The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-04-24
The Blue Ribbon Strain
A TALE OF THE iNcU6AToR-WRTTEN AND ILLUSTRATED
ESPECIALLY FOR THE TIMES az JOHN CAMPBELL
CORY, NOTED cARTOoNlsT

strain. Only 81 per dozen" In his
sleep.
That night the incubator was put
into commission with o complete car.
60 Of two dozen Indian Runner eggs
and John Gipple In full command. The
printed directions were quite explicit.
All one had TO do was TO keep the
temperature at 102 to 103 and turn
the eggs over twice during each "a
hours.
AS the third week was drawing to
an end Gipple didn't attempt to sleep
much. The book said that chicks
should hatch at the end Of the third
week and the eggs were to be sprayed
occasionally during the last few days.
II was nervous time and Gipple was
becoming more or less Of wreck.
Most OF his home hours were spent
In the cellar beside the incubator. The
rest OF II was spent eulogizing blue
ribbon Indian Runners" to the enigh-
bors. most OF whom said they'd never
heard OF the breed OF chickens.
'Of course, they haven't" he
chortled. "All they know Is Plymouth
Rocks and Leghorns and Rhode Island
Reds and Orpingtons and common
strains like that. My Indian Run
nersll knock EN- cold"
On the scheduled natal day Of his
prospective brood Gipple was up be
times. At o'clock he 'phoned the
office that he was not feeling well and
wouldn't be down. BY noon he had
almost determined to break one OF
the eggs and Sc II he could discover
cause for it's lack of punctuality.
At 4 he was in a state bordering upon
hysteria and called up the seed store
What the ding busted deuce is the
matter with those Indian Runner
eggs?" he demanded. Yes. they've
been set exactly three weeks today
What's that? Four weeks for Indian
Runners, Are you sure? Well, III
BELL be-all right. Cood-bye!"
The reaction was more than John
Gipple's nervous temperament could
stand. He went to the ONCE the next
morning. but by noon his condition.
was UGH that the old bookkeeper ad
vised him to lay OF for q week. He
did not return to the once after lunch
con and was assisted home late In the
evening by an alarmed and sympa
thetic neighbor. His breath was
! redolent of alcohol and his eyes wan
dered.
I'm a Nindian." he burbled. thick
| ly. "A Nindian Runner. Lo, pool
Uindian.. Takes four weeksh hatch
EN-! whoop!"
He was still weak and confined te
his bed when. one morning. Mrs. Clip
pie came in softly and placed a COO
hand upon his head.
John, dear" she whispered, "dt
you feel strong enough to bear some
perfectly lovely news this morning.
Sure" said John. Say, Martha
you don't mean to tell me -"
"Yes. dear. the Indian Runner
Matched last night! They are tn
dearest little thingsN21 Of them
Shall I bring them up?"
Bring EN- up! Well, I should sa.
SOL" he shouted. sitting up In BET
and looking about excitedly for hi
bath.robe
Gipple's nervous fingers removes
the covering and Gipple stared stupid
" into the basket for many second
before a word was spoken.
"Ducks!" he gasped at length.
Aren't they Just too perfect,
dear?" cooed Mrs. @.
He went to the city the next da.
and when his wife met him at tn
door IN the evening he handed her
box IN which two dozen eggs wer'
hacked with unusual care.
'Dlack OrpingtonA" he said. gently
and they reset the incubator tina
night.