The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-02-01

day Hendershot was in the billiard
room having game with Judge
Lonesdorf, and he was a-nursing the
balls, gentle like, down along the rail
into one corner, when suddenly that
old critter of n speckled hen up and
flew into the winder with two squawks
and forty clucks, snatched q dab at the
cue, and just gathered them four balls
under her wing aud sot down on EN-,
and closed her eyes peaceful, and be-
gun to breathe deep and steady, as
much rs to say, Thank heaving, at
last I am rewardedr
"Wcll. at fust Hendershot was
plumb beat. Then says he: Boys,
don't tech her! Give the hen a
chancel Bet you she never stirs for
four weeks 'cept once a day to get a
bite to eat Hendershot. he couldn't
be satisfied, and kept walking around
the hen and trying to rig up some
scheme to get bet on her. Offered
FIVE to one on her ag'in any other hen,
and said the other mau might provide
his hen with q regular nest and china
eggs. Said he'd put Everlasting ag'in
any other two hens, the others to fol-
low each other. Finally offered to
bet that the fowl would hatch out the
billiard balls, red and white ivory
chickens, but everybody fit shy of
even this offer, cause nobody kr owed
what the old spreckled thing couldn't
do. Finally ho give up, and said
he'd Just make an exhibition set OF it,
and chalkcd down the date on the
wall, and told strangers who dropped
in that it was a grand set ag'in time,
al attempt to lower the worlds rec
ord under the auspices OF the Inter
national Setting Hen Association.
"Along toward night, when Hen
dershot was standing and admirinG
her, and pointing out that she hadn't
moved feather since she sot down,
in come a sandy haired feller with q
red face, and wearing one of these
fore -and-aft caps, and furny-looking
clothes generally, and squinted his
eyes around and seen the hen, and
said the feller:
"'Oh. 1 say gays he, j1st like
tLat-'oh, I say, you know, what's
the bloomin' bird on the table for?'
"'She's a setting on four billiard
balls, answers Henderson,, proud as
Lucifer.
Extraordinary, by iover says
the feller: does she think she can
hatch 'em:'
"'That's her lice. And I don't
know but she might-you hear wot I
say?' says Henderson,, swelling up
with pride.
"'Oh, I say, now, she'll soon get
tired of that you know. Hens can't
hatch out billiard balls
"'Bet you twenty-five dollars she
keeps trying for three weeks anyhow,
answers Hendershot
"I'Il so you on that, says the fel-
Ter.
"'Bet you fifty dollars she keeps
at it the fourth week." says Hender-
shot.
eco you again, says the feller.
"'Bet you hundred she holds out
the fifth week, keeps on. Henderson,,
getting excited.
"'Take that, too comes back the
feller.
"All right, said Hendershot; put
up your money
"'Oh, I say. I'm not used to that,
YOU know. Don't do that way in
England, my dear sir. We're gentle
men-I'll just record it in my betting
book, you know, and he pulls out
small book and looks along down the
page and sort O. begins reading to his
self, like this: His 'Ighness, fifty
guineas on the sweepstake; Juke of
Slackwater, a pony on the Goodwood
cup; Lady Blink, box O. gloves, and
then he scratched down something,
saying, Landlord, S175 on hen
"Well, Henderson, he caught right
on, and he wasn't to be outdone, so
says he 'Of course that's all right, my
lord both gentlemen certainly
I'll just put it down in my betting
book, and he dragged out copy of
the Smith Patent Pill Company's
Farmers and Mechanics Account
Book and runs his finger down the
page, sort O. talking to hissslf-'The
President, five hundred on hoss trot;
Chief Justice Supreme Court, $40 on
dog fight, and then he scratched down,
STRAY Englishman, Sl75 on Everlast-
ing Hills
"Then says the fellow: I'm out on
a little hunting trip-think I'll just
stay at your house. Well, Hender-
shot was tickled to have him, and