Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1907-01-03


periments in poultry raising.
JoSiah's mind apparently held but
one thought-his hens. The earth was
made for the sole purpose Of providing
them with scratching ground. The
sun rose to give them light and warmth;
night followed day that they might
have time to rest
When Flower Preston. Josiah's only
daughter, came home from boarding
school and her father discovered by
dligent questioning that the words in
cubator. brooder, trap nest bone cutter
elected no answering enthusiasm, he
srunted sarcaStically, "A gal that's
been to boardin' school for three years
and don't know leg band from bone
/, cutter.
You must learn about things as soon
as you can, dear" whispered the moth
er nervously IF you can't talk poul-
try talk with your pa you might just as
well be in the desert of Sahary,"
There's one comfort" continued Jo-
siah; Il amt raised the only fool there
is in this county"
There there, pa Mrs. Preston
| spoke soothingly. what is the mat
teri"
Squire Curtis boy got home from
| college tother day, and what do you
think. instid of studyin' law SOS to help
his pa, he's been studyin' bugs. -Four
years in collige. and don't know Il thing
! but bugs"
Maybe his pa wanted him to-" re-
marked Mrs Preston pacifically.
WAL" harshiy, ~ can't crow over
Squire Curtis none. His boy don't
know nothin' but bugs, and, as near as
| kin tigger out. that gal don't know
nothin' at all. The only advantage is
| it took her year less to learn it,
When young Curtis began calling ut
| the farm, which he did with suspicious
promptness. Josiah'S cup of misery was
| full.
For the lands sake" he exclaimed
testify to his wife, cant YOU 90 in
| there and Set:" indicating with his
| thumb the room from which came the
sound Of young voices and laughter.
You let that gal Cit boys and bugs
| inter that slim brain of hern and she
won't be good for nothin'."
There. there pa, don't talk so loud.
| You didn't want my ma to come in and
set when you used 10 come to,see me-"
Josiahs face purplcd; he clutched at
his collar band rs If he were choking.
You don't mean lie Gaspe1
Mrs. Preston nodded.
Don't take it so hard, pa" she mur-
INJURED soothingly. Jim Curtis is
one OF the likelicSt young men, and
Il could stand it better if 'twan't for
| the bugs. lie moaned feebly. If he
| didn't want to be a lawyer like his pa,
why didn't he take up somethin' sensi-
bier than bugs: What good is bug?
Bugs millions on 'em-couldn't hatch
| out one chicken"
Hes studying bees now, pa, and
| they're good for honey" appeasingly;
| "he has ever 50 many hives-newfan-
gled ones-in his pas back yard"
Josiah only groaned.
And. pa. its all arranged, only l
| said he'd have 10 be old fashioned
enough TO ask your consent and Flow
| er, like good girl, said she'd never
/ marry anybody without her pas con-
| sent. That's a good deal nowadays,
pa
Perhaps it was because of Josiahs
! reputation for irascibility. perhaps be-
cause the young man felt that he could
| express himself more satisfactorily In
| writing, that his formal application for
| the consent of the autocrat reached
| Josiah by mail
The old man read the letter several
| times. groaning and grunting. When
he rose there Was 81 grim smile on his
| face and look @f determination in his
| keen gray eyes
This was on Thursday. In the even
| Ing Mrs Preston reminded him
aren't you going in to see Jim, pa:"
"Dunnos he's callin' on me-" testify.
! But youths letter.
Il amt In no hurry to answer IT,
I'm maxim up my mind
! \ similar reminder the next evening
met with like rebuff.
But on Saturday evening Josiah did
| not want 10 be reminded. He marched
into the best room carrying a small
basket, and displayed Its contents
twenty large eggs, fair and beautiful,
to the astonished young persons.
There, young man" be growled,
"there is my answer Three weeks
from tonight if you bring me fourteen
chickens outn there twenty eggs, I'll
| give my consent"
"AIl right. Mr. Preston" returned
the young man. easily. K shall be on
! hand
PA Preston" cried Flower, indig
nantly. Jim doesn't know anything
about chicken raising, and"
Time he did, then" sharply. He'll
| have chance to show what four years
! of science is good for. And any little
thing he don't happen to know you
can learn him" and with q sardonic
chuckle the autocrat tramped out,
leaving 4 greatly pcrplcXed young man
and a dismaycd, fearful girl.
He knows you can't do it," she
sobbed. Three weeks from tonight"
Good thing he gave plenty of time, >
observed Jim. cheerfully.
Plenty of time" echoed Flower
despairiugly. Why, Jim, don't you
know that twenty-one days are re
quired to hatch chickens"
Well I'll buy hen on my way
home aud put her right to work" viii
! twiukIng eyes.
There's very little chance of youI
being able to get sitting hen, /"
gloomiy.
Is that a particular breed inno.
Gently.
Jim Curtis. Don't you know that
/ you must have a hen that wants to siti
You can't make one hatch eggs if she
doesn't want to"