The suburban citizen., 1900-01-13

"Well, at fust Hendershot was
plumb beat Then says he: Boys,
don't tech herl Give tho 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 man might provide
his hen with a regular nest and china
eggs. Said he'd put Everlasting agin
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 knowed
what the old spreckled thing couldn't
do. Finally he give up, and said
he'd just make an exhibition set of it,
and chalked down the date on the
wall, and told strangers who dropped
in that it was n grand set ag'in time,
an 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 a
red face, and wearing one of these
fore-and-aft caps, and funny-looking
clothes generally, and squinted his
eyes around and seen the hen, and
said the feller:
"'Oh. say says he, just like
tLat-'oh, say, you know, what's
the bloomin' bird on the table for?'
"'She's setting on four billiard
balls, answers Henderson,, proud as
Lucifer.
Extraordinary, by iover says
the feller; does she think she can
hatch 'em?'
"'Thats her lice. And I don't
know but she might-you hear wot l
say?' says Henderson,, swelling up
with pride.
" 'Oh, 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
" T'll go you on that, says the fell
ler.
Bet you fifty dollars she keeps
at it the fourth week, says Hender-
shot.
eco you again, says the feller
" Bet You a hundred she holds out
the fifth week, keeps on Hendershot,
getting excited
feller.
"'All right, said Hendershot; put
up your money
"'Oh, 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 a
small book and looks along down the
page and sort O. begins reading to his
self, like this: His 'Ighness, fifty
guineas on tue sweepstabe; Juke OF
Slackwater, pony on the Goodwood
cup; Lady Blink, box O gloves, and
then he scratched down something,
saying, Landlord, $l75 on hen
"Well, Hendershot he caught right
on, aud he wasn't to be outdoue, Sc
says he 'Of course that's all right, my
lord both gentlemen - certainly
I'll inst put it down in my betting
-. and be dragged out a copy oi
the smith Patent Pill Company's
Farmers and Mechanics Account
, Book and runs his finger down the
pags. sort O. talking to hisself- The
s-..,----,,s, five hundred on hoss trot
Chief Justice Supreme Court, $40 on
dog fight, and then he scratched down
-. 90 - Ml..,glishman, Sl75 on Eyerlast
ing 1ris.
"Then says the fellow: I'm out OF
, little hunting trip-think I'll jus
stay at your house. Well, Hender
, shot was tickled to have him, ant
| put him in the best room in tht
} house, and gave orders that nothing
was too good for him. And he wat
just the kind that knowed good things
and lie went right in aud made his
self at home-had extra grub ever,
: meal, lively teams each day to go ou
hunting perahrie chickens, and al
! that kind O thing and run up a bill
/ like the national debt. But Hender
, shot was tickled to death over if, anC
used to spend half his time talking
e with the feller bout the Jukes anC
t things he knowed in England
"And old Everlasting Just sot on
4 They left the winder open so she coulC
/ get out when she wanted to. 1t wal
{ always her way to hop OIL the mes
just at sunrise every morning, anC
} hustle around and pick up handful o.
1 two of gravel and be back on in ten min
I utes. Every morning before break
{ fast Hendershot took a look at her
2 and during the day he had an eye OF
= her most Of the time. Fenced off tina
4 corner of the room 80 that sh,
wouldn't be disturbed, and put up {
4 shade SOS the light wouldn't hurt he
4 eyes.
? "Well, at the end OF three weeks