The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1889-12-13
THE HEN LAW A FAILURE.
ADpnbury MIN Shoots Thirty of HIS Own
Chickens for His Nelghbor's.

That peculiar hen law passed by the
last legislature at Hartford has had a
disastrous effect on a well known Dam
bury farmers hennery. says. a. letter
from the latter place to the N. Y. Sun,
and has caused the dissolution of
friendship which have existed ever
since the two farmers were Boys, and
fought to escort the same girl home
from singing-school. Darius and
:ormer friends.
Stephen is a man who devotes his
dime to raising garden truck. After
she hen bill became a law last June he
had a field of fine swcet-corn, which
was coming along nicely. Hens would
get into it, however, and one afternoon
he found a large patch of the corn
ruined. Returning to his house he took
down his shotgun, loaded it, and call
ing on Darius he began, patting his
gun Significantly:
"Dari, eff see any more o your
chickens in my corn I'll dispose of 'em
20 wunst, an the law'll uphold me in
It, too. ! gin you fair warnin', Dari,
md now I'm goin fer 'em every time /
see EN-"
But, Stephen" began Darius,
In an explanatory tone, but he was
shut off by his neighbor, who saids
Now, l don't want any words. Ef
fou don't keep your chickens outen
my corn I'll shoot EN- on the spot, and
The lawll uphold me in it,"
The mex morning the report of the
gun was heard in Stephens corn field
and in a few minutes that party APP
preached Darius house and threw over
The fence as sleek and plump a rooster
IS ever scratched up corn-hills for a
numerous harcm. Mrs. Darius went
out and picked. up the fowl and at noon
The family enjoyed a chickcn-potpie
dinner. For a week every morning
Stephens gun was heard, and one or
swo and sometimes three hens or roos-
lcrs would be thrown over into OAR
ms yard. His wife picked them up,
dressed them, like all country houses
wives. dried the feathers under the
stove and slowed them away for future
Use in cushions for Darius armchair or
pillows for the lounge. What Darius
tamliy, which was Il good-sized one,
could not eat of the fowls were sold to
he market men when they came
around, and the good wife already had
4 nice little sum of money laid by in a
broken blue saucer on the pantry shelf,
which she expected to devote to pur-
,hases when she went into town again.
Finally Stephens wife remarked to
him Dnc evening that her chickens
were disappearing remarkably fast,
md she couldn't understand it.
II reckin that blamed fox is around
ag'in," said he, land III lay for him
with my gun. arm gcttin' to be quite
y shot" aud he chucklcd as he rcmem-
ocrcd how liz had filled Darius. hens
With bird shot. The next morning he
;tartcd bright and early for the corn
teld with his trusty gun. There was
he flock scratching away as usual.
stephen singled out a fine rooster and
lid him out cold. Picking him up he
proceeded rs usual TO take him to OAR
US yard and fling him over the fence.
Mrs. Darius was in the yard as the
soostcr struck the ground.
THANK you, Stephen she said as
he picked it up and started for the
i.ouSe.
Mrs. Darius, how many chickens O.
,ourn hcv | killed inthe last ten daysp"
Dsked Stephen.
Chickens of ours?: Why, Stephen,
NC never kept Il chicken in our lives"
laid the woman, while a suppressed
Hnilc crept into her eyes though her
ace was sober enough.
'Gret Christopher! liant them your
acns I've been shooting all this timeP"
They We're not, Stephen, though
We have felt grateful to you for your
exceeding kindness in giving them to
Is. We haven't been obliged TO buy
any meat in two weeks, and though /
must confess we are getting kind O.
iired of chicken, having had thirty of
hem"
Stephen sat down on q stone and re-
icctcd. He remembered his wife's re-
mark about the disappearance of her
chickens, and, rising, he took his gun
ind brought it down with a vim across
he top rail of the fence, breaking the
took off and bending the barrel. Then
he threw the remains away and went
ZONE. He met his wife in the yard and
oid her the story.
I've made a consumed old fool o.
myself. thought l was mighty smart
o kill them hens, for them fellers over
% Hartford passed a law sayin' l
could. Gosh dang it, there's thirty
lcns rs fine rs ever WIZ raised in Fair
icld county, and I've killed 'em and
Gin EN- to Dari when he hadn't no
more right to en- than he has to Ga
~ is horn. I'll go right to town and
zee a lawyer, and if the state of Con-
necticut don't pay me for them hens
hen I'll take the law on the dodblastcd
DOL what writ it."