The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1905-02-15
ZEKE WELL AGAIN.
After a Week Of Grip, Bone
Set Tea, Castor Oil, Etc.
HE WRITES OF HEN FEVER.
The Old Man Gives His Past Experience
With Yankee Schemes For
Raising Poultry.

county have tho "chicken f>vcr."
I envy those mon, and at.the Same
time I am sorry for them, as the
hen fever is a disease that "stickcth
closer than brother" Tt is worse
than measles, or tho seven year
itch, and once contracted, it can
never be entirely cradicated from
the syStem.
l caught it when boy, and even
at this lg<c day / can hear tho cock
as he warns us Of tho coming morn,
ut a much greater distauce than
tho landlady's call to "turn out"
1t is emusic to my soul" and stirs
up memories Of the days when my
happiest hours were spent in the
poultry yard, in caring for my
feathered pets, Watching them
scratching in the litter for a choice
It'd bit, happy and contented, and
often I would turn away with q
creeping sensation down the spine,
and turning down tho leg Of my
sock, I would do little scratching
OH my own account.
1t was q pleasure-I mean caring
for my flock was a pleasuro-even
getting rid of vermin was pleas
ure, i. g., it was a ''labor of love'
which is always a pleasure.
My early ventures in the chicken
business wore not very profitable,
from a money standpoint, but they
ware rich in experience and still
furnish the vaporlngs for many a
day dream.
When first stricken with the
'tfad' [ was hard hit, and as it
struck in at the start, | was what
is commonly known as "suck cr"
for the manufacturers Of all kinds
of chioken appliances, one OF my
purchases being known as tho ever
lasting hen's nest---a Yankee inven-
ton, guaranteed to increase the
production of eggs, prevent hens
from eating eggs, ETC., and of
course, combined all the advantages
and virtues of well ordered nest
1t was merely hopper shaped box
with a trap door at tho bottom, aud
the nest egg securely fastened INSIDE
the box q little above the trap. !
placed the nest in position and then
climbed into the loft, whore 1 ha0
a good view, and awaited the COM
ing Of Mistress Hen. | had not
long to wait, for soon an Old doml-
nacker came in, inspected the con-
traption, and concluding that it
was Just her fit, settled down to
business. After reasonable lenSth
of time she arose with joyful notes
notifying me that another egg had
been born into tho world. Turni ns
to inspect the fruits Of her labors
she shut off her cackle square IL
lhe middle, and her look of per
plexity and surprise was a study
What thoughts passed through tha
old hens brain was beyond m,
comprehension. 1t was very evi
dent that she was satisfied thcr'
was a, slip IN tho.conncction some
how, and she had not performed
her duty, for aho sottled dow
again to save her reputation. An
other cackle, another turn, thii
time look Of disgust, .indignatiol
and determination. 1t was cas-
Of do or die" and 1t was Cuckl
and turn, cackleland turn, battl
for SUPREMACY, as it were, botwocI
the hen and the nest. AS a trll
born Southern hen, she did not Pro
pose to be outdone by any Yunke
invention, and she held the fort ii
or head dropped, the cacklos gre
fainter, and finally ceased altogc,l
er. l thought 1t time to invosti
gate, and found there was nothiu
left but box full Of eggs, one heat
two feetsaaHd bunch of feathers
She had facklod her last caokl,
laid her lest lay, and as I laid he
away behind the barn, I allowed
was just like those darned Yankees
Ihey never undertook to do thin
but what ttey overdone it,
Soon aftdyward I invested in
i : Z A /. L |. -, /. y . ! 80