Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1893-10-13
ALVEY ROOSTER.
An Able Seaman's ExasperatIng Experience
With an ANNOYING Fowl,

mo, don't believe in ghosts" said
Ephemerides Settler at the Social Glee
club the other evening. "You see,
think that good people go to Heaven
wouldn't come back to earth for all
Jay Gould's fortune, and as for the 9TH
ers, why, they couldn't come back even
if they wanted to. But l will admit
came very near believing In the super
natural on one OCCASION" and then
Ephemerides relapsed as usual into a
brown study.
Goodness knows how long this would
have lasted if Ingomsr de Vichy had not
quietly touched his equity toe, This is
an infallible way of bringing Ephem-
erides to his senses.
After he had Gained his rufiled feel
ings Ephemerides resumed his talk
about the supernatural. Said he,
dreamily, between the puffs Of his
cigar
81 was able seaman on big ship Sow
eral years ago. She was what we call
Observation-Disclosures is, completely
decked in fore and aft Our captain
was great lover of animals. We had
four hogs, three dozen chickens dnclud-
ing four huge roosters), four dogs, three
cats, a number of pigeons, black bear,
and some ducks. They lived together
in the greatest harmony We loved
them all, with the exception of one
great rooster. This bird, whether from
it's actual vileness OF disposition or not
| can not say, was in the habit of crow
ing all night long In the moonlight
nights when we were running down
the trade winds, AS we only got an
alternate four hours sleep II was the
very devil to turn into your bunk and
then be kept awake by the most infer
nal eerie Growing we ever heard. We
dared not complain, for 1t was the cap
tain's particular pet, The chicken coop
was forward on the main deck, and my
room, with that of the boson's and
other petty officers, was aft.
"Well one beautiful moonlight night
we were jogging along a cool ten knots
in the North Pacific, when | went be-
low to turn in after the middle watch.
| was very tired and thought pleasant
ly of sleep. Hardly, however, had
laid my head on the pillow when the
Internal cock emitted shrill, clarion
note that almost split my ear. He kept
it up until was nearly crazy. | never
had thought of murder in my life before
but at that moment evil thoughts got
the better of me. sneal1ed out of my
bunk and looked cautiously around the
main deck There was that bird crow
| ing away at the moon, his head stuck out
of the coop yard. Silently I stole
along the deck; silently grabbed that
rooster by the throat. One sudden
twist and all was over. Exultant In
my bloodthlrstyness I stole back tc
my bunk. ''In for sleep" said |. Nc
sooner, however, had my head touched
the pillow than Observation-Disclosures broke
the stiffness of the night and rose high
above the swish-swish OF the waters
| could hardly believe my ears. Surely
| had killed that bird. | put my heaC
out of the door. There to my utter
establishment was the rooster Growing
away for dear life.
"As tried to gather my bcwilderet
senses together | saw dark form stea
from the boson's room | smiled grim
ly, Didn't twist hard enough
thought. The bosom will settle him
tho The bosom had a club in hi
hand. He got to the coop and just a
the rooster had finished another mum
Der | could see in the moonlight thu
club descend on that birds neck.
'Silenced this time thought, anc
stole to bed comforted. Hardly had IN,
head touched the pillow when that in
fernal ROSTERS crow rose more shrill,,
than ever on the night air. This tim
| was scared. Tremblingly got out o
my bunk and looked out on deck.
rubbed my eyes. Yes, there was tina
brute growing his loudest Helpless
and overcome, strange chills crep
down my spine. Again | heard Sigh
noise, and this time saw the stewart
stealthily creep out from the saloon
In his hand he carried keen butcher
knife and made tracks like an IndiaI
warrior for that coop, Now, indeed
the end will come, l thought, tn
sweat standing out on my brow. Ii
reached the coop. The rooster
head was stretched out; swish went tn
knife, and that head fell to the deck.
distinctly saw the blood squirt from tn
severed neck,
III sought my bunk again, This tim
sleep would undoubtedly come. Imal
inc my feelings when, as my wearie
eyelids fell together, heard the shril
est, most eXcruciating cock crow OF a
time. 1t seemed to penetrate ever
corner of the ship. With a yell | spran
to the deck and gazed feverishly alon
the deck. almost tainted when SAY
that rooster growing aloud in the cali
moonlight Three times had | see
that brute murdered, and yet there
was alive and growing. Fear took flu
possession of me. How l passed tina
watch do not know. do know tina
when eight bells came | staggered o
deck at the cry for all men to music
aft. | knew something was wrong
There stood the captain stern and sti
on the quarterback. When we wer
all aft, Steward, bring them on deck
said he grimly, The steward blanche
with fear, descended, and presently r,
turning, laid before our astonishe
eyes three dead ROSTERS. AS we gaze
in unutterable surprise upon the dea
birds Il long, loud ''cocl-a-doodle-dC
came up from the main deck. II WI
the surviving rooster pouring forth h
poem of triumph-in the same .ol
crow,"-Chicago Mail.
A Pleasant Surprise.
HNbot n hpaufiful childl" exclnimf