Middletown transcript., 1882-02-24
[CoMMUNICATED.l
4 Chicken Story,

1 see that the Methodist Conference is to
be held in your beautiful town in March.
I have no doubt it will be a very enjoy
able affair. The well known hospitality
of your people will cause large anticipa-
tions on the part of those who expect to be
present, and as chickens are always ex-
pected to constitute large share OF the
make up of the good things on such occa-
sions, 1 would advise your good house.
wives to be sure of their supply, and not
be caught mapping, as they sometimes are,
as my experience proved on similar oc-
casiOn, some years ago, when our good
Methodist friends assembled in Chester
town, Md. 1t had been a fatal year on
poultry of all kinds. The cholera had
done its work too we'll, and many families
were entirely bereft of the much priced
luxury, the yellow-legged chicken. One
lady who had been so fortunate as to save
from the wreck a turkey gobbler and
BARNARD rooster, which she had be-
slowed great pains upon in tattening for
the occasion, was almost driven into hys-
terra on finding both gone at the very
moment when she had given orders to
prepare them for the table. Detectives
were employed but no trace could be
found of their hiding place, nor any proof
that thieves had done the work. Thus
matters rested until nearly the close OF
Conference. 1t had been given out on
Friday morning that Conference would
close that day, and that all engaged i'll its
iabors would leave on Saturday morning,
but when Saturday morning came there
could but few of the ministers leave,
business not having been concluded.
Many carriages were waiting to take those
who were to go to the cars, and there
was great rattling of wheels through the
town, and still but few were aware that
the greater number of the ministers had
to remain over Sunday. Now comes the
most remarkable part of my story. The
of the old lady, that had been
slowed away under the barn, thinking all
danger past, came forth from his hiding
place and, flving upon the fence, Hopping
his wings, sent forth his shrill, clear voice
upon the morning air, "Preachers gone
away! Preachers gone away! Preachers
gone away!' The old turkey parent, who
had hidden himself away in secluded
copse of wood, back of the town, hearing
the glad tidings of the old chanticleer, left
his perch and made bee line for home,
his delight with "goody,
goody, goody; goody, goody, goody,"
not dreaming of the awful fate that
awaited him on his arrival, for he had no
sooner reached the house than he and the
old chanticleer were both throttled, the
gobbler to occupy a prominent place at
the head of the table OIL Sunday, and the
old chanticleer to furnish the croquettes and
chicken salad. Soon after that family
were made happy by the return of their
poultry, the whole town was electrified by
the ringing of bells, announcing the fact
that news had arrived by pony express
that the great staple of Chester river
e" neds'') were on their way up and would
reach town in time for market that day.
[ received many pressing invitations to
remain over Sunday and enjoy the luxu-
rious "neds," which I was Obliged to re-
Iuctantly decline on account of pressing
business, so 1 gathered my samples and, |
with satchel in hand, bid adieu to friends
whose smiling faces I shall never forget.
DRUMMER.
Eastern Shore, February Goth, 1882.