The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1913-03-07

know our yards cost about the came.
Kept track " all the eggs you gave
away or used?"
Every n at the market price," as
serted Lynwood firmly. Better 90
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 whistled 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 neighbours
attention. But Frank Preston was as
straight as his neighbor. and after he
had made a FINAL calculation be lifted q
pair Of sheepish eyes and said bluntly:
ITS on me. Bert! I've made q mis-
take in my figures. Instead Of being
1920 ahead Of the game I'm $3.50
short. same as you"
Wow" shrieked Lynwood cxultant-
ly, tossing his book in the air. Isn't
that the darnedest you ever heard?"
They agreed amicably that 1t was q
very singular coincidence and compar-
ed notes until the shadows on the grass
grew long and the snow 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 immedi-
ately they were involved in another
heated argument.
"ShOw me!' boosted Lynwood. SHOW
me q cleaner. more delicate chicken for
eating than the White Wyandotte!"
pooh. Bert. it's q matter Of tradition
that yellow legged fowl are the only
kind for eating-yellow legged and yel-
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 MI. Lynwood
firmly. you 60 home and get your
red rooster. your big boss one. and I'll
put my big white Jumbo chap on the
scales to beat him.
"Done!" snapped Preston. leaping the
fence that divided the two places.
Presently be returned with q protest
ing armful Of rich reddish brown plum
age from which darted an indignant
red crested head.
serted Preston as he 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, Bert"
Lynwood borrowed the rubber band
to confine the legs Of his champion
and placed 1t on the scales. Preston's
bird scratched around the door noisily.
"TeD and a quarter; ten and q half
pounds! Tied again. Preston" Lyn-
wood removed the band and dropped
his bird on the floor. II say. con-
founded funny. isn't it?"
Rather queer. I'll admit" said the
other o~bstinately. But you can't al
ways tell whether a bird IL edible by
its weight. Proof Of the chicken is
picking his bones. you know. Now.
there's nothing gamy about a White
i 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 out: Grab your
bird II you can. Preston"
But Preston couldn't, and neither
could Lynwood. The two cocks came
together with lowered heads and NUT
tered squawks. Then they few up and
backward. spurs out. and the battle
was on.
The two owners attempted to rush
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 bis antago-
mist to the fartbest corner of ther room
and Lynwood could not suppress q
laugh. who said White Wyandottes
were not gamyy" he asked.
"You know ! meant favor" retorted
Preston doggedly.
~ say. Frank. this can't go On. you
know. his ID q OOTI OI
I suppose" protested Lynwood. Just
throw this blanket over them. and Ill
try and ash one of 'em out with this
crab net" He lifted down a long pole
with Ito baglike net on the end. and
when Preston had tossed the horse
blanket over the lighting cocks and
muf1ed the sound Of combat Lynwood
pried up n corner Of the covering
and tried to separate the ROSTERS.
But be was too late. The battle had
been short but q deadly one. Both
were victorious. both were beaten.
both were dead.
The chicken farmers stared speech
iessly 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 Lynwood and Mrs. Preston
looked In on the scene of carnage.
what brutality" half sobbed the