Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1871-06-01

uTuuScTy vi tulS ilIc. GSpcCidiIy 10 suio
the case with the feathered tribe, and
pre-cmincntIy SO with that portion of it
that We represent. Upon the female por
ton of ctr sfibc have beef IMPOSED all
the inconvenience and labor Of laying eggs
and tho responsibility and trouble of rais-
ing chickens. while the male has nothing
else to do but to strut about and admire
himself, and give an occasional scream
when ho sees hawk lowering in the air,
but taking good care to get out ofthe way
when the hawk pounces down upon our
unprotected brood. lie will fly upon the
top Of fence and flap his wings and
crow as if the world belonged to him, and
look down with the utmost complacency
upon us hehs while We are toiling to sup
port DIR fathiliess
"Now this sort IF thing has beet going
on for 20 long title Without the protest,
and seemingly with the consent and ap-
prevail of the hens, that it has come to be
regarded rs the natural state of affairs, and
l suppose it would have cote on forever
plymouth Rock had never been visited
by ctr ancestors. You have all heard Of
the maidstone, that wonderful mineral
which. when applied to the parts bitten
by mad dog or snake, will instan fly
extract the venom. and save the life Of
the sufferer. We'll; Plymouth Rock Is the
great moral maidstone, which when appli-
ed to the moral sores and bites that aflict
the world will produce an instant cure. Ny
maternal ancestor. Biddy Hardshell, came
over in the Mayaower, and vas the hfst
of tic poultry tribe that ever sat foot
upon Piymoth Rock, and the FIRST hen
that ever laid an egg in America. When
Biddy Hardshell gave her first cackle up
on that classic spot, there was uttered the
warning note Of tho disenthralment of the
gsttler sex.
"Since thsn the female at the North
has been at work. and its activity is i'm
mense, far beyond anything that you
luxurious daughters ofthe sunny South
could over imagine. Ideas distilled
through the alembic Of our minds are
crystallised into gems of thought that are
destined 10 dazzle the world. You will
not therefore be surprised whet l tell
you that we have discovered that the laws
and customs by which our social. domestic
and political life have here toiore been
govcrhed. are unnatural. unjust, and de-
grading to the female sex.
ITO hen of an inquiring mind the
question naturally arises. Why are things
as they arc For example, why is it that
hens lay eggs, ana ROSTERS do not? Why
is it that a hen is subjected to the itcon-
yenience Of incubation, sitting like fool,
staring at vacancy for three mortal We ks,
in very confined aud cramrcd position,
in order that dozen or more hungry
chickens may be brought into the world,
while her ielf-stylod LORD. who has been
the cause of all tae mischief, struts about
and amuses himself paying gallant atten-
tons TO other dauluded females? Again.
why is it that ROSTERS crow and hens only
cackle? the first question is rather hard to
answer, aud l am afraid that in your
present uncducated state it would be
difficult of salts :actory explanation, but Il G
second question has been very Gle arly
answered by Professor Greeley in small
essay entitled "Whst ] know about Grow.
ing" iu wLish it is stated that when the
FIRST rooster crowed the hen Immediately
clapped her wings and crowed also
whcreupon the rooster, Indignant at being
and no doubt fearful of being
s1cellcd, Immediately bounced upon her,
and gave her such a wiring o: the neck
as to cause structure Of the larynx. from
which she never recovered so that ever
afterwards whenever she attempted to
crow the sound degenerated into con-
cackle, and that all her des-
were afflicted in the same way,
and consequently could never crow. The
learned professor has moreover shown that
The structure was accidental and not
natural; by proper culture it could be
entirely removed. and hens could regain
their lost powers of voice, aud soon learn
to crow as well as the ROSTERS, of which |
viii giYs yon abundant evidence by and
w.
There arc now at the North two
schools of Philosophy. One is called the
Positive School, which looks to the cul.
lure and training Of the males, so as to
enable and induce them to perform all
The functions and duties of thes females.
As far as the sitting, Matching feeding,
and nursing Of the chickens are concern
I'd, this school is decided success, and
the day is not far distant when these
labors will be performed almost entirely
by the roosters, and then We poor, down
Iroddcn females will have some time to
look around and enjoy ourselves. Bns
The grand object of :his school is to make
The ROSTERS lay eggs, aad here, | regret
10 say, that our success has not been quite
30 d ciled. Our plan is to surround the
pupil, and henpeck him to such q degree
as to deprive him of all OH tailfeathers.
and the larger portion Of his comb. and
then to feed him literally upon psrched
corn and pulverizcd oysters-thells. snd
drive him briskly up hill. The result. as
have informed you. has not been entir-
ely satisfactory; but Mrs. d.. Csckle. Of
Boston, the eminent hen-chcmist, after . |
profound study Of the subject, has srg-
gested the addition to the diet Of ia proper |
properties Of sulphur and glycerine. and
predicts that our success will then be
assured. This school looks also to the
cultivation of the female voice up to
the strength and coarsensss Of the males.
Growing schools have been cstat lished all |
over New England. and now it is a
common thing there for hens to crow
as dsrccly and as Justify as ROSTERS.
1.-The other school is called the Mega
tive School. on Society for the suppression
Of eggs, and here also we have met with.
the most marked success I; so much so tina.
!