The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-06-15
sPoupENDYxEs CHICKENS.

DOuHub SOut CulChCilSy oO VIC JUL bovO
fresh laid eggs. Lock- and he held
out couple of pairs OF fowls tied by
the legs, for Mrs. Spoopendykes con-
temptation.
well, upon my word" exclaimed
Mrs. .Spoopendyke. "Of all things!
chickens! Ever since we've been mar
ried I've wanted chickens!' aud she ap-
preached the birds cautiously and with
look of misgiving that belied her
words. where can we keep them?'
elm a coop, Mrs. Spoopendyke, in a
coop!" retorted her husband. laying the
chickens on the bed while he Invested
himself of his coat and vest. "We
might keep them up the chimney Or in
the clock, but we probably won't. Well
Just keep EN- in a hen coop, and I've
got the laths and nails down stairs to
bnild it with. Come down in the yard,
and Mr.. Spoopendyke grabbed his new
acquisition by the legs and started off,
followed by his wife.
"Do you know how to build coop?"
asked Mrs. Spoopendyke,as she watched
her husband dig a post-hole in the
corner she had reserved for a geranium
bed
eff don't, you probably do" snorted
Mr.. Spoopendyke, kicking away at the
spade until he loosened his leg. Nov,
1 put this post here and that one there.
Then the two fences make the rest, and 1
only lath up these two-dod CAST the
p ost!' he concluded, as it toppled over
on his ear. "Can't you hold it up?
What're you sitting around there like
cork in Jug for? Hold it up, will YEP"
Mrs. Spoopendyke grasped the post
firmly with both hands and held it at an
angle of thirty degrees.
"Now hold it perfectly still while
dig the other hole" and Mr.. Spoopen-
dyke hacked away at the ground again
and set his second post.
81 see what you mean," giggled Mrs.
Spoopendyke. "You slat it up from one
post to the other and then put the chick
ems in. Ny! how nice that'll be!'
Mr.. Spoopendyke glared at her mo-
ment and then began putting up his
laths, standing between the posts and
the fence corner and whistling as he
worked.
"Now," said he, as he finished, "what
do you think of that?"
Mrs. Spoopendyke. examined the job
critically.
cts a perfect palacew she exclaimed.
"But say, dear. how are you going to get
out?"
"Yah-h -h reared Mrs. Spoopendyke,
bouncing into the air. "Why don't ye
tell me I? What'd ye want to let me build
myself in like q dod gasted mummy for ?
Amt yet got any sense at all anywheres?
Why didn't We watch what was doing ?"
and Mr.. Spoopendyke grinned horribly
through the Stats.
IT supposed you were going to build
q hole in it." faltered Mrs, Spoopendyke.
$50 am r. yelled Mr.. Spoopendyke,
jamming his leg through the structure.
'sWsnt any more holes ?" and he kicked
the side half way across the yard. -Four
chickens, four holes !" he roared, and
the laths flew in all directions. want
any more holes ?" and he smashed the
roof out with the spade. "Holes con-
stantly on hand If you don't see
the hole You want, ask for 1t + and
he blew out the end with terrible energy.
"New goods coming all the time! Sec
ond-hand holes specially" and he
banged out the other end. Parties
wanting holes to send in the country
will consult their interests by applying
here before going elsewhere" and he
ripped down the rest OF the coop with
prodigious clatter want any more
holes in this particular COOP" he roared,
wrenching out the posts and slamming
them across the yard. docs this hen.
coop begin to convey the impression of
having hole in it?" he demanded, stalk
ing up to his wife.
eyes, dear" replied Mrs. Spoopen.
dyke, soothingly. Tim so glad you got
out, but where can We keep the chickens
now?"
Keep 'em!' ripped Mr.. Spoopendyke,
with horrible grimaee, and grasping
the wretched fowls by the legs, who's
going to keep emp and he out the lash-
ings. .'S'pose Tn going 10 ruin my
business just to crafty every measly
whim of dod-gasted womsn?" and he
ierked the chickens into the air.
Never mind" cooed Mrs. Spoopen-
dyke, - the last bird slid over the fence
and disappeared. "Chickens ere nui-
sance anyway. We really didn't need
"Why didn't you say 70 before I
bought emf" blurtsd Mr.. Spoopendyke,
q he dashed into the house.
st didn't know it" sighed Mrs. Spoop-
endyke, looking around ON the wreck,
and, beside, don't believe We would
have had many eggs, because these
chickens were all roosters."
And Mrs. Spoopendyke followed her
husband, who stormed around the rest
0~~1