New Britain herald., 1921-12-10
RlISTII3.


 Soon after Henrietta flea shrirNel for lhc rooster ho came hWNug around corner Of the hurl When ae mw Turkey Proudfoot towering above Henrietta and hor new brood of chicks In the middle Of the fa"m- yard, he stopped short 70 toll the truth, the rooster was afraid of Fur key lroudIoot and usually took pains to keep out of his way
 "Go bacl.," Turkey Proulfoct called 10 him, "You'ro not nnodcd horc There's been little difficulty; but l can settle 1t myself"
 "Oh. very Wcll,' tho rooster re- piled "Im gIad there's nc great trouble When l heard Henrietta Hen calling me | thought she wo5 in dam ger" lie turned, then, to stink away behind the barn.
 Don't desert mel" It2uwota lien besought him. "Help, Hplp!"
 Turkey Proudfoot waved d wing at the rooster.
 "Don't pay any attention to hcr." he said. She's excited I'll hove her Gained down in no timn."
 "Of course I'm excited! Henrietta Hen cried. "Don't let him deceive you, Mr. Rooster! He's been threatening mel"
 Turkey Proudfoot bade her, in an undertone, to be quiet,
 "Go along about your business" he told the rooster. She's mistaken. l haven't said I'd harm her"
 No. But he's talking about eating one of my chicks! And that's worar," Henrietta screamed. "If you're as brave as l always supposed, MT. Roos- ter, you'll defend my family"
 Although the rooster was terribly frightened. and wanted 10 run away he simply couldn't desert Henrietta Hen.
 Shes a nuisance" he muttercl as he marched across the farmyard. "I don't see why she wanted to bring her chicks out here where Turkey ProudGoot would see them. Shes landed me in a scrape. Thccn won't he much left of me when that old gob- bier gets through with pc."
 Nevertheless the rooster put on a bold front Drawing himself mp to look his tallest, he glarad at Turkey Proudfoot and said shrilly, What do you mean by annoying this laGy?"
 Turkey Proudfoot gulped. He won dered what had come over his neigh bors. The rooster had always acted afraid of him. Though small, the rooster was strongly built. And he had a sharp bill and sharp spurs. too. Turkey ProudfoOt noted those details carefully.
 "I won't have to fight him." he thought. "Ill behave so fiercely that the rooster will be glad to run off. And then I'll run after him so folks will think I am chasing him."
 Turkey Proudfoot then began to buster loudly, without saying any thing at all. And he even made a few passes with his bill.
 To his dismay, the rooster merely dodged. He didn't turn tail and run as Turkey Proudfoot had hoped he would.
 I'll have to try something else, ' Turkey Proudfoot said to himself. So he Tapped his wings and jumped up and down and around the rooster.
 The rooster was very Ill at case But he didn't let Turkey Proudfoot know that. He kept turning about, so that he faced Turkey Proudfoot all the time. And he said to Henrietta Hen: "Gather your chicks and get them out of the way. There's going to Le trouble here"
 Henrietta Hen obeycd him without word And she had no sooner shooed her youngsters into the chick en-house than Turkey Proud;oot gave a loud laugh-a somewhat forced, yet loud laugh.
 "Youre just the sort of bird l like" he told the rooster. '1'Ve been testing you to see if you were brave. I'm delighted to find that you are And l suggest that you and l stand by each other and run things in this yard to suit ourselves. When folks don't do as I tell them to, you and ] will attend to them"
 "Agreed!" cried the rooster. He was greatly nattered. "WeW make the neighbors step lively" And off he went, to find Henrietta Hen and tell her now how he and Turkey Proud