Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-07-04

Respectable nADltSi never hHoWH w 80
dulge in wordy controversies through
the fence-palings nor in crowlngs ana
challenges Of his neighbors. Since ms
marriage to his spouse, Dame Letitla
Bona, he had not fought q single duel
which, considering the times, was re-
markable circumstance.
Dame Letltia, / fear, did not yield
that respect to her lord and MASTER
which he deserved; for often when ne
came bringing her a particularly juicy
worm from the garden delicious
grub, or some kernels Of corn fallen be-
tween the bars Of the granary, she
would reward his attentions by so saw
age peck upon the head or so iierce
a pluck at his gills that he would be
fain to retire with a squat,
Dame Letitla Bona came OF ancient
fighting stock. There had been famous
game-cock in her family; and, respect
able female as she was, when the white
cock residing in the adjoining yard
would thrust his head between the pal
ing in contemptuous challenge of Sieur
Bona-the latter, according to his Gus
tom, giving no heed to the buster OF
his quarresome nelghbor-Dame Letitla
had been known to send the blusterer
back to his family with nip In his
comb that all his wlves-for he was
Turkish cock and kept a harem-had
much ado to heal.
1t Is not to be marveled at, then, that
one, at least of Dame Letltia's brood,
when Matched, should exhibit the hered-
itary fighting strain. This little
rooster, whom his mother named Nappy
Leon, after some distant ancestor,
fought his br:thers before the shell was
Off his back; and never a day passed
but Dame Letitia had to rescue one or
another Of her downy children from the
bill of their fiery brother Nappy.
AS time went on, the young Nappy
became the tyrant Of the barnyard. He
fought a dozen pitched battles with
cocks of his own age. He pecked the
heads of all the goslings, and pulled out
the feathers Of all the duclSlings. One
day he even confronted tough old
gander, and 1t might have gone hard
with him had not his father happened
along, and, by a judcious mingllnG OF
persuasion and flattery, soothed the IT.
ritated gander and averted the i'm
pending catastrophe.
Dame Letitia was secretly very proud
Of her mettlesome offspring, and by her
hints and encouragement did much to
even the soft influence Of her husband
The Sieur Bona would sigh deeply as
he saw his wife tenderly preening the
ruflied feathers Of her favorlte after
one Of his daily battles.
"Ah. wife. he would say, II fear you
are doing very wrong to lend counten-
ance to our sons quarrelsome DISPOSE
ton"
"Nonsenseg she would reply, con-
temptuousiy. "He will get on all the
better for showing some spirit, as others
I could mention should do" This was
one Of her back-handed buffets, which
she knew so we'll how to deliver, For
the Sieur was notable in all the barn
yards around for his mild character.
Perhaps" would be the quiet an
swer, unless he should get into the
soup in the meantime, my dear
After while even the doting mother
began to be alarmed at the pugillsm of
her favorlte, and sometimes went so
far as to administer peck upon the
head of the youthful Nappy-which, as
every one knows, Is the ancient form
Of chastisement among fowls. But
Nappy had gotten beyond maternal
control, and with "squawk' of pain
and anger, the spoiled chick would be
off to pick up another scufIlc with the
red bantam, his particular enemy or
the Black Spanish cockerel, who was
Just sprouting his spurs and boldly de-
clared his intention Of putting down
that hot-headed Nappy some day.
At length the hour came when the