St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-10-01


were several fowls of such queer look
and conduct that could not make out
their identity and had to ask the old
man for information. lie took the
corn-cob pipe out of his mouth and
looked at them for awhile and then
slowly said:
"Them's chickens, them is. or they
used to be-"
but they are queer-looking chick
ems" I said.
$50 they ar. That was another OF
Kurnel Bunker.s ideahs."
He settled down ON the warm earth.
with his back to the logs of the cabin.
and after crowding more tobacco into
his pipe he drawlingly began:
II reckon kurnel Bunker has got
mo- ideahs into his head than any
other man in the state of Arkansaw,
but they don't allus come out on top
About two yars ago he cum ridin'
along yere one day and stops to say:
"'Abe Hope. did yo' ever hear o
them pyramids OF Egypt and Alexan.
der the Great?'"
"'Can't say that hev,' says I. kim
der feelin' cold and allowin' that it was
time fur my reg'lar chill to cum on.
Wall, sab. them pyramids is bein'
talked about all over the face Of the
airth, and as for Alexander, thar
hasn't bin no critter to hold candle
to him since he turned up his toes. He
was whooper, jumper and fighter,
and he never sot down to game OF
poker that he didn't win the Jackpot.
II he was livin' to-day and wanted to
run fur governor OF Arkansaw no hu-
man bein' would dare go agin him.
"That's the way he talked to me. !"
said Abe, as melancholy look spread
over his face, "and / took it all in and
smoked away and wondered what he
was at. Bimeby, when he got the old
woman a-prancin' around and all
stirred up he gifts down off his hoss and
Gums cIus to me and says:
"'Abe Hope, don't yo' want to be
as big q man as Alexander was-don't
yo' want folks talkin' about yo' same
as they did about them pyramidsT
II reckon Tdo, says /, beginnin' to
feel warm all over.
"'Then I'll tell yo' how to do It.
Yo've got land yere-heaps O. land
Thar's worms and bugs on yo'r land
heaps o 'em. Thar amt no sich thing
as a chicken farm within 40 miles Of
this place. and every man, woman and
child is cryin' fur chicken-meat from
Sunday mornin' to Saturday night
And as fur eggs-who ever sees hens
egg? amt sayin' anything about
feathers, but If had a thousand
pounds o. chicken feathers on hand
could sell every ounce OF 'em in three
days. at good price. I'm sleeping or
straw kase ! can't git feathers. and
that's the way with thousands OF 9th
ers. Abe. yo've got gold mine right
yerc under yo'r feet and don't know
it!'
81 got up and took look around,
said the old man. "but I didn't see nc
gold mine. I was wonderin' about 4
when the kurnel goes on:
"'What you want to do is to turn this
place into a chicken farm. jest send
up moth fur chickens-chickers tina,
will cum down yere and hustle fol
bizness. Every hen will hatch out al
least two dozen chickens a year, and
every rooster will double his weigh!
every three months
"The colonel was enthusiastic"
said. as the old man made long pause
eyes. l reckon he was. He fggered
that arter three months I'D hev chick
ems and eggs and feathers to sell till
it would take three or fo' of us to wait
on the customers. Them chickens was
to pick up their own livin' around yere
and not cost cent. and the income wa;
to be at least $1,000 a year. The kurnei
figgered it all out in black and white
and he said il wouldn't 60 into it he d
sell his hoss and take up chickens his
sels. When he had taken fifth drink
from the jug he got on his crit:er and
rode away, and me IN the old woman
talked matters over. We kept talkin
fur two days, and then we made up our
minds. and I sent away fur chickens
'How many did you start with ?"
"'Bout 300, sab. ] got 'em way uE
no'th-the best / could finland when
they was turned loose down yere it wa,
a sight to do yo' good. All the folks
around heard of it and cum over te
see, and Kurnel Bunker was yere twice
day to pat me on the back and take
nip Of con juice, and say that wa:
knockin' the foundasbuns out from un
der them pyramids. Eggs was power
full high that var, and begun to lool
fur few arter the fust week. Co
to give hen time to see whar' she i
Mt befo' she begins to lay. you know
had 29O hens and ten roosters. Kur
mel Bunker tiggered that l orter 81
so eggs aday."
"But you got more?" said.
II got q heap less" he gloomily re
piled. 1.-THE fust week got ten eggs
| Arter that never got one"
"But why?"
| Then chickens was too busy runnin
| arter bugs and worms. sab. Begun
runnin' as soon as they could see in thu
mawnin' and kept it up till dark. They
got the idea that I'd brung 'em dowr
| yere to cleaD-out the insects in the hui
state Of Arkansaw. and they was or
the hustle every blessed mint. ] be
| lieye that sum o. them chickens walked
and run so miles day. When hen i.
hustlin' around like that she dom thinl
o. layin' eggs. you know"
"But you had chickens to sell?"
| "Not = chick. They was fat ana
| plump on the start. but runnin' aYouns
so much left nothin' but bones ant
feathers on 'em arter a few days, ant
none of 'em would make decent soup
Kurnel Bunker couldn't make it out
but said they'd be all right putty soon
but they never was. Men the oil
woman had 10 go away fur week 4
see her sick sister. and when we Gun
back there was lot o. queer bird
walking around yere. couldn't max
'em out. ard she couldn't. and when
sent fur KIlrnei Bunker he looks at 'er
fur long time and then says:
-.Abe, you've got big thing o
hand. Them critters n all mockin
birds. and worth two dollars apiece i
Chicago or St. Louis Ship 'em up thai
and sell every one.