The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1875-01-17
For the Bulletin
THE AMBITIOUS HEN.
A story For Children.

and while we sit by the fire. | will tell
you story. Ii was suggested To my
mind by lecture lately delivered in this
city. and ont of Il. Should | tell you
that the name of the subject was--i
great big word that is now interesting the
whole civilized world, you would not TN.
derstand the word. so I'll not name il. but
go on with my story.
There was once an old
hen whose name was Cock
atoo, and n little drab duck named
Skaddles. The hen had lived on the farm
a long while before she ever heard OF the
duck, which fact accounted for the peace
between them. Cockatoo had a plcc nest
in the hay, ~ also had some ducks OF
the Skaddles family. which fact was a
great source of trouble TO Cockatoo. She
had great fancy to be a leader of the
society in which she moved, and de-
manded ownership of the whole barn
yard, nests included. When duck COM
pletej her soft nest. Cockatoo ran her
out, AMI occupied it herself, till in her
desire to disturb the comfort of others.
she had but little herself, and sometimes
got bewildered in her choice of roosts and
nests. One bright morning Skaddles
stepped out of the hay. followed by
wonderful number of little ducks. as they
all made their way to pretty pond by
the hillside. Day after day she took them
there, and they scooped their wings in
the water, and dug worms out of the mud
with their broad bills. and had good
time generally. soon they learnt to
swim, which feat Cockatoo saw often. and
always with the greatest surprise and
disgust. She told the story in very ex-
aggerated way To her friends. and de-
clared that no respectable. gentecl fowl
would or could swim. She could not do
so, and why should another! Row could
they: These were questions she raised:
and answered by ayowing that il was her
conviction that Skaddles was assisted by
the Devil. am aware, my dears. that
this Is a very ugly word, but some peo-
pie seem happier for it, use.
and rs Cockatoo always used it. | am
Obliged to repeat it, If give true ac-
count. AT last she became very angry
with Skaddlcs, and was ever cruel to the
little ones, and declared her intention To
raise just one little chick that should
vanquish the last duck from the face of
the earth. Whether she really battered
herself into this belief. or whether she
said 1t for the sake of cackling and max
ing great noise, have 10 means Of
knowing, but certain it is, that from that
day she seemed to devote her whole time
and talent to the planning out bright
future for the little chick that she some
day hoped topossess. Day and night she
sat in her nest, racking her brain with
brilliant fancies of n victory over the en-
envy, and denied herself time even for
proper food or drink. Sometimes She
flew from her nest with a loud screcch.
and Hoped in anticipation OF the time
when she would display her young chick
TO the jealous gaze of those around
her, and cast dsdainful glances
at poor Skaddles, and held her head side
wise with very knowing look indeed.
At last. one fair day, CocLatoo walked
proudly forth with her infant prodigy:
cackling, clucking and scratching. AS
only hen can do, over her first offspring.
Occasionally she gave loud call. as if in
terror, and by her various exclamatiOns
attracted a large crowd Of admirers
around her. Skaddles came llp also. and
watched the excited movements; and
listened 10 the cXtrayagant praises be-
slowed upon the newcomers, and wish
ing to be neighborly, she invited the
whole company down to the pond TO
catch flies, hunt worms, or to swim.
The invitation was very unfortunate in
its results, Tor Cockatoo became fearfllly
enraged, and ordered Skaddles away: dc.
cIaring the while that her chick should
run the whole Skaddles family into the
water, and keep them Off of ground for.
ever. Skaddles turned slowly holncward.
amused at the passion and poor taste dis
played by her conccited friend: who.
Boosting and scraping her wings on the
ground, followed the ducks to the waters
edge. While She flew aud iloundered
and spattered in the water, wearing her
self out with her foolish exertons. her
young one spread its little wings and all
ded one more to the happy brood that
sailed peacefully upon the smooth waters.
and followed the motlicrly Skaddles.
Poor Coekatoo ran up and down by the
pond, calling in vain to her needles,
| child, and had no answer but the "quack
quack," that almost drove her frantic.
In her loss, she realized for the
first time that she had sat on the
wrong nest. In her desire for adj
miration and her ambition TO mortify
an unoilending ncighbor, she exposed
her own ignorance, and added to happi-
ness which she intended TO destroy.
'ockatoo now sits on a modest perch. her