Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1913-07-04

about the same AMOUNT Of feed, and }
know our yards cost about the same
Kept track Of all the eggs you gave
away or usedT'
Every one at the market price," as.
serted Lynwood firmly. Better 60
over your own accounts again. Preston.
Maybe you've made an error in adding
your columns"
Once more Preston ran his pencil up
and down the page OF his fat notebook
He paused and repeated the operation.
He whistied sharply and carefully add
ed up other columns and compared
them with his sum total. II be had
been some men he would have changed
the subject and diverted his neighbDr's
attention. But Frank Preston was as
straight as his neighbor, and after he
had made a final calculation he lifted q
pair Of sheepish eyes and said bluntly.
"It's on me, Berti I've made q mis-
take in my figures. Instead Of being
$500 ahead Of the game I'm $3.50
short same a 9 you"
wow" shrieked LynwOOd exultant
~, tossing his book In the air. Isn't
that the darnedest you ever heardT'
They agreed amicabiy that Il was q
very singular coincidence and compar
ed notes until the shadows on the grass
grew long and the n white chickens
had all gone to roost Then they fell
to discussing the merits and otherwise
OF their respective breeds IN matters
OF general utility and almost immedl-
ately they were Involved In another
heated argument.
SHOW me!' boosted Lynwood- "Show
me a cleaner. more delicate chicken for
eating than the White WyandotteT'
Pooh, Bert. it's a matter of tradition
that yellow legged fowl are the only
kind for eating-yellow legged and vel
low skinned. Take the best kind Of
eating fowl, add the qualities Of one
Of the best egg producers and you have
a champion all around chicken. Just
for mere weight alone I could
"Show me-" repeated Mr.. Lynwood
firmly. "YOu go home and get youf
red rooster. your big boss one, and I'll
put my big white Jumbo chap on the
scales to beat himP'
"Doner' snapped Preston. leaping the
fence that divided the two places.
Presently he returned with a protest
ing armful Of rich reddish brown plum
age from which dRrted an indignant
red crested head.
"Bet he weighs twelve pounds" as
serted Preston as be snapped a heavy
rubber band around the legs OF his
rooster and laid the bird on the scales.
'"Ten and a half. by lingo! Beat It II
you can, BertI"
Lynwood borrowed the rubber band
to confne the legs Of his champion
and placed It on the scales. Preston's
bird scratched around the floor noisily.
"Ten and a quarter; ten and a half
pounds! Tied again, Preston" Lyn-
wood removed the band and dropped
his bird on the door. II say. con.
founded funny, isn't it,"
"Rather queer, I'll admit" said the
other obstinately. "But you can't al.
ways tell whether a bird Is edible by
its weight. Proof OF the chicken is
picking his bones, you know. Cow,
there's nothing gamy about a White
Wyandotte."
THAT remains to be seen." said Lyn-
wood testify as he bent down to pick
up his rooster. He jumped aside with
sudden agility. Look outl Grab your
bird II you can. PrestonF'
But Preston couldn't, and neither
could LynwoOd. The two cocks came
together with lowered heads and NUT
tered squawks. Then they Jew mp and
backward, spurs out and the battle
was on.
In and separate the contestants, but
were only severely scratched for their
pains. savagely the two cocks fought
in the confined space. Their claws
ratified on the floor and then tore cruel
~ at each other. The air was thick
with feathers and angry outcries.
Once the white cock beat his antago-
mist to the farthest corner OF the room
and Lynwood could not suppress a
laugh. "Who said White WyandOttes
were not gamyT' he asked.
lyon know l meant favor" retorted
Preston dOggedly.
II say, Frank. this can't 80 on, you
know. This Is a sort Of cockhght.
I suppose" protested LynwOod. "JuSt
throw this blanket over them. and III
try and hsh one Of 'em out with this
crab net" He lifted down a long pole
with its bagiike net on the end. and
when Preston had tossed the horse
blanket over the fighting cocks and
mufied the sound Of combat Lynwood
pried up one corner OF the covering
and tried TO separate the ROSTERS.
But he a too late. The battle had
been short but a deadly one. Both
were victorious both were beaten,
both were dead.
The chicken farmers stared speech
lessly at each other and then at the
dead kings OF two poultry yards and
felt ashamed. The door Of the tool
room slid open and the indignant faces
OF Flora LyuwoOd and Mrs. Preston
looked In on the scene OF carnage.
what brutality" half sobbed the
former.