The Forrest City times., 1891-04-03
SHE STARTED A HENNERY
THE SORE TRIALS OF AN AMA- TEUR POULTERER.
Raising Chickens and E9gs is Not Always . Creased Highway to Financial Independence and General
 Happiness.

A certain portion of everybody's life is bound to be blighted sooner or later by well meaning but mistaken advisers Herald. Said one of them to me once, in the days that are gone:
 My dear. there is no earthly reason why you should not be n rich wonani"
 You don't say sol" said I. Please explain"
 You have only to buy few fowls and go 10 raising spring chickens and selling fancy eggs and you'll bo inde- pendent in year"
 had $5 laid aside to buy barrel of -four. l took i. and bought two hens and rooster. The evening of the same day thief stole them away. First loss.
 Don't give it up" said my adviser. 'I'll lend you another five; try 1t again. But first build chicken coop and pad lock it."
 So I secured a carpenter at g n day. and it took him three days to build the coop. Then bought my chickens and locked them in. l overfed them on hot corn and they all died. after stand ing on one leg for twenty-four hours and looking responsibility at me out of half-closed and glazing oyes. l was now Sl6 out not counting feed. A friend, taking compassion upon me. sent a couple of old gold cochins md a goblin rooster, who crowed in double bass and chuekled in German guttural. The first day ono of the hens laid an egg. and we all wanted to go out and look at it, but were afraid to do so because thcro was blood in the roosters $ eye!
 "Divil fut would 1 put inside the coop, and he a lool5in' at me like say sarpint," said Bridget So we never saw the egg. because the rats stole 1t and every egg that followed it. until we brought home a dog to catch the rat The dog was terrier. not to say a terror, and preferred lying in wait for us to fooling around nights after rats. So we had to get rid of him. and invest in a cat. The cat broke into our neighbours pantry and ate up porter house steak In preference to any hap hazard game diet. That caused ill., feeling between the families. and the final disappearance of tho cat. Mean time the hens managed to bring out a brood apiece, late in the season. These grew to awkward adolescence and were sentenced to die that they might go upon the market.
 Who will kill themp" I asked my self in the night watches. and echo answered sadly: "You!"
 But 1 really couldn't, you know" said l. 'I'll get Bridget to do the deed"
 By promises of an advance in wages l secured Bridgets services and retired to remote apartment to shut out the sights and sounds of carnage. In a few moments Bridget sought me out wild eyed and breathless,
 "Niver agin. mum" '" said she. 'niver agin will attimpt the loike of it,'' What is the matterp" askedI I. "How many have you killed?"
 Wan" said she. "and divll another wud touch," l went out and looked at the one small fowl. dead bedind the woodpile. and then lot gaze follow the score gleefully chasing bugs in the two-acre pasture. That night l said my prayers, put on my hood and went forth to battle. 1 entered the coop. There Is a legend that the chicken be- comes stupid aftcr nightfall and can be easily plucked from the roost like a ripe apple from the bough. Relying upon that legend bravely entered the coop and siezed the nearest chicken by the leg. Perhaps the last trump will make more noise, but l doubt it. The old hens shrieked and cackled as though laying tons of eggs by the light of the moon. Inc rooster beloved like n foghorn, let the coop. At the door of exit l was confronted by a shadowy form with club.
 Come along out of this, you blank thief, Stealing that poor woman's chickens arc you? I'll teach you" It was my neighbor, kindly inter- fering. as he thought with the opera tions of a chicken burglar
 Hold on, kind sir, I'm ro. thio,. !" said l. II merely came out to kill some chickens. toel faint-please get tho camphor."
 He leaned me up against the wood pile. where l slowly revived to the music in the coop. When I could speak said ''Will you take the lot for dollar2' He wiped away tear and murmcred, Not us a giftm