Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-04-22
NOTHING LIKE STRATEGY.
A Mother of Pig, utilized the Wings Of
Rooster to Her Advantage.


Rooster to Her Advantage.
b. j. Lloyd OF franklin county, Tenn,
has a sow. Toward the end of last fall this
sow, with her litter Of young pigs, was
turned into the orchard to pick up pre-
cnrious livelihood as best she could from
the stray fruit that might drop from tho
trees. She managed to make pretty
credtabie scuflo Of II between her CLEAN
ing OF the fallen fruit and her rather per
sistent roofing but there came time
when the fruit ceased TO fall with any de-
gree OF prodlgality, for the simple reason
that there was none left TO drop.
Now, one day when the season was prot
ty well spent and the old sow with her
steady roofing and her unsntisiled longing
for the fruit tllat had passed was In much
tho same condition, she CHANGED to observe
on the topmost bough of n tree n big ripo
red apple First she made dash at tho
trunk OF the tree, hoping to shake the APP
plo from the limb, as sho had done many
ono during tn" season. But tho tree was
IN old one, and her strength was made
quato to move 1t. This no doubt nom
plused her to n certain extent, but sho
showed no outward sign Of failure With
persistence worthy n nobler cause, she
rushed frantically against the nearest adj
might give it shake which could be trans
mittcd from limb TO limb to its ncighbor
till tho apple was finally dlslodgod. But 1t
was no go. Tho apple held on, though Its
twig did waver little under the poor
sow's repeated exertions
About this time u sprightly gamo roost-
err, sporting his first plumcs, CHANGED TO
find his way into tho orchard, and, OF
course, took possession of 1t with as lordly
an air as II il had been arranged under his
Immediately jurisdiction and for his espe-
clal benefit. Meanwhile tho SOW began to
oyo him little obviously. She was ia
miliar enough with tho feather tribe TO
know that they had tho advantage Of her
above her own native heath, and she had
no notion of giving awayto the rooster her
information concerning tho whereabouts
of tho apple. Instead, however, she set to
work roofing hero and there in an appnr-
emily uimless manner, hut really and truly
that she might divert tho rooster into
searching for worms in the fresh turned
soil, so that tho coast would DO clear for
her to pursue her Investigations in regard
to the apple.
Suddenly happy thought seemed to
talSo possession of her Rushing back to
tho tree she called her pigs around her,
and by sundry grunts and squeals, which
we nrc MS yet unpreparcd to translate lit
orally, connded her design TO them. At
least judge this to DO the case for immo-
diately they, with one accord, united with
| her in giving such succession of startling
squoals that Mt FIRST the young cock was
scared within an inch of his naughty life
1t took all the courage which he possessed
| TO prevent his fleeing ignominiously, but
he stood his ground tromblingly, us If he
expected "cvory minute would be the
| next" ms the old woman said. Meanwhile
the racket among tho hogs was unabating
| and tho ROSTERS curiosity getting the bet
ter of his trcpidntlon he vontured little
nearer to ascertain tho cnuso of the com
motion. This was tho cue for renewed
energy on the part Of tho sow and her
dutiful family. Throwing deal more
vlgor into her voice, sho turned her eyes
skyward, whcreupon tho pigs threw deal
| moro vlgor into their 10 voices and turned
their eyes also skyward. This proved too
much for tho rooster, so he Clipped in q
lively staccato and turned his eyes sky
ward. AS he did so, the CLEAN of the red
apple doomed up beneath tho blue, and
| tho mystery was solved.
With preparatory tapping of his glossy
wings and q crow that almost failed TO
quaycr the proud cock mounted the Dough
and made his way confidently through the
leaves to the coveted apple, He cluCkcd
and gurgled complacently to himself as
he went showing in every movement with
what contempt ho held the poor hogs that
were still gazing upward and would have
full benefit OF his exhibition Of superiorlt,
When the apple was at length reached, h,
gave ono crow, loud and long, to hcralt
his victory, and diyod his beal: u half inch
down into it's mellow cheek, when lol the
rosy red apple, with all its luclousnoss,
was down in the midst of tho squoaling
pigs,
The old sow looked up softly us her
teeth sunk deep into tho apple land wink
cd her other eye, st. Louis Republic.