FOR THE TINIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20620, 19 July 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

FOR THE TINIES.

& ' ///////////////#////////////// w////> THE MIDNIGHT MEETING. By BOBBIE SHIPMAN. Oakleigh, ago 17. Darkness roigned in the night and con sternation reigned in the fowl-house. Lord White Leghorn lifted one purebred leg, and scratched his head. Ho then called a flea on his back to order, with the point of his beak and scratched his head again. " Yes!" ho said, " something's got to bo done!" " You do like to hear yourself talk, don't you ?" sneered Mrs. Rhode Island Red. " Yes," returned his lordship complacently, 1 do." Ho nodded his purebred head. Well, its a good thing for you that you do," snapped Mrs. Rhode Island Red, " because nobody else does! But as you say, something's got to be done!" His grace, the Duko of Fowldom. op ned one eye and regarded his lordship contemptuously. His grace was a gaudily-hued Game Cock, who would give one of bis much admired tail-feathers for a good fight. "E'er—what is—tho—ah—trouble?" he enquired in his best Egg accent. Wise old Madam Wyandotte saw that a quarrel was very near, so she pushed Mrs. Brown Leghorn off her perch, and so caused a diversion. "Order! Order!" crowed Sir Ebony Black Orpington. " Keep your perches, Mesdames Hens! If there is any noise to be made, we, your masters are quite capable of doing that!" " I quite believe that," sniffed a pretty brown leghorn pullet. His grace opened his other eye and stared at Sir Ebony with disgust written on every feature—l mean feather. The object of his scrutiny cleared his throat and stammered. " Er—that is, at least some of us aro!" and retired to a corner with his wives. Lord White Leghorn opened his wings, crowed defiantly, and in his effort to impress tho onlookers with his dignity, caught his feet in his wings and landed, with loud lamentations on the floor. " Very funny, my lord, very funny," remarked his grare, " but kindly refrain from sucli exhibitions. This is a meeting and not a gymnasium!" His lordship considerably squashed, remained on the ground. " My subjects," began his grace, " this weasel that is robbing our nests has stolen ten eggs! It must be stopped!" " Cock-a-doodle-do!" crowed a young White Leghorn who had yet to learn that young roosters " have to be seen and not crowed." "If Mr. Weasel takes any pegs while I'm round I'll —ah—tell him he's welcome!" he finished hurriedly, as just at that moment he saw the crafty weasel peep round the door. Tho other fowls, who had not. noticed the weasel's entry, set up a great shout of lnupbfer which brought their owner out to see what was the matter. Seeing the we-sel he killed it. Darkness reiened in the night and his grace, the Duke of Fowldom reigned in the fowlhouse.