A NI8HT WITH IHE CHICKENS. 



And may be shot, wiiib the certainty that all neighbours will be 

 thankful." 



Not only for the sake of telling a good story, but further to 

 impress on the reader's mind that our lady poultry-keeper had 

 not quite " all the luck to herself," and furthermore to illus- 

 trate the advantage of prompt action in sudden difficulties, we 

 ■will relate, in Miss Martineau's own language, a most memo- 

 rable " night with the chickens," endured by herself and her 

 friend M. . 



"My entire poultry -yard, except a few old hens on the 

 perches, was in danger of destruction by an accident one sum- 

 mer night, and was saved by what I cannot but consider a 

 remarkable exercise of energy on the part of my companion 



M . Few persons in the north of England will ever forget 



the thunder-storm on the night of the 24th of July, 1869. At 

 eleven p.m. the rain came down iu one sheet, instantly flooding 

 the level ground to the depth of more than a foot, and the 

 continuous thunder seemed to crack on one's very skull, while 

 the blue lightning never intermitted for two seconds for above 

 an hour. The heat was almost intolerable. Our maids, how- 

 ever, who kept very early hours, were sleeping through it all ; 



when M escorted me (very feeble through illness) upstairs, 



settled me with my book in my easy chair, and bade me good 

 night. 



" Presently I drew up a window-blind to see the lightning 

 better from my seat. In the midst of its blue blazes there was 

 more than once a yellow flicker on the window-frame which I 

 could not understand. I went to look out and saw a yellow 

 light whisking about far below, sometimes in the quarry, and 



then mounting or descending the terrace steps. It was M 



saving the fowls. She would not allow the maids, who were 

 striving enough now, to go straight from their beds into the 

 storm ; and she knew it was useless to call the ra-aiX from the 

 cottage, who was a mere incumbrance on critical uocasions. 

 In fact, he and his wife were at that moment entirely per- 

 suaded that the end- of the world was come. It was 

 no form oi speech, but their real conviction ; and it could not 

 Lave been asked of them to care about ducks and chickens. 

 The maids were lighting a flre in the back kitchen, and strew- 

 ing the floor with straw, while M was out in dress that 



could not be spoiled, lantern, basket and apron. Some of the 

 hens and chickens were too cramped to move, sitting in the 

 water. Some were taking refuge in the shrubs. Two duck- 



