124 FIVE ACRES TOO MUCH. 



CHAPTER YIL 



POULTRY. 



T~ HAVE a respect for chickens. The hens have 

 -^- the finest qualities of the most exemplary moth 

 ers ; the cocks possess many of the characteristics, in 

 courage and devotion to &quot;the sex,&quot; of the cavaliers 

 of olden time. Behold the anxious matron ruffling 

 her feathers and expanding her wings in threatening 

 defiance of the approaching stranger, or gathering 

 the little ones under her breast, and exposing her own 

 person to the swooping hawk. Observe the fierce- 

 eyed rooster guarding his mates with zealous care, 

 ever ready to meet in deadly conflict the rival or in 

 truder, but invariably calling his wives to accept any 

 unusual luxury of fat grub or dainty bug. To be 

 sure, they rise early, which the uncultivated regard 

 as a virtue, and make much noise when they wake, 

 crowing at most unseasonable hours ; but as for the 

 absurd charges that the prejudiced author of &quot; Ten 

 Acres Enough&quot; brings against them in wholesale 

 condemnation, these are not worth answering. 



