156 THE DESERT AND THE ROSE 



couraging the more prolific growth of that fine 

 flower, instead of being too often the leader in the 

 dragging down and besmirching process. And in 

 hurrying back to my thoroughbreds — such a wide 

 embracing term, me seems! — I fled also from my 

 neighbor's propensity to peck at my cherished 

 friends of either sex, of the feminine gender this 

 morning, acutely sensible of this too common dis- 

 courtesy and perhaps pardonably speculating and 

 pondering — well, I alighted from my restive steed 

 and visited for a few minutes with my thorough- 

 breds, to find them too somewhat ruffled. Two hens 

 were facing one another, engaged apparently in 

 harmless gossip. All of a sudden they sprang up 

 on their toes, and started a wordy encounter which 

 soon proceeded to blows. A majestic Minorca 

 gentleman who had been watching the ladies ask- 

 ance, evidently anticipating trouble from overmuch 

 indulgence in scandal-mongering, now stepped for- 

 ward, and interposing his lordly person between the 

 combatants at once put an end to the aflray. But 

 his expression, as he turned his high, red-topped 

 head from one to another was inimitable. 



"Ladies! I am surprised at you!" 



So I go into my den and bend my mind to the 

 pleasant task of examining my poultry books, pleas- 

 ant because the Credit page is so well filled. 



Pleasant also would it be for a successful hen- 

 woman to enter into a lengthy dissertation con- 

 cerning the whys and wherefores of her success. 

 But we are not all poultry fanciers, any more than I 

 was when I embarked in the business, and present- 



