Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-06-24
TALKING ABOUT HENS.
How a Goodness Sprang Up Between
Two Friends-New Use For Spring
Chiekaua
rRochrster Herald.

.. .. Chickens.
Rochester Herald.l
A Rochester man named Mugs has
been out In the town of Wheatland vis-
iting some friends who lives on farm.
Mr.. Muggs Is not only q man OF more
than average intelligence, but he Is also
of an inquiring turn of mind; and while
he was visiting on the farm he managed
to pick up good deal of valuable infor-
nation by asking questions about
things. The first day that he was there
he went around with the farmer to look
at the stock. One of the first things that
excited his curiosity was hen that was
on nest under the end OF a lumber
pile. -.
This must be hen.' said Mugs con-
fidently.
at is,n said the farmer.
"She seems to be taking life pretty
easy,n ventured Mugs.
"Quite the contrary" said the farmer.
"She is busy.n .. ,
Laying an egg, probably" suggested
Muggs.
Probably not" said the farmer.
"She is setting"
Then Muggs made some patronizing
remark to the hen and reached down to
stroke the fur on her neck. The hen was
busy, but not too busy to keep an eye on
Mugs, and when his hand came within
reach she picked small piece ofskin
off from II. Muggs took his hand away
with wonderful gniekness and putttin-
to his pocket. Then he stood and con.
templated the hen in silence for several
minutes. At length he said:
+ "T suppose hens seldom have hydro
phebia?'iAS-. K II " ~ -
"Seldom," said the farmer.
"But when they do have it they have
| it pretty bad, don't they?" inquired
Muggs with considerable anxiety. =,
"Oh, you needn't be alarmed, " sale
1.-THE farmer. "rhe hen is mad, but mo-
| in that way. Her fangs arenot poison
ous.p@s . a7~ - - ~
~ suppose, now, said Mugs, "tha
an Industrious, persistant hen like tha
will hatch out q chicken evety day
and not feel it.n
"There is difference in hens,
said the farmer, "Some hens, sci
harder than Others and hatch chicken:
faster. 1 have got one that, Matched
out brood of chickens last summer in
ten days. She never stopped for Sun
DAYS or legal holidays, but just kept
right at it. But 1t wasn't a very good
lob, becaus it was rushed too much
Nine of the chickens were foolish and
the other four were not any too bright
You see, they were not expecting it
and they seemed to be sort of dazed-
coulden't understand how they gol
here SO soon. They would Lstand
around in a half-witted kind Of way
and try to figure it out, but they never
seemed to understand it at ALL"
"Ishould think, ',said Mugs, thought
fully, "that the chickens Matched sc
| fast as that would be apt to mature
quickly-get old while they are young
| as it were." -
"Exactly-they do" said the farmer
"You remember that l bought
couple of spring chickens of you las
/ fall,n said Muggs, still more thought
tfnlly, as If an idea had occurred to him
"Yes, remember, said the farmer
who was also beginning to have an idea
"What of it," Ii
80, nothing; only thought perhaps
they belonged to this brood that you
have been speaking about. We broiled
them a couple of days and then gave
them to my boy to cut into bean-shoot
ers.n
A GOODNESS has since existed between
Muggs and the farmer.