Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-12-05
breaking up" a Setting Hen.

Timothy, that air waller hens setting
agin, said Mrs. Hayes to her son, one
morning at breakfast.
HWell, let her set,'' remarked Timothy
Il reckon | can stand it as long as she can. y
Now, Timothy, as soon as you've done
eating, want you to go out and break up
that hen. She's setting on an old axe and
two bricks now."
Il hope she'll hatch 'em,' returned
Timothy.
s'If she was set now, she'd hatch the
fourth week in May. It's a bad sign, some
thing alters happens after it. There was
Jennings folks, their gray top knot hatched
the last week IN May, and Miss jenkins she
had the conjunction on the lungs and would
have died if they hadn't killed lamb and
wrapped her in the hide while its warm
That was all that saved her.
Timothy finished his breakfast in haste
and departed for the barn, from which he
soon returned, beaIing the squaliing Biddy
by the legs.
What shall do with her, mother :?
She'll get on agin, and. she is ss cross as
bedlam-she skinned my hands, and would
be the death of me if she could get loose"
I've heer' n it said chat it was good
plan to throw EN- up in the air." said Mrs.
Hayes. Aunt Peggy broke one of setting
only three times trying. Spose' you try it. "
Sup she gocs-head or tail ?''' cried Tim,
as he tossed her skywards
Land % massy," exclaimed Mrs Hayes,
"she s coming down into the pan of bread
that | set out on the great rock to rise.
Tim, It's strange that you can't do nothing
without overriding it.
stars, - sung ont Tim, elevating Biddy again
with less than pint of batter hanging to
her feet
Good gracious me wnss and wuss -
cried Mrs. Hayes, and Tim agreed with her,
for the hen had come down on the well pol
ished tile of Squire Bennett, who happened
to be passing, and the dignifed old gentle
man was the father of Cynthia Bennett, the
young lady with whom Tim was seriously
enamored.
The squire looked daggers, brushed off
the dough with his handkerchief and strobe
on in silence.
''Yes, but its going up again. said Tim.
spitefully, seizing the clucking biped and
tossing her at random into the air. Biddy
thought it time to manifest her own indi-
viduality, and with loud scream she start
ed against the parlor window, broke through,
knocked down the canary cage, and landed
plump in the silken lap of Mrs Gray, who
Mrs Gray screamed with terror, and start
ing up, dislodged Biddy, who few at her re-
hection in the looking glass with an angry
hiss. The glass was shattered and down
came the hen, astonished above measure,
against vase of flowers, which upset, and
in falling knocked over the stand dish, and
deluged with ink and water a pair of slip
pers, which Helen Maria was embroidering
for her lover, Mr.. James Henshaw.
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 flung
the unfortunate hen full in his face
There was smothered oath, and the hen
came back with the force of l2- pound shot.
Helen was mad. Her eyes were nearly
put out with the feathery dust and dough,
and she went at Timothy with true feminine
zeal She broke his watch guard into
dozen pieces, crushed his dickey, and began
to pull his whiskers out by the roots when
she suddenly remembered that Timothy had
no whiskers to pull out by the roots.
But when she came to look closer she per-
ceived that the man she had nearly annihi-
lated was not Timothy, but J ames Henshaw.
Poor Helen burst into tears and fled into
her chamber, the usual refuge forheroines
and James, after washing his face at the
kitchen sink, went home sternly resolved
never to marry woman with such temper
as Helen Hayes had.
. The hen, meanwhile. returned to the barn
to establish herself on her nest, sullenly de-
termined to set if the heavens fell Three
weeks later she made her appearance with
eleven chickens. While Mrs. Hayes and
Tim did not succeed in breaking up the
setting hen, the hen had broken up two
Mr.. Henshaw never forgave Helen for having
such temper.
L. q