Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-03
Hens as Types.

He who thinks hens uninteresting is no
observer. There is an air of pleasant home
illness in flock of these fowls scratching
their bustling activity touched with grace
is suggestive ofImany homelike things. Then
there is great individuality in the members
of flock. Their doings are illustrative of
feminine nature. Chanticleer has long stood
for masculine vanity perhaps, more nearly
than anything else, he represents the idea
which readers of English stories usually en-
tertain of Frenchmen. In the grace Of un-
studied gallantry, in ostentatious politeness
in little things, he stands without a rival.
In these matters, none of the bedur hOulneS
at the Francois, no Turveydrop in litera-
ture, can equal the gray rooster in my back
yard OF the useful virtues which Anglo
Saxons prize, Dick possesses few True, he
occasionally guards bit of meat or worm
until some pretty pullet can run up and de-
your it, but in digging worms for living
any one of my wiry black hens is much
more expert. When the morning corn is
thrown out Dicks hunger conquers his
breeding; his own crop is filled to the neg
lect of his flock. In spite of his failings
Dick contrives, by department alone SEEM
ingly, to keep his flock admiring, devoted,
submissive. To watering-place gallants l
recommend the friendly proprietorship with
which he sometimes saves tidbit for one
of the young pullets, the "little things"
who will be in society next season. As art
it is perfect.
If Dick represents masculine foible, Biddy
represents feminine whim. In my flock is
one old hen who must once have been
belle. Whenever she hears Dicks clucking
call, indicating that he has dainty wait
i'm oh xuill ruioblxy laaua nf har
own providing. Sad to say, she is often dis
appointed. Dicks efforts at scratching are
brief his faith that there are millions in
dust heap, which to most eyes looks un-
promising enough, is as unbounded as Col
onel Sellers own. Despite her experience,
this model hen never refuses to come at call
and never takes her disappointment in any
but meek spirit. Thackeray's Helen and
Laura were not more trusting. Her own
ample powers of getting living are held as
nothing compared to Dicks snowy but fee
BILE efforts else, she believes she was made
to live by Dicks bounty and humbly walks
her appointed way.
The Black Spanish hen ought to be the
especial emblem of the educated working
women of America. Her chief character
istics are energy, grace and style. The
American woman and the Black Spanish
hen are the only two of natures children,
so far as | know, that succeed in combining
these traits. The combination in both in
stances is charming. While the Black
Spanish has none of the Rubens-like beauty
of plump Brahma or Buff Cochin pullet,
there is distinction about her which leaves
all merely plump pullets far behind. No
bird of the air is so accurately described by
the word stylish" What could be more
striking and at the same time less |" loud "
than her black, satin-like coat, relieved by
the little points of white at the throat and
the scarlet comb on the head 7 What more
elegant than her slender figure, more dis
tinguished than the delicate poise of her
head, more graceful than her dropping
comb 7 The merely pretty, plump part
ridge style of beauty is beaten when the
graceful Black Spanish type is in the field.
Considered as an emblem, the Black Span.
ish has other striking points. As worker
she is unequaled. BY no means can she be
hindered when she has placed her ambition
on any obi ect. Has she set her heart on the
center of the lettuce-bed ? To the center of
the lettuce-bed she will, sooner or later, at
tain, even should all the men in America
in convention assembled resolve that the
lettuce-bed is not her proper sphere.
One other point of resemblance, and then
my countrywomen may accept or reject the
emblem they certainly have as yet failed
to find better one. When the Black Span
ish hen matches a brood-a rare occurrence
she becomes the most devoted of mothers.
Her tireless energies are all bent on feeding
and protecting her young. ! have known
one who had been without food for many
hours to refuse to eat a crumb till the chick
ems were first satisfied. The same hen has
fiercely attacked a large cat, who had mis-
taken the breakfast plate of the chickens
for his own, and driven him ingloriously
from the yard. Yet an energetic young
lady acquaintance was offended at my nam
ing this hen after her-all, indeed, because
she knew the hen to be unusually skillful in
obtaining the politicians share of whatever
good things were thrown TO the flock. Alas
for the sensitiveness of human nature l.
Springfield Republican.