Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-04-17
The Disconnected Hen.

Inc OkScOntenLe0 Hen.
wish I had such a nice time as
some folks" clucked an old hen as she
scratched away in the dirt. "There's
Kitty, now, with nothing to do but sip
her milk and play, and as for Growler,
why, I'm sure it's easy enough to bark
and gnaw bones. The world is all
wrong, and I've a coed mind to give up
and not lay another egg. That would
bring people to their sense pretty
quick, / guess. It's a shame for an old
hen like me to delve here in the dirt
when the cat and dog lead such comfor-
table lives"
The hen stopped scratching and put
her head one side and tried to look
very wise. Then all at once she COM
menced clucking harder than ever, and
it sounded exactly as if she were laugh
ing, and away she went through a hole
in the fence, looking all around to see if
she were watched, and thenBwhat do
you think she did? Why, she made a
nest in a little clump Of shrubbery, and
laid in it a smooth white egg, and could
hardly keep from chuckliig outright,
she was SO overjoyed. But she showed
a great deal OF s~elf-control fo10l hen.
and kept very still-that is, until she
had left the nest behind her, and was
back in the %barnyard again. There, in
deed, she put on such a mysterious air
of importance, and clucked so loudly,
that all the other hens knew what had
happened, and looked at her admiringly.
For non of them laid SO many eggs as
she, and this made her an object of
v~eneration In their eyes. Besides, she
was of foreign birth and had aristocratic
blood in her veins. The latter fact, per-
haps, had something to do with her dis
content. But, really, it's Just as foolish
for hens to be above their business as
for men or women, or little boys and
girls, isn't it?
"Guess they'll not make custards out
of my eggs any more" chuckled she to
herself as soon as the other hens were
out of hearing. Good enough for
them, too. They've no business to snub
me as they do, and right before my face
pet the cat and dog. They think an old
hen hasn't any feelings, perhaps, and
had rather scratch in the dirt than not.
I'm not going to slave my claws off for
such folks any longer, but will just lay
in a nice stock of eggs, and then run
away and hatch them into chickens, and
live without work the rest of my life.
For of course tho chickens can DIG
worms for me, and pick up all [ want,
if / keep them away from the barnyard
all to myself. You wouldn't think it,
but men are such bloodthirsty creatures
that they'll Just twist the neck of a poor
little chicken, if they happen to want
one broiled, and not mind it a bit. I've
seen it done more than once. It's high
time hens had their rights as well a:
other people. They're of some use, bu-
cats and dogs are a lazy set, and eouldn'
lay an egg if they tried"
"Ahl how do you do to-day, Ma
dame Her >" crowed Mr.. Chandelier
who just happened to be struttine
along.
"Just as usual" she clucked sullen
~. "Im tired enough of such a hum
drum life. It's nothing but work, work
from morning until night, and then on
doesn't always have a comfortable plact
to roost. It's very different in China
where I came from ;" and she tried t,
toss her head, but didn't succeed.
Mr.. Chandelier looked down upol
her reprovingly "Tut, tut, madame
Think what a privilege it is to Law egg
and nurse little chickens and. aboY
all, remember that you are under M
protection" With that he gave a lust
crow as much as to say, "Where wi
you find a rooster more brave an
valiant than I ?" The old hen under
stood it, and looked contemptuons. Br
he didn't mind her and strutted off, fee
ing that he had done his duty, and ths
she would know her place hereafter an
be properly Submissive.
A cow 1o-c oftor that H. Ill L.. ---
denly disappeared, and though vigoror
search was made could not be found
But we who are in the secret know tn.
If some one had looked into a certai
clump of shrubbery, and remembers
the wlsps of straw and hay left there b
the children, she would certainly ha,
been discovered. For out of these ST
had made a nest and filed it full of egg
and she was now patiently trying
hatch them into chickens. She was
comical sight, sitting there with b,
wings tucked in, and looking oh /!
wise and self-complacent, Just as VIC
yourselves have seen hens do und
similar circumstances. One could ha,
thought such an employment mo-
monotonous than scratching in Il
dirt, but she seemed to like it. al
certainly showed a great deal of pers
yerance.
Well, no one found her out, and
finally the egg-shells burst open, and o
came the dear little chickens, and oh,
you could have seen her then s.
acted for a minute as if she Didn't knt
what it meant, and then began to clu
for Joy and snuggle them under b
wings again, and wonder if ever anoth
hen was so happy as she. All her c
ms feelings OF hatred toward the cat a
dog were changed into pity, for, ala
they were chickenless, and for her pa
she despised kittens and puppies, a
had no doubt they did. To tell t
truth, a touch of varisy and triuml