The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-09-06
A VENTURE IN CHICKENS.
Extracts from the Diary of Reforme
Poultry Enthusiast.

a VENTURE IN CHICKENS.
Extracts from the Diary of Reformed
Poultry Enthusiast.
Ever since l was small boy and the
proud owner of bantam hen, which
suffered an untimely end at my hands
by being squeezed to death, I have
been possessed of deep desire to own
a number of chickens We had moved.
the year before, into small suburban
cottage, and during that summer, when
I had seen the neighbors' fowls calmly
scratching up our backyard, the old
thought grew within me, and by the
next season had prevailed over the
counsels of my wife, and purchased as
many chickens as lay within my mod
est means. was a happy man when
l saw the flock gather about the door,
step for the first time, as they anxious
ly awaited their evening allowance,
and for fear that some unprincipled
being might avail himself of the oppor-
tunity to replenish his roost by depict
ing mine, l secured watchdog. I
also subscribed to number of agri-
cultural papers that devoted column
or so to the interest of fowls, and pur-
chased books on the care of chickens.
which 1 read devotedly. How my
heart swelled with pride when hen
proclaimed with unnecessary reitera-
ton the advent of an egg! and after 1
had searched for half an hour for it,
how triumphantly bore the warm OBJ
ject to my wife, remarking: ''Now.
my dear, we can have fresh eggs every
morning for breakfast, and all you
need in addition for cakes and pud-
dings.''
But, alas, the heart of man is often
centered upon things of vanity, and it
is not well to put your trust even in
chickens. Perhaps fSp' extracts from
my diary may best serve to show the
sequel:
"May 1t being the first pleasant
day, the doors and windows were left
open, and my wife, going downstairs
about noon, found two ambitious
ROSTERS upon the piano, while third
was industriously picking at the beads
on the sofa cushion. In order to pre-
vent repetition of the scene No. was
converted into Stew
MAY S.-My dog has suddenly devel-
oped fancy for playing with the
fowls, and spends most of his time in
chasing them around the yard; at any
rate, it keeps them out of mischief"
"May 7.-One hen is missing. 1 sus-
pect the dog"
'May 81 found nest of eggs to-
day in the back of the garden, and in
carrying them to the house in my hat.
I stumbled eggs and hat ruined"
MAY 10,-Another hen missing"
"May 1L-When coming from the
train to-day / noticed a couple of
hens looking very much like mine in
neighbours yard, but unfortunately the
fowls have no distinctive mark of indi-
viduality."
''May Is. Wrong as regards the
hens. Both have been found sitting in
corner of the garden; were not dis
turbed. Prospects of two fine broods"
''May 1S.-The newly planted flower
bed has afforded my flock much
amusement, to the ruination of the
plants; loss, five dollars"
'May 19.-Another nest found. This
time l carried the eggs to the house
one by one."
"May 20.-The sitting hens have de-
serted their nests. Can the dog have
frightened them off?''
"May 22.-The ROSTERS seem to be
troubled with insomnia, as they awake
us at all hours of the night with their
Growing. No remedy mentioned in
books or papers.
MAY 24.-Lll the fowls came into
the front hall to-day, and enjoyed them
selves by picking at the bright carpet
tacks, which are usually considered
very indigestible; hope they swallowed
none"
"May 26.-The dog must 60; he was
found to-day eating eggs"
"May 2S.-My wife declares that the
chickens must follow the dog; but re-
P1iON0 was SIduCcu, dS 1OuuO CWO
nests of eyes,
"May ga number of fowls miss
ing. AS the dog has been disposed of,
it must be some other agency"
"May 30.--Their fate is sealed. The
old rooster was rather tough eating,
but my wife says that the next butch
er's bill will be considerably less than
usual"
"June 15.-The last pullet eaten. I
have decided that my forte is not chick
ems"
"June 16.-The fowls that were
missing couple of weeks ago returned
to-day, but gave no account of them
selves. They seemed rather lonely"
"June 1.-Two weeks diet on
chickens is enough; so Mitchell, the
colored man who does chores about the
place, was presented with the prodi-
gals. Thank Heaven! no more"
Total loss, including flower bed, hat
and dog, thirty-eight dollars. Flavel
S. Mines, IN Harper's Weekly.