The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-07-08

erhood. A very peaceful gentleman, not
unconnected with the work of the HUI
name society, moved into the country
three or four years ago, Having ocoa.
sion to purchase two or three sittings Of
eggs, he bought one Of a good working
woman who lived on the outskirts Of
the town and who happened to have
male relatives of sporting proclivities,
though the gentleman did not know that
and would hardly have cared if he had
known. The sporting proclivities Of
those persons could hardly affect the
hens eggs raised on the place. The sit
ting of eggs turned out beautifully, and
in due time some exquisite little red
chickens were running about with the
old gray hen who had been their foster
mother. The chickens were so pretty
that they were admired above all othors
on the place. They grew apace, aud be-
fore long their owner discovered that
they were engaged in warfare most Of
the time, either with one another or
with other little chickens. Redoubtable
fighters they were, too, ard while any
one of them would easily whip any
chicken Of any other brood, when they
fought with one another it seemed to be
a fight to the death. The peaceable gen.
tleman deprecated these contests very
much, but he was powerless to prevent
them. What could make them fight so?
Finally light dawned on the humane
Rentleman's mind. The proclivities Of
the men Of the household from which
he had purchased the sitting of eggs
had indeed led them to Partially for
game fowls and by innocently buying
a bakers dozen of eggs from the woman
of the house and sitting them under q
hen he had unconsciously embarked in
the business of keeping fighting cocks.
A good story is told by New Eng
land woman.
Out in quiet corner of the garden,
in two barrels lying on their sides, sat
two expectant hens patiently awaiting
the happy day when the joys OF free
dom, so dear to their hearts, should be
enhanced through sharing it with a
nesting, peeping brood of downy dar-
lings all their own. The hours of long,
bright spring days slowly ran their
course and half the allotted time of
waiting had been uncomplainingly en-
dured by one of the pair, while her
neighbor had just entered upon her
term Of enforced seolusion, when one
night fierce tempest swept down upon
those two humble dwellings. The wind
and rain came with such terrific force
that it seemed nothing short of a noun
tain could Withstand it, The next morn
ing we FASTENED to the spot, prepared to
find utter ruin and dismay, instead OF
which, to our great surprise we found
the frail habitations still standing.
Moreover, they were still tenanted, al.
though there were unmistakable signs
of hardship and suffering having been
heroically met by those two stout hearts,
On closer examination, however, We
found that singular thing had happen.
ed. During the confusion, the panic
caused by the storm, the two had lost
their heads-not literally, as we had al
first feared-and had mistaken their
own nests; each was occupying the
home of the other, so that the hen who
knew nothing of the fatigue of long
watching became usurper, while the
other was in danger of becoming quite
discouraged at finding her hopes indeti
nitely deferred.
One can better imagine than describe
the evident surprise and delight of the
usurper when at the end Of only weel
and half sitting on her part eight lit
tie, downy, fluffy balls of warmth anC
merriment briskly tapped their way in
to the sunlight and nestled close to tn,
maternal bosom. Whether the Other
then receiver her first intimation thai
something was amiss we never knew
but after waiting little longer thu