GRAMP AND GAMECOCK 81 



This seemed a fair and equitable arrangement, 

 and was entered into with much enthusiasm by 

 the old gentleman, to whom sitting in the sun, 

 smoking, and watching hired men and hens 

 "scratch gravel" was a most congenial employ- 

 ment. 



He was particularly pleased with the game- 

 cock, and never tired of watching it and extolling 

 its brilliant colors and its great courage. And 

 when that valiant bird sent an inquisitive dog 

 yelping from the premises, and chased the family 

 cat, spitting and swearing, up a tree, he was out- 

 spoken in his joy. 



It was his custom to let the pens of fowls out 

 at different times, and in about an hour to lure 

 them back to their quarters with handfuls of 

 grain. In this way he had established consider- 

 able familiarity with the fowls, which bred in the 

 gamecock that contempt which is the usual re- 

 sult of familiarity. 



One day in following his regular programme 

 the old gentleman found the grain-bin almost 

 entirely empty, so much so that he was obliged to 

 immerse his head and shoulders in the bin and 

 scrape around on the bottom with a grain mea- 

 sure to get enough for the fowls. While this was 

 happening the gamecock stepped around the 

 corner of the barn-door in quest of adventure. 

 Seeing this unusual object, he stopped to con- 



