TALES OF GRAMP 143 



wound in my left hand, from one of the comba- 

 tants which was in the act of making a pass at 

 his opponent at the exact moment I interfered. 



"Eighth, re-sodding my own lawn and those of 

 several neighbors. 



"Ninth, loss of sleep from early crowing and 

 consequent mental disturbance and melancholia. 



"Tenth, my reputation as a worthy citizen 

 merged in the unsavory character of a sport. 



"Eleventh, have become wind-broken from 

 being called upon at any time of the day to join 

 the family in a desperate race about the neighbor- 

 hood, to head off and corral squawking pullets. 



" Twelfth, have offered two dollar and a half 

 cups to local poultry shows which have been duly 

 advertised as fifteen dollar cups, to my lasting 

 infamy and disgrace. 



"Thirteenth, have contracted the roup, the 

 pip, and chicken-pox from similarly affected 

 poultry. 



"Fourteenth, stepped on a hen in the dark at 

 the top of the stairs in the barn, and descended 

 like a mountain avalanche or a snowslide from 

 atin roof, accompanied by a tin pail of corn-meal, 

 a lantern, and a torrent of imprecations on hens 

 in particular and everything else in general, 

 generous distribution of eggs and corn-meal, 

 total eclipse of lantern, and severe fracture of 

 tin pail. 



