The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-11-08
A Chicken.StOry.

YESTERDAY we saw pfetty inquire OF
heroism that we would like to have
some artist paint. Night before last
one of our old Spanish hens died, leav-
ing seven young chickens. The poor
little things were found in the morn
ing, their voices fairly hoarse with pips
ing, scrambling over their poor dead
mother trying to wake. her up. We
took them and gave them to another
Spanish hen, sister Of the dead one,
who had not chick or care in the
world. But she would have nothing to
do with them, and bridled up in great
indignation. We tried several more
hens with the same Intellectual success.
The Spanish rooster, handsome,
pompous fellow, also turned the cold
shoulder on them, although he could
jabber condescenlingly to them when
the old hen was alive. Still we could
hardly have expected anything better
of the rooster, knowing his character
SO well. He is not only outrageously
selfish, but such 4 cOnsummate egotist.
He cannot speak to a hen or Il chicken
without putting on that provoking air
of cOndescensiOn peculiar to vain,
shoddy, weak-minded people. As to
his ever rendering any assistance to
even his favorite hen, in procuring food
for her little ones, is out of the ques-
ton. We have seen him often while
pretending to hen that he was help
ing her take care of her chickens,
snatch morsel from the little chick
ems mouths, and run off with it to eat
it by himself. 1t may have been a bug,
too, that the old hen had scratched an
hour for. To hear him talk. and see
him strut, the air of protector he as
sumes, you would think he provided
food for the whole barnyard. If a
fright takes place among the fowls, he
is always the first to run and the last to
to see him come tluttering back after a
scare, smoothing down his feathers and
clucking, clucking-" Be not afraid, 1
am here" Now about the little waits.
We had set them down in shady place
and sprinkled some bread-crumbs on
the ground for them to eat, and had
taken up our position, not far off, to
see that they remained unmolested.
They were too timid or out of temper
to touch the food, and were still crying
as if their hearts would break, when
our little bantam family came saunter-
ing by, consisting of a sweet, motherly-
looking hen, proud-stepping little
rooster and four snowy sprites, the pref
test, daintiest little creatures you ever
laid eyes on. The rooster, if anything,
is handsomer than the hen, he wears a
tOp-knOt or crown, which adds much to
the style Of his appearance. The hen
was the first to hear the cries of dis
tress, and commenced clucking nerv-
ously to the rooster. The rooster
looked askance toward the chickens,
brushed his top-knot, picked his toes,
then held down bluegrass stem for
his chickadees to pick the seeds off, and
seemed to forget everything in listening
to their wee chirps of pleasure, until his
wife gave another cluck. Returning
the cluck good-naturedly, taking an en-
ergetic shake of the body, he marched
deliberately over to where the chickens
were and began clucking at them, point
ing out the crumbs and trying to per-
suade them to eat. But they stood back
abashed. He looked strangely to them,
his white dress was so unlike that OF
their mothers. Our rooster was not to
be discOuraged-he scratched away at
the crumbs as if he was awfully hum
CRY and wanted them himself. Then
he went to tossing the crumbs over his
head, making them fly backward
and forward, to enliven the chickens
into a scamper over them. Seeing
that his frisky performances only con-
founded instead of amusing them, and
was far from establishing in them a feel
ing of assurance, he smeared his bill
with bread and tucked it down among
the little heads budding together,
which proved to be a most irresistible
piece of diplomacy. They ate the bread
from his mouth, and were soon making
way with that which was scattered
about. When they had finished the
crumbs he marshaled them together
and rejoined his wife, the chickens fol-
lowing closely by his side. We fancy
the little hen nodded her approval, fol
the two chatted very affectionately to-
gether as they continued their stroll
around the yard. merrily catching
winged insects, hunting ffower-seeds
and juicy worms to feed the hungry
mouths of their tender nestlings. All
day long the bantam rooster watched
over the Spanish chickens with Jealous
care, the hen excusing him from all re.
sponsibility in regard to their own
brood. And when night came on the
nebls little couple nestled suusly dewu