Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-02-25
" Ef - Quite T,.uc ?"

"Ihat is an atrocious story said a
hen, and it was in quarter of the city
where the story had not happened.
"That is horrible story from the hen
house. dare not sleep alone tonight.
It's good that SO many of us roost togeth-
er on the same perch ~
And then she told the story so that the
feathers of the other hens stood up on
end and the rooster dropped his comb.
It's quite true.
But we will begin at the beginning,
and that is to be found in hen-house in
another quarter of the town.
The sun went down and the hens flew
up to their roost one hen, with white
feathers and short legs, who laid her eggs
regularly and was, as a hen, in every way
and manner eminently respectable, as
she flew up to the perch gave herself
peck with her beak and one tiny feather
flew out.
"There it goes" said she, "and the
more L pluck out the prettier L shall
be"
She said it iestingly, for she was the
paragon of modesty among the hens,
and, moreover, as we have said, intense
ly respectable. Then she fell asleep. 1t
was dark over all hen sat by hen, but
the hen that sat by the merry one
couldn't sleep she had heard but hadn't
learned how it must be in this world if
one wishes to live quietly. Of course
she must tell it to her other neighbor.
"Did you hear what has just been
said? 1 mention no one, but here is a
hen who plucks out her feathers to look
pretty! If were rooster 1 should de-
spise her."
Just above the hens sat the owl, with
the owl-father and the owl-children. The
family had sharp ears and they all heard
every word which the neighboring hen
had said They rolled their eyes, and
the mother-owl tapped her wings and
said: "Don't listen to it But did you
hear what they said9 heard it with my
own ears; ones ears do not deceive one
There is one down there among the hens
that has forgotten to such degree what
is proper for hen that she has plucked
out all her feathers, and the ROSTERS saw
her, too :"
Remember the children" said the
owl-father, reprovingly; "that is no
kind of story for children to hear"
CT must tell it to the neighbor owl, ;"
said the mother; "she is very estimable
owl to associate with % and thereupon
she flew away.
TO WHO'D, to WHO'D, to whit" cried
they both into the neighboring cote, to
the pigeons. SHAVE you heard it! have
you heard it whit There is hen there
that has plucked out all her feathers for
the sake of the rooster; she will freeze,
if she isn't already frozen"
"Where? where ?" cooed the doves
q" LII the neighbours yard! lust as good
as saw it myself. 1t is almost improper
to tell the story. 1t Is quite true /.
ave believe it; we believe every word
of it !" said the pigeons, and dove down
into their hen yard.
"There is hen there, yes, some say
there are even two hens, that have
plucked ont all their feathers, 80 as to
look differently from the others and to
attract the attention of the rooster.
That is a dangerous thing to do +; one
might catch cold and die of fever, and
in fact, they did both die !"
"Wake up! wake up!" crowed the
rooster, and flew up on the planks the
sleep was still in his eyes, but he crowed
inst the same. "Three hens have died
of unfortunate love for a rooster they
plucked all their feathers out ! 1t is q
horrible story, but will not keep it to
myself /; it should go further ~
LET it go further" piped the bats,
and the hens clucked and the roosters
crowed: Let it go further let it &c
further" and 50 the story went from
hen-house to hen-house until at last il
cane back to the place from which il
originally started.
Five hens" it ran now, had
plucked out all their feathers to show
which had grown thinnest out Of love 70,
the rooster, and afterward they picked
each other until the blood came, ant
they fell down dead, to the disgrace ant
shame Of their families and the grea
loss of their proprietor" The her