook, spattering the mud
and astonished polliwogs in every direction.
She was spry woman, and was soon on
her feet again, ready to renew the assault.
''Give me my hen ~ she cried, thrusting
her fist into Mrs. Hayes face, ''you old bag
and hypocrite you! I" and she made second
dive at the bird.
The hen thought it proper to show her
colors, and uttering an unearthly yell, she
flew out Of the covert square into the face
of Mrs. Weaver, which she raked down
with her nails until it resembled the pages
of ledger, crossed and recrossed with red
ink.
Mrs. Hayes caught a stick of brush-wood
from the fence-NIrs Weaver did the same,
and regular duel would probably have been
fought if the bank of the creek had not
suddenly gave way and precipitated both
the indignant women into the water
They scrambled out on opposite sides, and
the hen sat perched in an apple tree and
cackled in triumph
Ike ladies shook themselves and by con-
sent went home. They have not spoken
since.
The hen disappeared and was not seen
until three weeks afterwards, when she
made her appearance with eleven nice yell
low chickens. She found some other fowls
nest and had set in spite of fate.
But although not broken up" herself,
she broke up to matches-for Cynthia Ben
nett was not at home the next time Timothy
called, and Mr.. Henshaw never forgave
Helen for having such temper.
A Cross WoMAN.-The idea of a woman