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

| post in q flock OF Gallo cocks, Burgun-
dian ravens, Breton geese, and Gascon
brakes. together with great number
Of Partisan looms, gulls, snlpe, storts,
sparrows and what not. 1t appears
that vast number OF hawks ana
crows, many Of English breed, had es-
tabllshed themselves In place called
Toulon, where they dehed the utmost
efforts Of the French fowls to GUST
them. Here It was that our hero's mill
itary genius first showed itself.
Now 1t should be known that the COM
mander of the forces was a certain
Major-GeneEal Gander, n miserable old
rascal, IL the truth must be told, one
sided from the loss Of a wing lame
from a foot deformed by being frozen
vain and stupid wlthal, and convinced
that the fate OF the whole nation lay
In his paddles. Nappy Leon, with the
adventurous and unqulet disposition
which went 80 far toward his after sue
cess, and also to his final overthrow
being dissatisfied with the slow and
frultless tactics of Gen, Gander, one
day flew into an elm-tree which OVER
looked the enemy's position, and from
thence devised a plan for the expulsion
Of the defenders Of Toulon. He laid his
scheme before Gander, who hesltated,
quacked, hlssed nibbled at his only re-
naming wing, billed his unlaundered
shlrt-front, took a sip from the mud
puddle before which he had established
his quarters, pulled out and ate very
large earth worm, with a profoundly
reflective aspect, and-consented.
Nappy Leon proceeded at once to his
quarters. Doubtless there might have
been seen n laughter carriage OF his
head, a more brilliant CLEAN OF his
eyes, loftier poise Of his comb, as he
summoned his flock for the assault. BE
this as 1t may, he selected his storming
party with great dispatch. He chose
Brlenne's "Heavies," uniformed In yell
low and black; Thibaults whites" IN
snowy vests and green Jackets, every
fowl Of noble family; De Vergne's
charge; and, finally, Chambord's Spar
rows" hardy, reckless little fellows,
before whose iron bills even the Royal
Eagles" had more than once taken
flight.
We need not pause to describe the
event. 1t will suffice II we say that
Nappy at the head of his gallant flock,
swooped down upon the surprised and
demorallzed foe, and, after short but
desperate battle, drove them, pell-mell,
out Of their works, with terrible cluck-
ings, squalllngs, screenings and croak-
ings, In a cloud of torn feathers, wing5,
beaks, gills, combs and top-knots Nap
by himself had a desperate, though
brief combat with Major Flemish, the
commandant. Those who witnessed the
struggle declared afterward that the
sight Of it was worthy Of poem
The further history Of Nappy Leon
Is one long tale of bloodshed and VIC
tory over his enemies. His grateful
followers put him on top Of the finest
hen-coop, and he was declared to be
the emperor fowl Of the whole country.
But there came a time when Nappy
had to abdicate. He could do nothing
else II he wished to save his life; for he
knew that he must otherwise get it,
to use bit Of slang frequently in Nap
py's mouth, where the hen got the
axe"-that is, In the neck.
On a far-dlstant island Of the sea, ne
pinned away the remnant of his life, nib
bling his feathers, stalking around his
narrow domain, feebly Growing and
dreaming over again the vast dreams
which erstwhlle had kept the world in
excitement.
Peace to his feathers! He was Won
derful fowl in his time; but his life Illus
trates the great truth that, bird or man,
If we fly high, we may fall low.-Adapt-
ed from Demorests Family Magazine.