The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-09
A FLEEING SHOW OF HEN.
FUN IN A RAILROAD COACH FOR
n nor WITH a FRlTED COAT.

~ hAuWnEhu " N HtroWnss1tu Shf
Not more than a dozen persons were in tho
car. These were n sharp-nosed man who di.
vided his timo between glaring disoontontedly
out of the window and asking the conductor
why tho train didn't go faster; an elderly and
bencvolcnt.looking old lady who sat across tho
aisle from tho sharp-noscd man; three or four
men who lounRed bacj; in their seats and dozod,
and n quartet Of young people, two men and
two girls, who wore amusing themselves by
singing college songs.
As tho train pulled out of one of the country
villages q poorly dressed boy who might have
been 10 or IL years old came into tho car
and took the seat across tho aisle from tho
four young people. Under his frayed coat was
q big bunch, suggesting that ho was carrying
something concealed there. As tho young
people struck into another song he looked anx-
iously at them and then down Mt tho bunch un.
der his coat. Presently, at tho end of q verse.
there sounded quito cmphatically from the coat
this remark:
Observation-Disclosures"
"Goodnessi" exclaimed the girl who had been
singing tho alto part, turning wide brown eyes
upon the youth. Hes got q hen th?re. Did
you hear it,"
"Cutta-cutta cudduck!" made itself sufl.
ciently audible for every one In the car to
hear 1t.
"shes a good hem said tho boy APOLOGIZE.
cally, 'but she don't like music. 1 was scairt
that you'd wake her up"
"Cudduck cudawcut!" in rather tart tones
from beneath the coat seemed to indicate that
the good hon was tired Of being good and
wanted to get out and fly around the car awhile
'shuttupT' said the boy. poking the bunch
with no great gentleness, a performance which
brought forth a wrathful cacklo.
BY this time all the people in the car were
cranlng, their necks toward the seat occupied
by the boy. The old lady put on her glasses to
tented man fairly, glowed with indignant sur
prise. He pointed a bony finger at the place
"" look i hero pSH he isn ss Iis' %" S6en, you 10 1o ppD0 to say
you've got q hen under, your coatf'
bis ia aeess GHian fuE bns c q aepieG no siEa s,a of m %pSn
ing to say anything. 1t wasn't really neces-
1ary that he should.
dawcut!,' was q highly adequate reply.
The sharp-nosed mans proboscis spread its
ITS, an Internal shame!' he cried.
Amt itf". exclaimed the benevolent old
lady, ,hestowing an approving glance upon
thing smothered."
Darn the Door thing!" calculated tho man
fell off in consequence Of the shock to her sys.
tem; Il aln,t kicking on the beastly chickens
a %s2I"s a %hfs 9 ! eiG!s out to Of 4 THU sha' caro- SoSns idiot
with evidently pacific INTENT. but strange to
failed to mitigate the complainant's wrath.
"Misht just as well be-" he said;
,o.Sssa1y iy ogi,, cried . ! The he man ana, again n;y Ginning his
Don't you try, to fool with me. That hen
Ho waggled his forefnger at the bunch,
which promptly responded:
''Oh. that hen!" said the boy, placidly. 81
brought her along SOS could get a fresh-laid
The quartet across the aisle burst into laugh.
ter. and the sharp+nosed man sworc softly but
Don't you let him brighten you," said the
the boys statement that her glasses fell of
again. and rs she CROPPED for them she said in
rather awestrrck tones:
Goodness mel Does he eat the egg rawi'
Is the only Kind this heH knows how to lay.
I had a hen to home we used to feed on sulphur
matches. and she laid hard.boiled aigs, but the
other day she drank some kerosene oil an just
naturally busted"
II don't believe It," exclaimed the old lady.
quito violently. and the quartet almost col
A lock OF sadness oy,erspresd the plain fea-
lures Of the youth, but before he could reply to
under his coat attracted his attention. us well
rs that of every one else, by observing In reso-
nant tones:
''Cutta. tta-cutta-cut-cudaw-w-w-wcut!'
Keep STILL" cried the boy. administering a
'Thc society that looks after cruelty to ami
mails ought to be told, > announced the old lady.
II know that hens SUFFERING"
'Hen ain. an ANIMAL" snapped tho sharp.
noscd man, getting back at her for her previous
information. II know I'm suffering, and un-
well, the society might look after you, them
retorted the old lady with some asperity.
The aged person" observed one OF the young
looks. That was distinctly the retort rotten"
IN speak to the conductors" the sharp:
pay my money to ride in IA hen coop. Well see
II this young rascal can bring his cackling
chickens among decent people,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS rounded in
rather dcrisive tones.
The HroYn:eycd girl leaned out over the aisle
Wont you please let IN, see the henl" she
lid like to. miss. but I dassent," said the
"Do you think I'd frlghten it, she said re-
SSNo'in. but this is an awful intelligent hen
not II she once seen you she'd want to leave me
who sat with the girl.
She smiled cntrancinRlv at tho boy.
Il don't believe you've got any hen at ALL"
she remarked challengingly.
In !. reply he proddod the bundle which prompt
.CuttG.cut, cutta-cut!'
There! Did you hear It'll" cried the sharp
nosed man TO the conductor who had Just en-.
tered the car. What kind of q road do you
call this, where the passengers have to roost
with tho chickcnsi"
Where is iti Which ones got til" asked
the conductor.
"Cutta.cut!, Cuttn.cut cudaw.cut!' pro.
claimed clearly the location.
Look here" said the official. striding up to
the boy. who was noryously fumbling at his
Goat e.s "I ~ , E9tt 2 ha mind n to stop the train and
"What forf" inquired. the youth in injured
tones. You got my ticket"
y You throw that chicken out OF the window
or get out
what chicken, MYSTERY
Under your coat there. Come, no nonsense,
now. l won't stand for it,"
The boy drew his frayed coat closer around
the bundle.
"Tuck-a.tuck-a-tuck." came in smothered
tones from it.
Mercy! The poor things near dead" criod
Come. get out" ordered the conductor, TAX
ing the boy by the shol lder.
The train was slowing down as 1t drew near
n station. and tho proprietor of tho assortment
of barnyard noises got up remarking:
''fhis Is my station where i get off, anyway"
'Cluck.cluck-cluck, tuck-a-tuck!' evidenced
the fact that IT. was tho station where the bun