The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-10-26
The MarrOwfat Pig.
Illustrating the Advantages of Aristoe-
racy.

Elizabeth Cummings in the IndependentJ
Ihe Guinea-Hen was extremely aristocratic
and talked great deal about the first families.
Il will not allow my children to associate with
the common, vulgar herd" she said" "Their
minds and manners shall be formed By inter-
course with the select few Therefore, when
she gave party in honor of the Oldest son,
Heliogabalus, she did not invite all the fowls
in the barn, but only the Gray Goose, the old
Goooler and the three White Turkey hens, the
White Bantams, and the Black Spanish family.
She also invited the Marrowfat Pig
The Marrowfat Pig was new conner in the
barn. He was quite small. His body was
white and silky as white mouse, and his nose,
feet, ears and tail were of bright pink color.
IL consider him price" the farmer had
| said, when he brought him into the yard.
"There is not another like him in the country.
| Heis pure Marrowfat" And the Guinea hen,
| overhearing these remarks, begun cultyating
the strangers acquaintance Immediately.
He slept nearly all the time be was not eat
| ing; and when the Guinea-hen approached
him and spoke of the weather or asked after
his health, he rarely did more than to open one
of his little pink eyes or twitch his long ears.
Sometimes he made an asthmatic noise that
sounded somewhat like "wuff! wuffr' Bot
the Guinea-hen said to her friends and family:
"What an air of hgh-bred reserve there is
about the Marrowiat pig. What distinguished
manners he has. Really, he is great addi-
tion to our society" Aud all the hens cackled,
"Ah yes. to be sure;" for such is the way OF
the world.
The GuBea-hen's guests arrived early; aud
| when all were assembled she and Heliogabalus
led the way to the corn house, the door OF
| which the farmers son, who was in love, had
absent-mindedly left open.
! Mounting on the largest heap OF corn, the
| Guinea-hen said politely: "My dear friends,
eat as fest as you can, and as long as you can"
The Gray Goose, the Turkeys and the different
families of Hens replied "rhank you," and
bowed gracefully; but the Marrowfat Pig did
not even go 'Wuff?' Wuffl" but fell to eating
directly.
| He rootf right and left, poked the Grey
| Goose in the ribs, almost upset the venerable
Gobbler, and took not exactly the lions but the
| pigs share of the corn.
"What an original character the Marrowfat
| Pig isP' said the Guinea-hen. "YOu cat see
| his genius in the way he acts. Blood will tell
andthere is nothing so desirable a. high de-
| scent.
When the Marrowfat Pig had eaten all he
| could possibly hold he lay down in the biggest
corn heap and fell asleep Little Biddy Ban
tam ventured to pick up a few kernels near his
| x.
corn against his nose. He opened one of his
! pink eyes aud went ''Wuffr' "WuffP' as IL ia
was great effort and really too much for him.
'How should like to understand Marrow
fat" said the Guinea-hen, "Pm sure he Is say
ing something very entertaining to Miss
| Biddy."
| The Gray Goose waddled around in the corn,
shoveling up dessert-spoonful at every step;
and as she was short-sighted, as many literary
| and learned persons are, she accidentally gave
the Marrowfat Pigs pink tail a sharp tweak
with her bill, Squealing angrily, he started 10
and caught hold of poor little Biddy Bantam's
yellow legs and nearly bit them off.
"Yor miserable, nasty Marrowfst Pigr
screamed the Gray Goose, very much excited
Twas who pinched your good-for-notbing
! tail; but L did not damage it mite. You
ought to be ashamed of yourselfp'
Bur the Marrowfat pig, instead of blushing,
only lowered his head, and, looking savagely az
her, went "Wuff!" "Wuff!' in such q threaten
ing manner she retreated quickly behind a ci-
der-barre.
The whole Bantam family left the corn-house
imme 1iat,ly with their suffering little Biddy;
and the rest of the guests, except the Marrow.
tat Fig, who lay down for another nap soon
| followed them. As the old Gobbler took his
leave, he said to the Guinea-hen, in low tone:
Pardon me. my dear friend; but don't you
think we had better cut the acquaintance of the
Marrowfat Pig? His conducs this afternoon
has been shocking-quite like common hog,
in fact
| cannot agree with you there" said the
Guinea-hen. "He evidently he 8 delicate or
| ganization. Miss Biddy annoyed him by peck
ing arc and his head, and the outrage the Gray
| Goose committed on his tail was entirely in
| excusable. The Bantams shall drop forever;
and if it were not for the culture and blue-bloed
of the Gray Goose should cut her also. No
/ one bat vulgar person would behave badly to
gentleman Of such consideration as the Mar
rowfat Pig"
. The Gobbler shook hands with the Guinea
hen, and they parted friendly; but there was q
| codness in their manner visible to close OBJ
server, and there is no telling how far the alien
alton between the several families in the barn
might have gone had not the Marrowfat Pig
died that night from eating too much corn at
| the party.
After his death all united in doing him hon.
or. Even the Bantams came to believe Biddy's
lameness distraction; and following the lead
of the Guinea-hen they all declared that the
greatest genius and the most well-bred person
they had ever known was the Marowfat Pig.