Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1900-01-25


and warm. Most Of the feathers had
been snaked off by the force of ihe
wind, but when old Henderson, went
out, tickled half to death to see her
there, and tried to pat her on the
back, she just squAwked down in her
throat and snatchrd dab ut his hand
which drew the blood. Gamiest hen
in the Territory if n billing vOlcansr
had bust out in the back yard she d
bllstered her feet setting on the stones
it hove up.
But the old hen wasn't such
blamed fool, after all. When she had
sot on anything three weeks without
results she began to get susplcieus,
and TO sort O look hard with one eve
fore she got back on the nest. Then
when another week was up, she would
Just light out and leave whatever II
was and look around for something
else. Her judgment was bad on max
ing fust choice, but she knowed when
she got enough.
We'll, it ran along till that hen
had sOt on just about everything in
sight, and she was getting pretty
hard up for setting material One
day Henderson, was in the billiard
room having game with Judge
Lougsdorf, and he was a-nursing the
balls, gentle like, down along the rail
into one corner, when suddenly that
old critter of speckled hen up and
few into the window with two squawks
and forty clucks, snatched dab at the
cue, and just gathered them -four balls
under her wing and sot down on EN-,
and closed her eyes peaceful, and be-
gun to breathe deep and steady, as
much as TO say. Thank heaving, at
last | am rewarded
"Well. at fnst Henderson, was
plumb beat Then says he Boys,
don't tech her Give the hen a
chance Bet you she never stirs for
four weeks 'cept once a day to get
bite to eat. Henderson,, he couldn't
be satisfied, and kept walking around
the hen and trying to rig up some
scheme 10 get bet on her. Offered
FIVE to one on her ag'in any other hen,
aud said the other man might provide
his hen with II 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 wouId hatch out the
billiard balls, red and white ivory
chickens, but everybody fit shy of
even this offer, cause nobody knowed
what the old sprecked 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 a grand set ag'in time,
an attempt to lower the worlds rec
ord under the auspices of the Iuter-
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
tore-aud-ait caps, and funny-looking
clothes generally, and sqninted hi
eyes around and seen the hen, and
said the feller:
"'Ob, ! say, says he, just like
tbat-'oh, I say, you know, whats
the bloomiu' bird on the table for?'
She's setting on four billiard
balls, answers Henderson,, proud as
Lucifer
Extraordinary, by jover says
the feller; does she think she can
hatch emp
That's her ice. And I don't
know but she rnlght-yOu hear wOt l
say?' says Henderson,, swelling up
with pride.
Oh, I say, now, she'll coon get
tired of that, you know. Hens cant
hatch out billiard balls.
Bet you twenty-five dollars she
keeps trying for three weeks anyhow,
answers Henderson,.
III go you on that, says the fel-
Ter.
Bet you fifty dollar' she keeps
at it the fourth week, says HeDder-
shot.
"Go You again, says the f-ller.
Bet you hundred she holds ont
the fifth week. keeps on HendershOt,
getting excited.
Take that, too, comes back the
feller.
"'All right, said Henderson, put