The weekly intelligencer., 1901-03-23
MYSTERIOUS CHICKEN THIEF.
nysterious Tale Of a Might struEsls,
. Dead Possum ana the Appstis-
ing Oder ef q stew.

Mr.. John W. Noble. Of Bloomfield, N.
j., ably assisted by four women of his
family and heartily applaudsd by inter
ested neighbors, came cut victor in .
joust with a possum which took place
In his hencoop the other night.
One morning several weeks ago Mr.
Noble. who is something Of . poultry
fsncier, lost two OF his birdA The col
orsd population Of Bloomfield are hon
est, chursh-going people. and Mr.. Noble
merely shrugged his sheulders and re-
marked. phllosophically; Chickens
come home to roost" But they didn't
What's more, q few days later . pet
bantam took mysterious leave Of the
formerly happy hsncoop. This time
AIR. Noble merely scratched his head
and made a silent resolution 70 catch
the persistent thief, black or white.
quick or dead.
For time the hencoop remained un-
molssied. and Mr.. Noble began 10 think
the- -faaid Aat WIS cfus-s. 49, sasS- ~,tassr
night things happened. HE ten yss-
old son had gone TO bed, and he and the
three women members Of his family
were sitting in the parlor discussing
music and other things. Suddenly Mr..
Noble sat bolt upright and motioned
for silence. A long, ripping cackling
sound came from the back yard; then
few angry elucks, and finally chorus
Of piercing shrieks that sounded like q
whole poultry show in angry protest.
Mr.. Noble sprang from his chair and
darted for the cellar door. A moment
later he appeared with q furnace poker
In his right hand.
"Hghtlr he said. with an air Of grim
determination. The chicken thief IL
here. Bring llghts." The women
gIided from the room and appeared q
moment later bearing kerosene lamps.
Then, led by Mr.. Noble, poker in hand
they passed through the kitchen door
out into the moonllgh : night and across
the yard to the hsncoop. The sOrssch-
ing had not abated.
Mr.. Noble cautiously opened the hen
house door aid poksd his head In.
''wowl" scsamed one Of the bgh.
brigade as she caught sight Of the In.
side Of the coop. xiii himl Kill the
horrid thing" The birds were screech.
ing and flying in all directions trying
10 escape a large and lively posaum
which seemed TO be In full possession
The four OF the light brigade became
csmoralized and beat hasty retreat
But Mr.. Noble, sngered by the sight oi
the chicken thief. struck madly with
his poker. The possum showed fight
A second blow from the poker, how.
ever, made him change his tactics and
he dartsd out the door and made direc,
for the light brigade. This ELECTED
more screams and the cries Of Help
and police" brought the neighbori
running TO their windows Fer fully
Is minutes the possum kept thing
lively, but Mr.. Noble. encouraged By
cheers from the windows, met HE fps
at every turn. At last ths end came
and the possum, with . few eontsmp-
tuous shifts In the direction of the
light brigade, rolled over on his back,
with all four feet pointing the same
way. But his fight had not been ail
In vain, for when the battle-ground
was gone over two fns bantams were
found lifsless on the ground.
Next day the possum was placed on
exhibition In the front yard, and those
who viewed II said It was a buster.
why" remarked Mr.. Abe johnson,
one Of Bloomhsld's colorsd citizsnA TO
his friend Bill Perry next day, EFF dat
possum weighs an ounce he weighs 70
poun's."
"Unph," said Berry, "do,n talk lik,
dat to me. niggah. No possum ebsr
weighed 20 pounA Yo' know wot hap
psned 10 dat liah An'nias In De good
book2 How de angels rose up in all
dere wraf az smote him down, an gath
cred up de fragments, sebeb basksts
full? Well, doan' tell me Dat poaaun
weighed 20 poun's"
Later in the dsy, however, when Mr..
Berry saw the possum for himself. he
changed his mind.
+ u beg yoah pahdon, johnson, / beg
yoah pabdon. II dat possum dosn'
weigh 20 poun'S, reckon b. comes 20
powshiul close dat you doAn get
Emott."
Mr. Noble was 20 Impressed by the
admiration Of the negroes that h. nav.
them the prize. And that night a the
reporter was passing little white cot
tags on bis way 70 the station he heard
the familiar strains Of
Carve dat possum,
Carve dat possum. ohulluh,
Carve dat possum,
Carve him 10 o. heart"
And, perhaps IL was only imagina.
tion, but there seemed TO be iust IN.
faihte't odor Of poEsum stew.
- -Ha==a-
Anticipation.
II am sorry 10 lose you, Mary" r..
marked her mistress, but n you hse,
found a better place and viii BE- hap.
pier"
"oh, It's nothing Of that kind,
ma'am; I'm Just going 70 be married .
-Pb!sdslDhiE Ilmss.