The Shasta courier., 1866-07-21
Breaking up a Setting Hen.

more equnomical to cheese. Timothy I've
cut the very last of my every day lot, and it:
only the first of May And now, as soon a:
you've done eating | want you to go out and
break up that hen. She setting on an ole
axe and two bricks now.
hope she'll batch em," returned Tim
othy"
. If she was set now she'd hatch the fourth
week in May It's bad sign; something
alters happens arter it. Stop giggling, Helen
Maria, by the time you get to be as old as
yer ma, yell see further than you do now
There was Jenkins folks, their grey top knot
Matched the last Of May, and Mrs jenkins,
she had the conjunction of the lungs, and
would have died if they hadn't killed a lamb
and wrapped her in the hide while it was
warm. That wss all that saved her,"
With such startling proof of the truth
apd the omen before him. Timothy finished
his breakfast in haste and departed for the
barn, from which he soon returned, bearing
the squalling biddy by the legs.
=" What shall / do with her, mother P
She II get on again, and she's cross as bed
lam-she skinned my hands, and would be
the death of me, if she could get loose"
I've heer'n it said that it was a good
plan to throw 'em up in the air." said Mrs.
Hays. -" Aunt Peggy broke one of settn'
only three times trying. Suppos'n you try
9 Up she goes, head or tail ?' cried Tim,
as he tossed the volcano skyward
Land a massy !" exclaimed Mrs. H.,
she's coming down into the pan of bread
that | set out on the great rock to raise p
Tim. it's strange that you can't do nothing
without overriding it.'
Down with the traitors up with the
stars" sung out Tim, elevating biddy again
with something less than a pint of batter
hanging to her feet.
Good gracious me wuss and wuss.''-
cried Mrs. Hays, and Tim agreed with her,
for The hen had come down on the well pei
ished tile of Squire Bennett, who happened
to be passing, and the dignifed old gentle.
men 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.
g Yes, but it's going up again, ;" said Tim
spitefully, seizing the clucking biddy and
tossing her at random into the air Biddy
thought it time to manifest her individuality
and with a loud scream she dashed against
INC peiiOi hluuOH, UIOhc lLTOuSu, kuOtktu
down the canary cage. and landed plum in
the silken lap of Mrs. Grey, who was board
ing at the farm house.
Mrs. Grey screamed with horror. and
starting up, dislodged biddy, who flew at
her reflection in the looking glass with an
angry hiss. The glass was shattered. and
down came the hen, astonished beyond meas
ure, against vase of flowers, which unset.
and IN falling Knocked over the stand dish
and deluged with ink and water a pair Of
drap colored slippers, 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 the un-
fortunate hen she flung full in his face
There was smothered oath, and the hen
came back with the force of twelve pound
shot.
Helen was mad. Her eyes were nearly
put out with the feathery dust and doe, and
she went at Timothy with true feminine
zeal. She broke his watch guard into a
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 annihl-
ated was not Timothy, but Mr.. Ilenshaw.
Poor Helen burst into tears and fled into
her chamber, the usual refuge for heroines
and James, after washing his face at the
kitchen sink, went home, sternly resolved
never to marry q woman with such q temper
as Helen Hays had.
The hen, meanwhile, who is our heroine,
returned to the barn to establish herself on
the ruins of her nest, determined to set if the
heavens fell.
Mrs. Hays soon discovered her. and she
having heard that dipping in water would
cure 9 broodiness, she set forth for the
brook with the fowl in her apron.
Mrs Weaver, an old lady of very quarrel
some temperament, who resided near. and
was at swords point with the Mrs. Hays
was just coming to the brook for pail O
water, and sped the yellow head of the bird
peeping out from Mrs. Hays apron.
There ~ she exclaimed, " Now I've
found out what's puzzled me to death nigh
about week. I've found out where thai
yellow pullet has gone to. Mrs. Hays,
alters know'd you was wicked, desatefu
woman, but didn't think you'd steal.
| Steal? me steal who are you talking
to, Mrs Weaver?'' said Mrs. Hays, ON hei
dignity.
I'm talking to you madam, that's wht
I'm talking to! You've stole my hen wba
| got over to Uncle Gilies, and paid for il
sassengers. She's real Dorking. Civ,
her to me right here, or I'll use force"
' She's my hen, and you touch her if yol
dare
"Ill. show you what 1 dare ~ yelled
Mrs. Weaver, growing purple, and sezne
the ill-starred fowl by the tail. she gave
jerk, and the tail came out in her hand
The sudden cessation of resistance upse
Mrs. Weaver's balance. and she fell bacl
into the brook, scattering the mud and as
tonished polliwogs in every direction.
She was spry woman, and was soon OF
her feet again, ready to renew the assault.
Give me my ben !" she cried, thrustin!
her fist into Mrs. Hays face, you old ha!
and bypocrite you ~ and she made secont
dive at the bird.
The hen thought it proper to show hel
| r<hl -