East Saginaw courier., 1866-06-13

There was a sn,othered oath, and
the hen came back with the force oi
twelve pound shot.
Helen was mad. Her leyes were
nearly put out with the feathery dust,
and she went at Timothy with true
feminine zeal. She broke his watch
guard into dozen pieces, crushed his
dicky 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 perceived that the man she had
nearly annihilated was not Timothy,
but James Henshaw.
Poor Helen burst into tears and
fled into her chamber, the usual ref
uge for heroines. and James, after
washing his face at the kitchen sink,
went home sternly resolved never to
marry a woman with such a temper
as Helen Hayes had.
The hen, meanwhile, who is our
heroine, returned to the barn to es-
tablish herself on the ruins of her
nest, sullenly determined. to set if the
heavens fell.
Mrs. Hayes soon discovered her,
and having heard that dipping in the
water would cure broodiness, she set
forth for the brook with the fowl in
her apron.
Mrs. Weaver, an old; lady of very
quarrelsome temperament who re-
sided near and was at swords point
with Mrs. Hayes, was just coming to
the brook for pail sof water, and
spied the yellow head of the bird
peeping out from Mrs. Hayes apron.
"There!" she exclaimed, "now I've
found out what puzzled me to death
nigh about week. I've found out
where that yellow pullet has gone to.
Mrs. Hayes, l alters knowed you was
a wicked, desateful woman, but 1
didn't think you'd steel"
Steel? me steel! who are you
talking to, Mrs. Weaver ?" said Mrs.
Hayes, on her dignity.
"Pm talking to you, madam, that's
who I'm talking to! You've stole my
hen that l got over to Uncle Gillies,
and paid for in, sassengers. She's a
real Dorking. Give her to me right
here, or I'll use force."
"She's my hen, and you touch her
if you dare!"
"Pll show you what dare, yelled
Mrs. Weaver, growing purple, and
seizing the fowl by the tail, she gave
a wrench, and the tail came out in her
hand.
The sudden cessation of resistance
upset Mrs. Weaver balance, ad she
fell backward into the brook, splat-
tering the mud and astonished polly
wogs in every direction.
She was a spry woman, and was
soon on her feet, ready to renew the
assault.
:" G:~e 40 .ay hen ." she cried,
thrustirg her fist into Mrs. Hayes
facs, "you old hag and hypocrite you"
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 luare
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 stick of brush
wood from the fenee-Mrs. Weaver
did the same and a regular duel
would probably have been fought if
the bank Of the creek had not sudden
ly given way and precipitated both
the indignant women into the water.
They scrambled out on opposite
sides, and the hen sat perched on an
apple tree and cackled in triumph.
The ladies shook themselves, and
by consent 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 yellow chickens. She
found some other fowls nest, and had
set in spite of fate.
But although not "broken up" her
self, she broke two matches-for
Cynthia Bennett was not at home the
next time Timothy called, and Mr..
Henshaw never forgave Helen for
having snch temper.