New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-23
4 DOCTOR OF DIVTNITY'S HEN HUNE

One of the leading professors in Oxford hates 10
have the subject of hens mentioned in his presence
especially black hens: and the reason Of ii Is hs
1t was on a fine Sunday afternoon in summer, q
good many years ago. that the professor III question
who Is a doctor of divinity. and who even then was
one of the bes-knOwn figures i'll the university, en-
toying reputation for prodgOus eruditiOn-was
summing himself in the High street. Now the High
street in Oxford on fine sunday afternoon toward
the ond of the summer term, when the
town IS filed with visitors VINO have
come up TO Commemoration, IL one or
the most crowded and fashionable thoroughiares 10
be found in all England; and as the doctor threaded
his way through the well-dressed throng his dig
nifed air bespoke a consciousness of uncommon
merit and of merit not uHrecognIzed by the world,
while his face shone with q mixture of pride aud
heneyolence such as became so great man III 50
goollv a company. 1t so CHANGED, however, tbat
rampant gust of wInd-wmch Itous ought never 70
have allowed TO roam about on such q sunny
day--came romping up the street, stirring up
sGirIs of dust and duttering the ladies' rib
hons as il came and, whether u was was Inc Lne
conspicuous gloss upon the professors nat thaG
caught the winds eye for the wind has an eye, or
how could mariners sail nitf or whether II was he
badness of the professors head made his hat Slide
OF more easily, is uncertain. but certain II is that
his was the only hat that blew OIL III all the crowd
Naturally the professor went on aiter ms hat out
every one knows what a lot of trouble Slr. flckwick
had catch bis hat when II blew OF, ana WIN all
his erudition the professor was not unlike Mr..
Pjckwck in figure; So instead Of his having caught
his hat the latter had obtained a command
ing lead before it blew bump up
Now was the professors opportunity for the hat
was lying dead beat up aga inst the gate But IL 50
CHANGED that solitary hen--a black one-was
taking an afternoon stroll Just inside the yard, ana,
withthat Deryersity which has caused black hens TO
bs regarded by the superstious OF all ages as birds
of evil omen, frightened by the noise the
hat made knocking against the wooden gate that
she scutIed out INTO the street As soon as sue g0g
into the street. the confusion at hpdlng heIselI
among so many people sent her in q furry OF dust
and feathers-for hens always run the wrong way
out into the road. Once IN NE ROAD, sno
lin spite OF bis clerical attire that he was there
TO hunt her away she went down the road IN 'front.'
of him. Nor was her surmise as TO his intentions so
ill-founded as is common with the panies OF hens,
for the professor is terribly shortsgted and what
with the dust and the heat and the excitement or
the chase he never detected the fraud that was
beng pamed off upon him, but started OH after the
hen as blthcly as he had heretofore hunted MS nat
But though hat is h9Td TO catch hen Is worse;
and any healthy fowl ROmine dignd can easily out
run doctor of divinity SO down the High street,
with tho stately throng Of fashionable folk all
agaDe ON either hand. went this worse than
Gilpin race and while the hen kicked up the
dust aud the professors bald bead went flashing
In the sun tie undergraduates bent ont OF their
windows on each side of the road and cheered pur-
suer aud pursued. and laid long odds upon the hen.
And in all probability the professor would have
hunted that hen till shutdown had not u carriage
come ND the road to meet them, when 10 his horror
he saw his hat--his wcl-behayed clerical hat that
had sat quietly on his head every Sunday for the
last two mOnths--take wings and fly clucking over
this day the professor hates the man WHO talks TO
i'm nj