The Holbrook news., 1922-04-28
Roasting a Rooster

He wasn't much of rooster when 1t came to looks In fact his legs scaly and warty his comb bore bloody evidence of past battles and his neck was covered with rough and unkempt feathers But he had certain cocksureness if may be pardoned the phrase of man ner that rather ngratated him with the casual observer
 For several days he had been haunting the newspaper premises He would peer in at the dusty windows of the dim little editorial sanctum with much neck craning and such an air of preternatura wisdom that it mposs ibe to smother lurking grim at the feathered oddtys inquisitiveness There it was that made our first mistake gentleman likes to be laughed at and he re- sented our evty.
 Then there was his crow, his challenge of defiance. cariontongued it would beat upon the air and some times rule already atinge with the rumblng of the busy press But spite of his oudvoiced bravaGo we rather than half inclined to accord him hearty welcome when one warm spring afternoon he boldly stepped through the open door and essed an eX ploraton tour of the darkened interior.
 With head held slightly askew, and disdainfully prancng step, he sdled mncngy the press With quizzca eye he inspected the floor and with all the gustatory gee of confirmed gourmand began to pick at the stray bits of rubbish to be found beneath presses and nograph scraps of paper unregarded spaces and type that had slipped from busiy working odd piece ofsrng, tiny piece of hardened metal all by some alchemy of chicken imagination transformed into edible food and sent hurryng down scrawny gullet to find resting place within his capaclouS craw
 And he roamed at will he sdled, and strutted and talked to himself with neable conce We had felt sorry for the old chap and had about the concus sion that it Christian duty to go into the shop next door and exchange little of hard earned silver for some bread and give the old fellow treat.
 We went to the press room door to talk 1t with Chantceer before providing the treat and to get his opinion to whether he would like bread crumbs or would prefer few meat scraps garnshed with some wted lettuce leaves the side fitting dish for his spring menu
 But alas, and alack What was our reception? We had made most serious mistake. He did not like us. In fact he most pointedy disiked He evidently be- longed to the printers union did the members of the press and consented to fraternze with them upon equal terms But for the lone tenant of the ed toria cubby- -hoe--that was another matter
 Sir Chandelier ruffed up his dngy feathers in grand disdain. Before could realize what was happening we met by infuriated avalanche of wildly fut erng feathers armed with the sharpes beak and claws 1t has ever been misfortune to meet We were com peed to take refuge in gnominous flight while the press room fOrce too weak with laughter do anything butt lean up against the furniture and howl with gee ooked on.
 Now we ask you, was that dignifed position for al stylish stout editor? Besides feelings well as our skin lacerated We had with the best inten tons In the world started out to do good deed and wei had been cruelty snubbed, not to mention the fact that we had lost several layers of epderms from the region of ankles by the beak and claw onslaught So much for good intentions
 And the moral is---well come to think of it | there isn't any but this We are going to call down black Chanticeer head this very day and wish him speedy journey to the soup kettle the stew pot His eptaph will be "He tough Old Bird"
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