Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-04-24
THE DISCONTINUED FOWLS.

They Decide That They Are Badly Used.
Return.
.Ugh! what a cold day."
Little Mona Caxton sprang out of
bed as she spoke, and drew back the
chintz window-curtains to peep at the
weather.
''Snow or the ground, tool"
But the snow vas quite q lighv one,
and Mona dressed herself quickly, put
on her little red riding-hood cloak. with
the hood over her head, and ran out to
feed the chickens.
'.They are in a hurry for their break
FAST" thought Mona, for q great cack.
ling and clamoring was heard in the
hen-hoGse.
She opened the door to let out the
fowls, and then, scattering the feed un-
der a shed, where there was no snow,
she scampered back to the house as fast
us possible.
''Quacki quackv grumbled an old
Muscovy duck with a white topknot, II
think it's time we had our breakfasts!
I've been awake these two hours and
more"
"Cut-cut-cadet!' cackled a black
Spanish hen, bristling up her feathers,
':I've had q gnawing in my gizzard ever
since daylight. Get out Of nv way.
?infeathers!'' she cried. savagely peck
ing a young rooster, who was trying to
get a grain OF % from under her feet.
"Gobble! gobble! gobble!!" put in
Fadladeen, the big bronze turkey.
''Those l~ong-leggged, featherless crea-
lures ought to get up when Chandelier
calls them, at three o'clock, and give
us our breakfasts. Whatdo you, think,
Miss Buff" he asked, addressing a
handsome blonde pullet, with a double.
comb.
II quite agree with you, MI. Cob
bier" assented the blonde beauty.
pertly.
"Pot-luck! pot-luck! pot-luck!' chat
tered a speckled guinea hen. If they
would only leave the door of our house
open, we could get our own breakfasts.
It's the early bird that catches the
worm, I've heard"
And the rest assented. +.
"What do they lock us up for any
howp" demanded a Shanghai rooster,
who had been too busy filing his crop
to take any part in the discussion here
tofore.
The others gave it up. and shook
their heads sadly.
Il can tell you," said Chanticleer,
solemnly. "They lock us up SO they
can catch us easily. You know how
they came one morning and took one
Ut our finest turkeys and q brace of fat
ROSTERS"
"Ah, yes! they all remembered"
assented the fowls, nodding their heads
sagely at Chandeliers observations.
'tIt's very ungrateful of 'em, too"
declared big, buff Cochin hen, holding
one leg up under her feathers to keep Il
warm. 'They take all our eggs in the
summertime, and then shut us up in
winter, and catch us to eat"
"Qua-ack! qua-ack! s-s-s!" Kissed IN
old gray goose, waddling into sight.
''They not only take my eggs, but they
pull out my feathers, tony nice,
warm feathers, that I want to line my
nest with when [ go to Sit"
And she looked appealingly at her
audience for sympathy.
''They never let me sit at ALL"
chimed one of the ~gunea-fowls. '.but
take ny eggs and put 'em under =
hem"
They're a cruel, u~ngrateful set Of
creatures, anyhow" said an old Dork-
ing matron. wiping her bill on q null
lein leai. .'ln summertime they keep
a plent, of grasshoppers and other in
scots for us to eat. They give us nice.
warm weather and lots of big, tall
weeds and thick grass to make il
nes!s in. But as soon rs winter comes,
they seed off all the grasshoppers; de-