The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-08-01
TIE HEN LAW A FAILURE.
A DANBURY MAN SHOOTS THIRTY OF HIS
OWN CHICKENS FOR HIS NEIGHBoR's.

A DAsBURY MAN SHOOTS THIRTY OF HI
OWN CHICKENS FOR HIS NEIGHBoR's.
That peculiar hen law passed by the
last legislature at Hartford has had q
disastrous effect on a well known Dan
bury farmers henuery, says letter
from the latter place to the N. Y. Sun
and has caused the dissolution of
friendship which has existed ever
since the two farmers were boys and
fought to escort the same girl home
from singing-school. Darius and Ste
phen are the front names of the two
former friends.
Stephen is a man who devotes his
time to raising garden truck. After
the hen bill became law last June he
had q field of fine sweet.corn, which
was coming on 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
calling on Darius he began, patting
his gun significantly:
"Dari, ef 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. l gin you fair warlin'. Dari,
and now I'm goin fer EN- every time i
see EN-"
"But, Stephen" began Darius, in
an explanatory tone, but he was shut
off by his neighbor, who said:
"Now, l don't want any words. Ef
you don't keep your chickens outen
my corn I'll shoot 'em on the spot. and
the law'll uphold me in it,"
The next morning the report of the
gun was heard in Stephens corn field
and in few minutes that party ap-
preached Darius house and threw over
the fence as sleek and plump rooster
as ever scratched up corn-hills for
numerous harem. Mrs. Darius went
out and picked up the fowl and at
noon the family enjoyed chicken-pot
pie dinner. For week every morn
ing Stephens gun was heard, aud one
or two and sometimes three hens or
roosters would be thrown over into
Darius yard. His wife picked them
up, dressed them, ike all country
house wives, dried the feathers under
the stove and slowed them away for
future use for Darius arm-chair or pill
lows 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 a
broken blue saucer on the pantry shelf
which she expected to devote to pur-
chases when she went into town again.
Finally Stephens wife remarke1 i to
him one evening that her chickens
were disappearing remarkably fast,
and she couldn't understand it.
81 reckin that blamed fox is around
agin," said he, "and Ill lay for him
with my gun. "rm gettin' to be quite
shot," and he chuckled as he remem-
hered how he had filled Darius hens
with bird shot. The next morning he
started bright and early for the corn
field with his trusty gun. There was
the flock scratching away as usual
Stephen singled out fine rooster and
laid him out cold. Picking him up hi
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 a
she picked it up and started for tn
house.
"Mrs. Darius, how many chickens {
Iyourn hev / killed in the last ten days
asked Stephen.
| "Chickens of ours? Why, Stepher
we never kept chicken in our lives,
said the woman, while suppresse
smile crept into her eyes though he
face was sober enough.
"Gret Christopher! Hain't ther
| your hens I've been shooting all thi
time?"
"They were not, Stephen, though W
have felt grateful to you for your e1
ceeding kindness in giving them t
us. We haven't been obliged to bu
any meat in two weeks, and though
. | bhuSu OohiesS NO oio SoeeihS hiuu
tired of chicken, having had thirty (
them"
Stephen sat down on a stone and r
flected. He remembered his wife's r,
mark about the disappearance of h
chickens and, rising, he took his gu
and brought it down with vim aero
the top rail of the fence, breaking Il
stock off and bending the barrel. The
he threw the remains away and wei
: home He met his wife in the yal
: and told her the story.
Il "I've made consarned old fool
myself. l thought l was might
smart to kill them hens, for them fel
ers over to Hartford passed a law sa
, in could. Gosh dang it, there
r thirty hens as fine as ever wus raist
, in Fairfield county, and I've killed e
. and CIV EN- to Dari when he hadr
no more right to 'em thaI he has
Gabriels horn. I'll go right to tow
and see lawyer, and if the state {
Connecticut don't pay me for the
, hens then I'll take the law on the do
blasted fool what writ it,"
What Leading Physician Says
7, DR.. r. S. GORDON, a leading phyi