The Delawarean., 1900-06-13
WHITE HEN GIVES
Continuous Performance in Laying
2S9 Eggs in 3S DAYS.

The great question of the day in the
State of Rhode Island is, Did Mrs. Nc
Nally's white hen lay 2S9 eggs in
thirty-eight days?" 1t is at the pres
ent 'up to- Professor Field, of the
Rhode Island College of Agriculture
and Mechanic Art to answer the ques-
ton. The professor has the hen under
observance at the college at Kingston
Hill and the entire State is awaiting
his decision. Mrs. McNallys hen first
came into prominence something more
than a month ago. Mrs. McNally is
a resident of Crompton. She conducts
a well ordered farm on the outskirts
of the village and she was entirely un-
known to fame until she confided to
State Senator Henry Hayden, to whom
she sells some of her farm produce, the
startling information that one of her
hens had laid twenty-nine eggs in one
day. The Senator laughed at what he
supposed was little joke of Mrs. Nc
Nally's, but when she came to his store
few days later and told him that the
same hen had laid ten more eggs on
one day, twelve on another, he began
to have his doubts about Mrs McNally.
In an unguarded moment he told the
story to a newspaper reporter, who
promptly printed it, and when the SEN
ator next went to town he found tina
the troubles of life had only begun TOR
him. He had great difficulty in pin
ming anybody down to talking business.
Everybody had read the story and
wanted to talk hen. 1t was the same
way when the Senator went to the
State House to attend the session Of
the Legislature. All the members
wanted to know about the remarkable
hen OF his constituent, Mrs. McNally.
In the meantime Mrs. McNally kept
making reports of what the hen was
doing. On one day the hen laid seven
eggs, and eight and ten day were also
reported In desperation the Senator
finally induced two men TO go to the
McNally farm and watch the hen. The
two men went willingly enough, but
much to the Senator's CONSERVATION
they returned with six eggs which they
were willing to swear the nen laid in
day. Each egg was marked with the
initials of the watchers, together with
the hour it was laid. The men were
positive that there had been nothing
underhand about the performance and
each was willing to make affidavit to
the effect that the hen had laid the six
eggs while they were at the farm.
Since then the hen has been steadily
at work, her record as vouched for by
Mrs. McNally being 2S9 eggs in thirty
eight days. 1t is generally believed
that Mrs. McNally is honest and that
it any trick has been perpetrated it
vas without her knowledge.
The visitors to her farm since the
story of the wonderful hen was spread
broadcast have been numerous. On
one Sunday there were fully 15) per-
sons watching the coop where the hen
was, but much to the disappointment
of the spectators the hen refused to
work on the Sabbath and didn't lay a
single egg. Professor Field also visited
the hen and asked permission 70 take
her to the Agricultural College for a
few weeks. Mrs. McNally readily con-
sented and a few days ago the hen was
taken to the college and left there in
the care of Professor Field. The hen
is still there under constant surveil-
lance, and, as already stated, the State
is at a high tension waiting for the re-
sult.-Crompton r. l., special New
York Sun.