The Alaska citizen., 1911-02-27
CHICKENS IN
 HIS CABIN
FRS BROOD OF CHANTtC- LEERS ON PREMISES.

NJ. Murray. dean of Dawson's car penters. is "at home" today amidst a flock of Dawson matched chickens, crop turned out at 5O below zero in the midst of the KIondike win ter. And what is all the more won derful, the chicks were matched, not by the ancient and veneratcd hen. not by the heartlcss and thOughtllss mechanical incubator. not by any device of man.
 The chicks sprang into existence in Murray's cabin yesterday morn ing with not q hen nor an incuba tor hay ng been sesn on the Mur- ray premises. nor within mile of his place. Murray was as surprised as were the chicks
 When the veteran householder tumbled from among the covers and heard the tender piping of the tiny fowls he rubbed his eyes and peered about half dazed. half wondering if he were himself, and if he were still in old Dawson. in the same comfortable little home. He could not believe that Murray's cabin had any such song birds in it. Presently he got the candle lighted and look ed about for the sIngers He traced the noise and it led him to a cor ner where was stored a case of eggs.
 Murray looked into the case, and started back What did he see? He thought he saw soft, yelyety. downy chicks No il could not he. There were no chickens and no incubator- in his place. He would reason it out. Could anything have happened to him? What might make a man SC such strange things? Murray phil. osophi2cd a moment, and perhaps hree. but he could not wait Out went his bravny arm. and he had he wee visitors in his hands, fond ling them and glowing over th ir heauty. They were just like tho wee downv chicks he loved when q boy. on the old farm in Killarney. T. was peace in the Murray cabin. His husEics and malamu es came in at the door and gazcl ill aston ishaent
 Then the eat purrei and rubbed against the leg of the man Of the reuse H, looked down. The cat made a leap toward the ease of eggs and looked in Ah, there it was T. dawned on Murray He knew at last. Inc cat had been making its bed in that case of eggs. Only the lay before i. had there brought to
 he world a consignment Of mottlo' kittens. And the old cat was the mother of the chickens. sitting day after day on the "gs she had warm cd and ouickcned them until the life had Germina+c1. and nourisheo continually had brOught forth the ohicks. which had pricked the shells and tumbled forth into tho klon1ike world with the temperature outside the cabin frisking about the bot tom of the glass. near 5o below Zero
 Murray has the chicks safe in his p0ss cssion. but there is yet another score to settle \ legal disUutc may 1 arise. The case of eggs belonged to T creek friend who left them with Murray temporarily The eat belongs to Murray. The grave question arises. Who owns the chicks? Mur- ray can see in them fine broiIs and stews. They look good 10 him. Ther are living on his premises. Murray is mcditating deeply. There are many thouehts running through his mind "Will the owner return 10 olaim them?' "Win they all be hens, or all be cocks-are they Wy andottCs. LeChorns. Bantams or Shanohais? "What is their pedi- gree?" Were the eggs from On tario or Pctaluma. CT did they come to Seattle with the big shipment last summer from Shanghai?'
 Murray is in a chanriclcer maze and atmosphere He has Edmond Rostand done to a finish when it comes to chicken craze, and, above all, he rejoiccs in owning the only cat that ever matched and went on record as the mother of a brood of chickens particular" chickens i turned out of KIondike storage eggs, eggs renowned in history. eggs whose ancestors mieht he even traced back 10 Noah's ark.-DaWson News.