Sharp County record., 1885-04-23

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"They never let me sit at all,
chimed one of the guinea-fowls, "but
take my eggs and put 'em under
hen."
They're a cruel, ungrateful set OF
creatures, anyhow" said an old Dork.
ing matron, wiping her bill on mul'
lein leaf. 'ln summertime they keep
plenty of grasShoppers and other in
sects for us to eat. They give us nice.
warm weather and lots of big, tall
weeds and thick grass to make our
nests in. But as soon as winter comes,
they send off all the grasshOpperS; de-
strOy the nice weeds and grass, and
make the weather so cold our feathers
don't begin to keep us warm enough, "
"Just so,' chorused the fowls.
Mrs. Cochin is right" said Chanti'
eleer. Il think l froze my comb last
night, too.
"Suppose we all run away?" sug-
gested the black Spanish hen, who had
had the gnawing in her gizzard, "and
live by ourselves, where they can't shut
us up any more and catch us to eat. "
80 we wll," cried the rest eagerly.
And the Shanghai rooster was so ex-
cited that he flew up on the rail fence
and crowed as loud as ever he could.
Then they started. old Chanticleer
taking the lead with his flock Of then,
and the turkeys, geese, guinea fowls and
ducks following after.
All but one canvaS-back drake, who
fingered behind to see if there were not
few grains of corn which had been
overlooked. But not finding any, he
waddled on after the rest, quacking at
the top Of his voice.
The fowls, headed by Chanticleer,
made their way through a thick copse
of hazel-buSheS out to an open glade,
where the sun shOne warmly down, and
some tufts of blue grass showed here and
there, where patches of snow had melted
away.
why, it's getting warm already,
cried the delighted flock. Perhaps we
shall find the summer after awhile.
"To-be-sure we WILL" said the gray
goose, stoutly. Il have heard from
some of my relatives, who have travelled
good deal. that only short distance
from here there is summer all the year
round.
That's where we must CO." said
Chanticleer, sagely. But for to day,
we will stop where we are. 1t seems
quite warm and comfortable here, and
tonight we can roost in those trees that
grow around this open space. "
So they all scattered about on the
glade, picking off bits of the grass and
even finding few insects among the
leaves which had drifted from the ada
cent trees.
Come, my dears,' said the old buff
hen to her brood of long legged, half
grown pullets, who were always clam
Oring for something to eat, ''iet us 90
into the edge of the woods there, and
scratch among the dry leaves We may
-ehaaca. to find some nice beetles, or
few fat snails, perhaps.
So the long-legged pullets followed
their mother into the woods, and went
to scratching pell-mell among the dry
leaves.
MY dear madam, you could not have
suited me better" muttered a hungry
fox who had been hiding behind a
brush-pile near by. MANY night
have l crept around your snug house in
hopes of getting a plump fowl for my
supper, but all in vain. Now l will
have my revenge
And carefully watching his opportu-
nity, Mister Fox darted out, seized the
largest of the long-legged pullets, and
bore her away in triumph
The furious squawking and outcries
of the captive pullet and her frightened
mothers and sisters brought the other
fowly quickly to discover the cause.
"A fox" gasped Chanticleer. "Wh-
which way did he 90? We had better
all run home and consider what to do. "
SO they started, hustling and scurry-
ing throu Oh the woods as fast as they
could.
But, with all their speed, one old
drake, who was so fat he could not
waddle very fast, and was pounced up
on and carried off by a raccoon, who
was hidden in clump of bushes by the
| rOduSlue.
Quit! quit! quit painted an old
turkey-hen, as the frightened fowls
reached home and flew up on the very
topmost roosts of the hen-hOuse. "We
are safe here, if we do get locked up at
night, and for my part shall stay here
as long as live
And the rest of the flock twittered
their approval of her resolution
I'VE may have some things to com
plain Of" said the gray goose, when
she had somewhat recovered from her
fright ''out at least we are well fed
and protected from the varmints that
live in the woods. And I've heard my
relations say:
| "'Tis better to bear the ills we have,
| Than f1y to those we know not or