New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-22
4 DOCTOR OF DIVTNITFS 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 1t Is hs
It 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 in the university, en-
Toying reputation for prOdgous euditlon-was
summing himself in the High street. Now the High
street in Oxford a fine Sunday afternoon toward
the end of the summer term, when the
town IS filled with visitors VINO have
come up TO COmmemoraton, is one OF
the most crowded and fashionable thoroughfares TO
be found in all Englsnd and as the doctor threaded
his way through the well-dressed throng his dig
ni6ed air bespoke a consciousness of uncommon
merit. and of merit not uHrecognlzed by the world,
while his face shone with q mixture OF pride aud
beneyolence such as became so great man III 50
poolly a company. 1t so Glanced, however, tbat
rampant gust of wInd-which fous ought never 10
have allowed TO roam about on such a. sunny
day-came romplng up the streel, surfing up
swirls of dust and tluttering the ladies' riO-
hons as IL came; and, whether IL was tDo
conspicuous gloss upon the professors nat thaG
caught the winds eye for the wind has an eye, or
how could mariners sail initf or whether u was mo
of more easily is uncertain. but certain II is that
his was the only hat that blew off in all the crowd
Naturally the professor went of after his hat; but
every one knows what lot of trouble Nr. Plckwick
had catch his hat when 1t blew of, and with al
his eruditon, the professor was not unlike MI.
Pckwck 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 against the gate But IL so
CHANGED that a solitary hen--a black one-was
taking an afternoon stroll Just inside the yard. ana,
withthat perversity which has caused biacA mems 70
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 gog
into the street. the confusion at hpdlng herself
among so many people sent her III furry OF dust
aud featheTs-for hens always run the wrong way
ont into the road. Once in Ne road, she
met the professor, and immediately concluding
lin spite OF bis clerical attire that he was there
TO hunt her away she went down the road III '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 OF
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 ROmiHe digRd can easily out
with tho stately throng Of fashionable iolk all
agape on either hand. went this worse than
GIlpiu race; and while the hen Kicked up the
dust aud the professors bald bead went flashing
in tho sun, tie undergraduates bent ont OF their
windows ON each side of the road and Cheered pur-
suer and 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 elUcking over
the crowded sidewalk TO settle on wall. And TO
this day the professor hates the man WHO talks 70
him OF hens.