The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-12-29
MOTHERING JON FOR THEODORE.
A Brood % Chickens Fatched by . PIymr-
Outh Rock Rooster.


NORTH AsBURY PARK. N. j., Dec. 2s.-This
part OF New Jersey has always frOwned
on magazine natuFalists and their tales.
and for that reason when any Of the coast
towns really Possesses something sur
prising in the nature line it Is not averse
to having the world know about IL. Hence
IL Is permissible to tell about Theodore.
the prize rooster on the w. T.. ID. Stokes
farm. and the small but healthy brood Of
young chickens he Ia mothering.
Some folks may get the idea tina Theodore
Is a m ollycoddle and insist that his name
ought 20 be changed TO Percy when they
hear about his being a mother 70 bis promis-
ing family. but II they pay a visit to Theo-
dore's home IN the Stokes haymow thew
will decide that he il the right person
In the right place. Anyway, the rooster
was named Theodore because his fathers
name was Theodore. and not for the reason
You suppose.
Theodore is a gentleman Plymouth Rock
FOWL who never did anything TO distin-
gllsh himself until along in the fall he
came across a dozen eggs which the hired
man once thought sufficiently well OF to
put under a white Leghorn hen who APP
peared disposed 70 raise a family II she
was properly encouraged. She was In a
ialr way TO accomplish her hopes when she
walked across the road in front Of the
Stokes farm at the same time that an auto
AAAOOhbC WIFI D1nl.
The hired man didn't discover for sev-
eral days that the Matching apparatus OF
the eggs was missing. and II was a day or
40 longer before he found another hen that
was wiling to begin where the last hen
had left on. The hight Brahma hen who
rushed into the breach covered the eggs
IN a rather desultory fashion for two days
and then deserted the nest.
The discovery by Theodore that the
second hen had proved faithless led him
20 NWnAo~faEn Nk. - -
since made him famous around North As
bury Park. He took formal possession OF
the nest in the haymOw and was missed
from the ~barnyard for two days before a
search was made for him.
When the hired man finally located Theo-
dore he was shocked. He made a move
ment 20 Dust the occupant Of the nest. but
Theodore bristled up and crcwed such a
noisy protest hat the hired nan walked
away and decided to let Theodore stick il
out.
The hired man waited three weeks for
70 make good, and when there
were no prospects that the rooster would
Increase the barnyaTd census the hired
man waded into the nest with a pitnhiork
and busted the we'll meaning fowl. He fired
the egg out behind the barn without he
most cursOry kind Of test.
A day or 40 later MIR. Stokes came TO the
farm and heard the story Of the double life
led by Theodore. lie was impressed, and
CsNSnSu ~ hIUu wan W teb y uONep OF
the hkeliest Matching eggs In the neighbor-
hood and CIV Theodore another chanc'.
When the hired man and Mr.. Stokes vent
out to the haymow with the basket OF eggs
they found Theodore watching beside a
Plymouth Rock hen h appeared to be
busy. Tn fowls were not disturbed, and
IL wasn't long before the hen hoped on the
nest and set up a great cackling.
The rooster let cut a couple OF hurried
crows and then jumped onto the fresh
laid egg n settled baok to the former Job
OF trying 10 hatch something. He made
no great objection when the Twelve addi-
tiona eggs were showed into the mast.
Theodore stuck manfully to his Job until
about a week z he found himself the par
ent OF five healthy looking young chickens.
He paid no attention to the efforts Of the
other hens to renew their former a~oquain-
sanceship with him'as he led the little brood
around the farmyard. He fought hercely
when his bitterest rival. Q white Leghorn
rooster. walked up to one OF the little
chickens and peoked at IL for spite. After
that Theodore and his family were not
molested.
In spite Of the splsndid fathsrIy care he
gave his family two OF tbs chickens caught
cold one night and died Of pneumonia. The
three others are o thriving aAd II they keep
on tho road when automobiles are passing
and o cross the path OF the hired man
when he 10 sleuthing for spring chicken
they wiil grow up and maybebscon,s famous
like their father.
The fame Of Theodore and his family
has spread to New York. and an Invitation
for them to Join the exhibits ct the Madi-
son Square Garden poultry show has al
ready been extended. The invitation has
been accepted.