The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1890-01-25
THE HEN LAW A FAILURE,
A Danbury Man Shoots Thirty of His Own
Chickens for His NeiHhbor's.


A Danbary Man Shoots Thirty of His Own
Chickens for His Neighbours.
That peculiar hen law passed by the
last legislature at Hartford has had a
disastrous effect On well known Dan.
bury farmers hennery, says a letter
from the latter place to the N. Y. San,
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
Stephen are the front names of the two
former friends.
Stephen is man who devotes his
time to raising garden truck. After
the hen bill became law last June he
had field of fine sweet-corn, which
was coming along nicely. Hens would
get into it, however, and one afternoon
he found 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 l see any more O. your
chickens in my corn I'll dispose Of 'em
to wunst, an the law'll uphold me in
it, too. gin you fair warnin', Dari,
and 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 said:
"Now, / don't want any words. Eff
you don't keep your chickens outen
my corn I'll shoot 'em on the spot, and
the law'u uphold me in it,
The next morning the report of the
gun was heard in Stephens corn field
and in few minutes that party APP
preached Darius house and threw over
the fence as sleek and plump rooster
rs ever scratched up corn-hills for
numerous harem. Mrs. Darius went
out and picked up the fowl and at noon
the family enjoyed chicken-potpie
dinner. For week every morning
Stephens gun was heard, and one or
two and sometimes three hens or roos-
tiers would be thrown over into Dar-
ius' yard. His wife picked them up,
dressed them, like all country house.
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
family, which was a good-sized one,
could not eat of the fowls were sold to
the market men when they came
around, and the good wife already had
nice little sum of money laid by in
broken blue saucer on the pantry shelf,
which she expected to devote to pur-
chases when she went into town again.
Finally Stephens wife remarked to
him one evening that her chickens
were disappearing remarkably fast,
and she couldn't understand it.
II reckin that blamed fox is around
ag'in," said he, "and I'll lay for him
with my gun. Pm gettin' to be quite
a shot, and he chuckled as he remem-
bered how he had filled Darius hens
with bird shot. The next morning he
started bright and early for the corn
f<}d with his trusty gun. There was
fine flock scratching away as usual.
Stephen singled out fine rooster and |
laid him out cold Picking him up he
proceeded as usual to take him to OAR
ius' yard and fling him over the fence.
Mrs. Darius was in the yard as the
rooster struck the ground.
THANK YOU Stephen" she said as
she picked it up and started for the
house.
'Mrs. Darius, how many chickens O.
yourn hev l killed in the last ten days?n
asked Stephen.
Chickens of ours? Why, Stephen,
we never kept a chicken in our lives"
said the woman, while q suppressed |
smile crept into her eyes though her
face was sober enough.
"Gret Christopher! Han't them your
hens I've been shooting all this timer"
They were not, Stephen, though |
we have felt grateful to you for your
exceeding kindness in giving them to
US. We haven't been obliged to buy
any meat in two weeks, and though | |
must confess we are getting kind O.
tired of chicken, having had thirty of
them"
Stephen sat down on stone and re-
fected. He remembered his wife'sre-
mark about the disappearance of her
chickens, and, rising, he took his gun
and brought it down with vim across
the top rail Of the fence, breaking the |
stock off and bending the barrel. Then |
he threw the remains away and went |
home. He met his wife in the yard and
told her the story.
1--WE made consarncd old fool o.
myself. | thought was mighty smart
to kill them hens, for them fellers over |
to Hartford passed law sayin' I
could. Gosh dang it, there's thirty |
hens as fine as ever wuz raised in Fair |
field county, and I've killed 'em and
gin 'em to Dari when he hadn't no
more right to EN- than he has to Ga
briefs horn. I'll 90 right to town and
see a lawyer, and if the state of Con- !
necticut don't pay me for them hens
then I'll take the law on the dodblasted |
fool what writ it."