THE RED COW 



seated at a concert or theatre and then walking in, 

 disturbing every one and perhaps making quite a few 

 get up to make way for them as they progressed to- 

 wards their seats. I thought this trick was confined 

 to people who wished to show their importance, and 

 new clothes and didn't mind how much they bothered 

 other people. But since watching our gobbler going 

 to roost I have come to the conclusion that this kind 

 of conduct on the part of society people at public 

 entertainments is not due to vanity or a desire to 

 show off but to fundamental cussedness and a wicked 

 delight in causing as much discomfort as possible to 



other people. 



* * * » 



The old gobbler has become expert at ascending 

 the roof of the stable and not only does the trick 

 with ease but puts frills on it. When roosting time 

 comes round each evening, the mother hen and her 

 flock of young gobblers and hens go to roost quietly 

 and circumspectly like ordinary folks. The old gob- 

 bler, on the contrary, waits around and picks up 

 grains of oats about the stacks and hunts for crick- 

 ets and keeps up an air of being busy until it is al- 

 most dark and the rest of his tribe are settled for 

 the night — or think they are. When he finally makes 



222 



