St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-06-28

boxes on the tree had retired farther il
the distance than ever. l said then tt
myself: Il wonder where this under
taking will carry me ere it is finished
What new thing shall | find necessar,
to incorporate iuto this iob9 Perhap,
1t may bring me to the repairing of m,
hen-coop. 1t may take me to the city
to get some needed article. 1t NAV
carry ME to Europe. l may be Obliged
to consult with lawyers and iurists, al
through some indirect operation OF
development growing ont of this blue
bird box business. 1t has already COS,
me two and a half hours labor, and
expected to accomplish it in thirty min.
uteS." But l am now prepared for war.
| will devote the whole day to this un-
dertak:ng g-perchance two whole days.
repaired the ladder carefully, nail
ing braces both within and without the
broken upright Iplaced it in position
and mounted it, carrying a bird box
with me. Arrived at the ladders top |
found l could not climb the tree to the
spot where desired to nail the box
with the box in my hands. So went
down the ladder again and placed the
box on the ground. Then ! went up
the ladder SO far as it reached, and
henceforth took to climbing More OBJ
stacles presented themselves. Branches
got directly in the way. Twigs
scratched my face and tried to put out
my eyes. Bits of rotten branches and
dry bark dislodged and fell into my
eyes. There was more cutting away
to be done. descended the ladder for
my hatchet, got it, and trimmed a road
up the tree. All as l supposed being
ready, descended again for the box
and remounted 1t was necessary to
take with me a hammer. a gimlet and
some nails. l tied the hammer about
my neck with a cord and put the nails
and gimlet in my vest pocket. Arrived
at the place where Iwould nail the box,
l found 1t necessary to use the hatchet
Common sense or a few seconds
thought might have taught me that as
the hatchet would probably be needed
again it should have been stuck by the
blade in the tree. No. had pitched
it from the tree on the ground. So |
went down the ladder again for the
hatchet.
These continual ascents and descentS
began now to alarm me. They seemed
endless. and at the present rate could
vaguely see more and more in the dim
distance of futurity before the boxes
were fastened.
l finished with the hatchet and was
turning the current of my thoughts on
the hammer when, that instrument
being tied, so to speak, by the neck.
suddenly as leaped over branch
turned somersault, slipped through
the knot and fell straight to the ground.
1t fell wonderfully straight through the
and on reaching the ground
lay there with a dull, sullen :.come
down-from-there- -and-pick-me-up'' ex-
preston.
l did not come down Immediately. I
leaned over the branch and swore at
that hammer. But it did not rise.
Then it occurred to me how amusing all
this might be to any third party who
had nothing to do but look on and see
the performance. l said: "Why should
not be the third party?" But l re-
minded myself that the third party had
nothing to do but sit down and be
whereas / had all these per-
Detual ascensions and descensions to
make besides being amused. The con-
ract was too large. could not be |
thoroughly amused and do all the work
besides. So l descended again with
what patience l could summon. 1
picked the hammer up. | wanted to
wiring its neck. But what comes from
vringing hammers neck? Naught
ave the necessity of buying a new
lammer.
The hammer was picked up as it de-
ired to be. Again / climbed the lad
Ter. In the midst of an apparently
peedy dispatch of the labors a new
rouble presented itself The tree had
hanged its tactics and called a new
lly to its aid.
This ally was hen-one of my hens.
iy back door and only door had been
sft open. This hen had entered, was
n my table consuming the remains of
~ breakfast and threatening destruc-
on with her awkward legs and claws
, my crockery. 1t is this particular
en- that annoys me in this way more
ian all the rest. While they are of
,raging in the field she hangs around
lat back door bent on th;eving and
lunder.
/ cried out .sShoo-" from above sew
raj times to no purpose. She wouldn't
shoo.' She paid me no respectful at
'ntion whatever. She knew well !.
1ough she had plenty of time to clear
ut of the house before l could get
own from the tree. l made her sew
al threatening remarks. She cooked
p one eye, winked at me in contempt
1t manner, and calmly went on peck ,
g. l threw several twigs in the house ,
no purpose. descended the ladder ;
I'd wrathfully drove her ont. She
ent out as hens general do from any :
mt up place, by the longest possible !
av, with great risk to window panes ,
I'd fragile articles from her fluttering .
ings, and with great cackle and out ]
V, as if she deemed it an outrageous q
'oceeding on my part thus to disturb :
r while peacefully engaged in con- :
'rting the breakfast scraps into fresh !;
.gs for my own use, which cackle and ]
ltcry was re-echoed by the head .
osters of her community in the field, s
if they too concurred and heartily +
conded her opinion of me-
So rebuked climbed once more the
oder, and put myself in position for Y
.iling on the boxes-a work of some
ficulty, since was OBLIGED tn make Il