Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-02
ENDED THE NUISANCE

There is digniied. quite elderly gentle
man in this town. Of high military rank,
who Is nevertheless chuckling delightedly
these days-and more particularly nights
over the fact that he is, by proxy, q
chicken thief.
"Of course" he says. in telling the story
to his intimates. IT was often, by proxy,
chicken thief during the civil war-ai-
though the foragers. in those times. would
have resented the appellation. But dare
say that am the Incorporating chicken
thief, even by proxy. of any OF my old COM
rades in arms
The elderly oficer-he has been retired for
some years-has solitary Quarters-being
long a widower-in ample and handsome
rooms adjoining large YARD IN Inc NORM had
these quarters for more than ten years anu
is deeply attached to them.
But about month ago tremendous
calamity befell him. The people living In
the house with the yard next door purchas-
ed six large, clumsy chickens OF the Cochlh
China variety-fve hens and feathery-
legged lord of the outfit.
Since then the officers life mas peen rem
dered miserable.
The rooster-pent up along with nus
charges in the rear of the next-door yaFu-
Immediately displayed tendency to scorn
to wait for the regular and orderly crow
ing hour of even the early-rising members
of his species. He began at mldnlsnt. Anu
from midnight right on until dayngnt ne
practiced with his calliope voice WITHOUT
break Anybody familiar with tns s.t e' the
lures of the barnyard are familiar WIN tue
vocal ability Of one large Cocmn NLi.a
rooster, standing at least SIX hanos, ~ "
speak, on his plates, of muscular conAol
nation fore and aft, and with passo Vocai
range of at least four ana uuoi'
taves. -, aor 1ybo
is at best a very light sleeper, WASH We.
long in becoming acquainted WIN ah ;e CSina
power of this one particular Cochih Sniii"
leader of a small and select hocK. 49,
He spoke of the awful infiiction 10 sns
people in his house, and they recomHlehu nc
him to send a written comp,a,Mti q Rmt
the officer being man of the type VIM
scorn to make written complaints OF neieh
bors on any grounds, shook MS heau a.
this.
The officer had particularly bad time OF
it from the next-door feathered bawler one
night last week. He awoke In state oI
ferocity at the call of the rooster at lltle
after r. half an hour following his retire-
ment and from then on there was no use
in his trying to get to sleep. He spent the
remainder of the night in reading and In
chewing his mustache. 1,..-
Every morning at 8 a certain Thomas C1r-
Gle coachman, a black man Of the old type,
drives the officer in his ancient calash down
to certain club, where the ofncer taxes
his breakfast. When the elderly Olcer was
about to step into the vehicle on the morn
ing after his bad night he gazed feroc1ousiy
into the big yard and saw the clumsy
Cochin China fowl with the all-night voice
strutting about at the rear. The officer
shook his cane at the rooster.
"You devil" he growled at the rooster,
in the hearing of the ancient coachman.
I'D give any man that wrung your neck
twenty-five dollars"
(Which one, subj" blandly inquired the
officers NOTWITHSTANDING Goa Gilman
''That Internal beast of a Cochin China
cock in there" replied the officer, stepping
into the old Thomas Circle vehicle.
That night was the most peaceful he had
passed in his bed since the advent Of the
chickens in the next door yard. The OFF,
Ger marveled over it-until he behld the face
of his old driver the next morning
DE old roostuhll be too tough TO- any
thin but a potpie, but he all'll be pow'ful
good dat-a-way, suh,' was all the old
driver said.
The officer gaZed at the smiling face of
the old darkey and instantly comprehended
He pulled forth his wallet before stepping
into the calash and, good as his word
stripped s2o from his bundle and paid the
same into the hands of the black man.
The people next door, discovering the alb
senteeism of the rooster, concluded that
there wouldn't be much further use ia their
attempting to raise chickens with colored
folk living In the alley behind them-the
ancient Thomas Circle coachlnan was one
of the colored folk. by the way-and dis
posed of the remainder Of the Cochin
Chinas. The officers nights are again
triumphs of healthful slumber.