Year: 1859




strange manner. When was about eighteen
years old, being quartered near country VII
Iage, bought a fine game cock-not TO ngnt,
but through mere freak. He was as hne
feathered biped ever strutted on pair OF
legs. | had carried him home, where he and
had arrived about five O'Clock on a winters
evening. 1t SO happened that another youth
and my self were obliged for time to occupy
one small sleeping apartment had full
sized bed in it; my companion occupied
small travelling bed, which fitted him like
coffin, folded into portmanteau in the day,
and was laid out at night by his servants. No
sooner had arrived than | was summoned to
dinner; but what must l do with chanticleer?
was puzzled so put him, tor the time, into
a dark wooden cupboard, close to the door, a
mong a parcel of old shoes, coats and pants,
and shut the door. Chanticleer, no doubt,
made the best of his quarters, and went to
roost. 1 went off to dinner, and in the hurry
and hustle of party forgot the rooster as
completely as if he had never existed.


Now it SO happened that my friends little
bed planted With the pillow end close to
this same cupboard, the sleeper's ear almost
touching the key hole, the cupboard not be-
ing bigger than good sized box. About II
O'Clock came home, got into my bed, and
fell fast asleep, still obliyious OF chanticleer
and all that soon to ensue. My friend had
been fast snoring in the arms of Morpheus for
an hour gone.


L
startled with a lengthening roar, which made
me think some horrid convulsion OF nature
taking place in the whole country. All
aghast and half asleep, listened, and present.
ly made fully aware of what had taken
place, and would be persisted in for these
birds, be it known, crow full twenty minutes
at stretch, quarter minute time. thought
it quite unnecessary to awake my friend, since
to sleep impossible


On went the cock, yelling, at short stated
intervals, more like horse than any other
noise | know. The cock was not aware that
my friends ear was only an inch distant from
his back. Nor was he aware that the cup
board door acted perfect sounding board.
So on he went, roaring his orisons in style
which set the furniture of the room in a state
of tumut. | beg that you will not imagine
an abrupt, short, deep crow every crotchet
of it came from the throat, clear, angry, loud,
and above all, long, very long. Presently l
heard manifest proofs of uneasness from the
tenant of the other bed. On went the bugle,
again aud again repeated. At last L heard
voice say 80 lord, what is that 70 The cock
WIS silent Tor a moment, then again blew its
angry pipe. ssWhat is that horrd noise 10
Again it was repeated loud enough to tear
down the house. i could bear it no longer.
The desire to laugh irsupportable so I
crammed the bolster into my mouth. The
cock continued his mathis my friend strug-
gled with the horrid annoyance, and also with
steep, Till at last cnantlCI6er, with one violent
effort, upset some metallic vessel or PAN upon
which, no doubt, be was perched. This COM
pound clamor raised my friend upon his legs.
In dreadful rage, mixed with amazement and
curiosity, he flew to the tinder-bot TO strike
light. When | saw the expression of his face
putting at the match it was indescribably COM
ic but it would have required ribs of steel
not to explode with laughter, when his ques-
tion to me of ssOh! dear, dear, what is this
noise !'' was drowned by yell from Chanti-
cleer; and to see his look, when, after allow
ing the cock to finish, replied as if awaken
ing from deep sleep, sswhat noise do you
mean ?'' At last, wearied with laughter, told
him all, and showed him where the hero was
deposited. Instantly he removed the bed
Determined on vengeance, he opened the cup
board door, which was sooner done than
the terrified bird battered out the light with
his wings, and escaped into some corner of the
room. The candle was lost; down lay my
friend, grumbling. At break of day chanti-
cleer again commenced, but he was quickly
assailed with boots and Shoes and all kinds of
missiles from both beds, which sierced him
until rising time. Such night of restlessness
and fun L never did pass before, and l fear
never shall again. 1t is not often one gets so
hearty and so innocent laugh. although to
be sure, my friend and chanticleer were spf-
fereTS.