Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-11-22
A Smart Little Rooster.
BY UNCLE JACK.

BY UNCLE JACK.
Once there was an old hen who had
nice brood of young chickens-seven
tiny little fellows who were not big
enough to wear feathers, but had soft
yellow down all over 'em. Their ewes
were bright as beads, and always closed
at early bedtime; their pink bills never
opened except to let out a peep-peep.
or let in bug or something else nice to
eat; and their little legs went trotting
round after the hen all day long. They
never had to be called twice to come
straight to bed, but snuggled under
their mammals feathers as quick 81
she called; and they never kicked off
the clothes, nor played circus, nor tore
the bed to pieces, nor quarreled, nor
anything. And when she'd cluck 'em
one story about hawk and another
about q weasel, they never leased her
for one more about funny old Tom
Turkey who swelled up until he bust
trying to get as big as he felt. And in
the morning they didn't nozzle way
past the second bell, and only get up
when they heard there were pancakes
and maple syrup for breakfast. They
were nice little family of chickens,
you'd better believe.
But as they grew up a little, and got
about to the pin-feather age, one of
them-he was q young rooster-came
to think he knew more than his moth
er. Did you ever hear of such a thing?
"a chicken only two months old
s'posing he knew more'n hen who was
seven or eight years old!
- None Of them saw very much of
their father: he was busy day-times
finding corn, and making greater fuss
about single kernel than the mamma
hen did about whole ear. Besidess
he had great deal Of running around
without going anywhere, to do, and
lots of Growing to attend to, and eau
cusses and clubs to run after, and he
couldn't be bothered with chickens.
But this young rooster got into lots Of
trouble by thinking he knew SO much.
One day. the old hen called very loud.
and sharp, ruffled out the feathers
straight on her neck, and spread her
wings so that every chick scampered
under them except the smart little
rooster. He heard the alarm, but said
he'd come in q minute" and
went on picking up meal. just then a
big hawk swooped down on him, and
would have carried him off for his din
ner if the farmers boy hadn't been
there and driven the hawk away with
his bow and arrow. Another time a
chicken eating cat almost nabbed him
under the barn, where his mother had
told him not to go. And one day when
it was rainy and cold he wouldn't stay
with the rest under the shed, where it
was dry and warm, but kept going out
into the wet grass looking after grass
hoppers that were too cold to Jump
away. He had just begun to learn to
crow; and the next morning about five
o'clock strange noise started up every
hen and chicken in the coop. It
seemed to say: "Ur-a-ur-n-r-r-h p but
was SO hoarse and croaky that it sound
ed like a big bull-frog with g. sore
throat, and a boy with the Group, and
crow with slip-noose around his neck,
all making noise together. What do
you s'pose it was ?"
"I dunno"
cit was the smart young rooster
Growing. He'd got his feet wet the
day before, and caught an awful cold,
and when ne crOWed, lt just scared
every chick out Of the coop. And he
didn't know his own voice, it was so
hoarse and broken. Of course he
didn't have any licorice, nor hoarhound
candy, nor balsam, nor wear any fan
mel on his neck; and so he had to stuff .
it out the best he could. But a rooster
has pretty long throat, you know, and
it seemed twice as long as it was when
he was swallowing corn that day. And
all the time he was sick, he thought he
would mind his mother next time. He
forgot som etimes, but was SO much
better behaved that when he got big
and fat they put him in nice chicken
pie for Christmas, where all good chick
ems go.