The morning call., 1892-07-31

darkly, and the big shanghai seemed wholly
given up to despair, In far corner
of the yard. Conspicuous among his
depressed stock the chicken-rancher
WAS apparently nonplused 1 heard
him, finally, under the pressroom window
asking the foreman what he supposed the
matter could be, and heard the latter's re-
ply that he was a city-bred man himself,
and knew nothing about caring for hens
'aDy more'n ADAM" remark which led
me to infer that the foreman was better
posted than even our theOlogians are apt to
be regarding our common forefather's de-
ticiencies.
81 tell yer what" the devil called, coming
in from his dinner, eyer wanter water them
hens er you'll lose EN-" The startled
poultry fancier lifted his pith helmet and
rubbed his head contemplstiyely, as he re-
garded the flock. "Be Jove," he said, at
last."I b'leve you're right, doncher know"
and presently he disappeared within the
doorway of his little barn.
Perhaps half An hour after ] heard ter
rible racket under the Window wild cack-
ling and calling, and the iterant clamor OF
what sounded very much as one might
imagine r0osteric profanity might sound,
and, finally, fluent burst of un-
mlStakable human execration delivered
in the high infection and broad accent
OF our new neighbor We all three rushed
to the window to witness a sight that drove
US back shaking with suppressed laughter.
the devils suggestion. had brought from
tile neighborhOod of the barn what had
once evidently been a feedtrough for pigs.
This he had placed in the middle Of the
yard and filed with water, after which he
had appar emily undertaken the rather I'M
usual task of driving his motley herd up to
drink. Driving hens IS perhaps not so
delicate an undertaking as hivlng bees, but
it is somewhat more arduOus. At least our
neighbor seemed 10 find il so. he carried
ht1frf Il In nj oh ha nnA
ored to use in gently guiding the
drove in the direction of the trough. The
fowls. however. unused TO that mode OF
suasiOn. had taken fright They ran under
the drivers feet, few into his face. crcled
madly about, falling over each other and
him. after the manner of their kind, and
running directly toward instead of from
their wOuld-be driver, as only hens and pigs
can or will. The rancher had gradually
warmed III 20 his work until he was running
as wildly as the hens. and the air was fairly
blue with ornthOogie and articulate ex-
acerbat0n. The drove finally succeeded.
one and all, in attaining places of safety be-
hind the nests, under lodges. in the
long grass, in corners of the yard
and each sat down. putting out an inquisi-
tive head now and then to note the further
actions Of their tOTmentOT. who meanwhile
stood beside his improvised watering-trOugh
and meditated until one could almost see
his brain expand with the growth of his
dswning IDEA. Presently. with a triumph
ant air that told he had solved the problem
set before him. ne threw down his whip and
drew from his pocket 8 long piece of
stout cord. Cautiously, slowly, with the
air OF cOnquering hero, he ap-
preached the big shanghai, who had
taken shelter In clump of goose
berry bushes. Immediately every fowl in
the place was again in motion and pande-
mOnlum reigned once more. The English
man, however, was determined in his
eff Tad
water lie was apparently equal TO giving il
10 them, and after q brief struggle the big
shanghai was caught and held, sqpeaking
vociferously while his owner tied the cord
about his neck; and We waited, almost
GREATNESS with laughter. TO see what would
come next
"Oh, by golly, by gollyP moaned the
devil rocking himself back and forth aud
shipping his knees in a suffOcation of mirth
'If he amt a-goin' ter lead that there rooster
ter water!'
The boy was right; that rebellious fowl
was TO be led to water whether he drank or
not. Slowly, relentleSsly, with direst sQual-
ings and din, he was hauled away In the
direction of the trough. His mates gazed in
amaze Tor an instant at the fate of their
comrade, and then each went its indifferent
way, in no way encouraged to follow theirs
lmproyised leader TO the trough. The
chlcken-raucher had nearly reached the
goal with his captive. when, with a louder
VI,
flew directly In the face of his misguided
eaptor. and with a well-directed kick sent
him staggering backward. The trough was
peTllously near, and stumbling over it, the
feckless Engiishmsn went headlong,
measuring his length upon the ground,
his Nhilom captive making a triumphant
exit from the field Of action. Wholly de-
teated, the Englishman retired 10 the house
ana quiet relgned, while we had an eppor-
tunty to recover our breath and something
70 fnff 4bya far-o,
fowls came forth from their retreat, and,
discovering the water, FASTENED, by twos
and tbreeS and larger groups, to assuage
their thirst, IN which pleasant occupation
their owner found them engaged when he
1t was perhaps week later when one day
we heard our neighb0r engaged in lively
dispute with Portuguese from up the
road, who bad brought down cow 10 sell,
according to agreement, to the poultry
fancier.
Il tell you, fellow" the latter was saw.
Ing. Il wont take the beast I'm by no
means so green as l look, doncher know,
and | see exactly what's the matter with
Jour blooming COW, doncher know, and YOU
may take her back as you brought 'eT, for
assure you I'll ave none of 'er."
"Thata cow all right" persisted the Por.
tuguese; gentle, good, sound, giva good
milk; what for you no pay mon as yeu
agree?"
Now. fellow, YOU look out for yourself"
was the reply. you know perfectly well
that cows not sound. / wouldn't take her
as gift, so be eff, or You'll see the bsiie
after you hard and FAST" and with no more
ado be hustled the Portuguese and his COW
of the premises. The fellow went off NUT
tering and threatening suit, declaring the
beast was sound and good and that the
bargain had been made.
Whats the matter with the cow?"
called the foreman from his window
Matter? Matter enough. You Yankees
all think you can swindle any fellow who
comes along, but it takes several such
brother JOnathans to pull The wool ever the
eyes OF q. w. A. @. Shrimpton, doncher
KNOW, and he gazed with complaisaucy
upon his tan-coiored leggins.
want she sound?" asked the foreman.
sound" in tone of ineffable scorp.
''She was no more sound than she was
horse; why the blooming beast had lost
every one Of her front teeth, doncher
know"
TIE foreman retired preciptatelv from
the window, and Squire Shrimpton was left
to his own pleasing seif-gratulations.
1t would fill a book to tell Of our new
neighbor's adventures with his chicken
ranch. 1t became the center of interest of
our, -
AIM-l-,-, "a Il