The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-03-11
Some True Stories Abont Chickens.

Chickens cannot talk-at least in
any language that we can understand
but who shall say that they do not
have the same feelings and emotions
that animate the human breast?
was sitting by the window one
day with my sewing when q beautiful
Plymouth Rock rooster came along es-
corting two Of his own kind and one
Black Spanish lady. He walked very
proudly conversing pleasantly. His
voice had a pleasant sound, anyway.
A fine grapevine opposite the window
seemed to be the destination Of the
party. It was in the spring; the grape
1Aaves were young and tender.
i was moved with admiration as the
young pilgrim displayed his g~allantry,
and his unselashness, too. He picked
of the leaves as high up as he could
reach-and it was astonishing how
high he could reach-and scattered
them on the ground for his compan-
ions, only r~eserving for himself one
small mohthful at the close OF the
feast. When the picnic was over
they wsat away in the same order and
I resumed my sewing.
Two hens sitting near each other
Matched about the same time. One
had a fine brood Of chickens, the other
was very unfortunate; the few that
were; matched all died, in a few days.
After the JBast one was dead she con-
tinued .totfoluck, and would follow the
other hen around. Selecting one little
chick OF the brood she decided to kid
nap il. While the mother was busy
providing for her large family the
childless hen would 80 close to the
little chick that she so much coveted,
scratch for it and. talk lovingly to it
until she finally persuaded it to accept
her is mother. It took several days
TO accomplish her purpose, but she
was patient and p~ersevering and seem.
ed perfectly satisfied at last with the
one chicken.
I waB once highly entertained by o
little play in which some bantams
were the performers. + do not mean
that they were trained-this occurred
in their own yard and was imprompsu.
There were two roosters-one red,
one white. The red one was very
belligerent; in. fact, was a perfect
bully. He did not allow the other
any privileges that he could Keep from
hins, and was constantly picking q
quarrel. He stood 30 far back on his
small dignity that there was very
little space between his head anG his
Gail feathers.
One day I noticed the white rooster
and Q pretty little hen standing side
by side on a low atep. They had
their heads close together and looked
like q feathered representation OF
Romeo and Juliet. Presently along
came the tyrant. Romeo, no doubt
thinking discretion the better part
Of valor," whiie his enemy. was still
Of: o little distance but coming that
way stepped leisuss,,y Down and sann-
ie.ed Oh IN an opposite direction with.
out appearing to see him. Mr.. Bully
Immediately took the place that had
been vacated by the side Of Miss
Juliet. But did she submit quietly
to this . arrangement? No lady of the
human form divine could have
shown her displeasure more plainly.
She turned her head away, stepped
down and walked off in the direction
her lover had gone. Mr.. Bully stood
for moment as if m%editating, and
then he, too, stepped off the mimic
stage, and all became cqpmon chick
ems once more.!
A hen camo off the nest with one
chicken. She Eas a very sensible
hen and did not waste too much time
on; that one. When she thought it
was old enough to look after itself,
she went to laying again. The chick
en- would go With her to the nest and
when the time for sitting on the eggs
came che patient;little creature assist
ed in that process too. When the
brood was hatched she followed with
it, and after q few weeks OF this life
thepractical mother turned :he family
over to the elder sister, and again
went about what she considered her
chief business in life-to lay eggs.
TWAS q novel sight to see the half |
grown chicken taking care Of the
brood. She did her best to initiate
the mother, scratching and trying to
clack, but making n strange noise.
The little chickens followed her con-
Lfnnfadlu and nan.nnd 10 fnrrak a IL