The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-28

4 YARD or YARNS
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BIZ HOGABOOM

xona friend told about his old rooster
who he assures me is considerable O.
4 bird himself, or, rather, was. for HI
II now gathered to his fathers, and Is
not any more. This is the story Of how
he was gathered.
He was always the earliest bird, and
he was also the largest and meanest bird
in the yard, which was a combination
Of qualities calculated to insure him q
full stomach and the respect Of the other
fowls, If nothing more.
One gladstone day last spring our story
opens. The fowls were gathered in the
big corral, engaged in the pleasant oc-
cupation of scratching for delicacies
There was an old yellow hen there who
seemed to have an acute mania Tor
scratching. She didn't appear to have
any Judgment about 1t, either, but would
20 around scratching anywhere and
everywhere, whether there were any re-
suits or not She would some times get
started in on some spot, and without any
apparent reason go on scratching and
scratching, for all the world as though
she was sinking prospect SHAFT or
breaking ground for a millsite.
On this particular morning she had
concentrated her attention on a small
patch Of ground that lay in the shade
of an old crumbling adobe wall. The
other fowls, knowing her idiosyncrasy,
paid little attention to her, beyond &C.
casionally casting a sidelong glance In
her direction, and then going on about
their business, with perhaps slight toss
of the head and a sniff or two of mild
derision. But the old yellow hen kept
scratching. And the old rooster kept an
eye on her. Experience had taught him
that there was sometimes method in the
old yellow hens madness.
Presently the old rooster saw the old
yellow hen pause where she had been
scratching the earth away from under
meath fallen adobe brick, and step
back pace or so, with her gaze fixed
upon the spot intently. 1t occurred to
the old fellow at once that something
interesting must have happened; some
thing, in fact, in which he himself might
have a particular interest. He cooked
his head over on one side and never re-
moved his eye from the old yellow hem
Pretty soon it became evident to him
that something had indeed happened.
The old yellow hen had made dis
covery. That fact was quite apparent
from her agitated manner, and also 1t
was apparent that she wasn't quite GER
tain about the nature Of her And.
Our hero cooked his head on the other
side and elevated his right foot, with
the toes hanging down in a. graceful
cluster. He was prepared to move on
an instants notice, but he wanted to
see first If the other fowls had become
aware of the situation. Not so; every
one Of them was intent upon his or her
own affairs.
Meantime the old yellow hen had fall
en- back a little way more. Now she gave
a low, timid cluck, and the fowls who
were near by looked up. but seeing that
it was only the old yellow hen, they re-
sumed their work straightway. Then
she gave another cluck and still another,
but nothing came of it, and throwing her
whole strength into the effort. she ut
tered a series of vehement clucks, caws
and cut-cut-cuts, and began to dance
around in most excited manner.
At that the whole crowd Of them came
on the run. Our hero was in the lead
He had the advantage of a good start,
and arriving at the scene he sized up the
situation at a glance. The old yellow
Of worm; fat and juicy and of huge
proportions. It was evidently the size
Of the thing that had frightened the old
yellow hen so easily. The old rooster
was not so timid. He had seen worms
before, and there never was one yet too
big for him; in fact, the bigger the bet
ter. And he gobled that succulent thing
up without further loss of time.
Dtca pnOipfrnaDt sat 1IDOn the faces Of
the other fowls as they looked first at
the place where the big fat worm had
been and then at the old rooster. But
upon his placid countenance there was
a look Of calm contentment and supreme
complacency.
But what is this? The look Of content
and complacency fades away, even as
they look, and gives place to one of mild
apprehension, and then to one of posi-
tive alarm. All is not we'll within the
bird. evidently. Something Is disturb
ing the interior of him. Can it be the
worm? Evidently it is.
All the hens have gathered around
him. There is more of curiosity in their
looks than sympathy. How strangely
he acted. He stretchd out his neck, rolled
his eyes and dragged his wing feathers
upon the ground. But that seemed to
bring little relief, and the agony that
possessed him was depicted in his face,
though he uttered no cry.
Presently he began to step sideways,
picking up his feet slowly and putting
them down hard. and batting his eyes
all the while. Then, before the aston
ished hens could gather their senses,
he started on a mad race across the
corral. Half way he seemed to stagger,
and then fell and rolled over upon his
back, and with his legs sticking up into
space, he gave one or two final kicks:
his toes curled up, and he was dead
The old yellow hen went and wallowed
out a hole in some soft ground and
sQuatted down. 1t seemed as II she felt
responsible for the tragedy, in meas
ure, and she was evidently resolved not
to do any more scratching that day, any
way. But, really no blame could attach
to her. She didn't know it was cent?
pede!
My sympathy, at this hour, goes out
to the country editor, for once upon q
time I was he, so to speak, and know
and can feel the trials and griefs that
are his. Let me, dear reader endeavor
to paint you a composite picture Of his
woes. that you, too, and all the world,
or anybody else, for that matter, may
know what sort Of an uphill Job the
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