JUST HATCHED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2232, 10 December 1896, Page 49

JUST HATCHED.

THE DIARY OF A FLN DE SIECLE CHICKEN.

111. ' lam now a week and two days old, and begin to feel myself on a level with the rest of the world. Dear me, how young and foolish I was a week agol I look back upon my crude ideas with horror. There is one thing that surprises me very much, too. Though I have grown during the past week in bodily size, and particularly in intellect, the resb of the world seems to have stood atill. I took a run out into the f owlyard to-day. My mother is as foolish and as empty-headed as ever* She walks on my brothers and sisters — as many as 'there are left of them — as awkwardly as before, and though they are larger, as I am, they let her do it, and never think of striking out a line in the world for themselves. The turkey grumbles aa much about Mb bens as ever, but I have given up thinking him wise ; I know better nbw. He thinks he shows hie superiority by running down his womankind. He and the father of - the pretty girls are very much alike I find, only the man is more harmful. He makes poor Annie's life a burden to her, which is a thing the turkey can't do to the bens, for they don't take any notice of ■ him. Harry Jones is always coming now, and the family are continually leaving him and Annie and me together. She asked him angrily yesterday why he persisted in coming after her when he knew she hated him ; and he replied 'with a simper that he supposed that was why he wanted her — because the made it bard for him. It is wonderful in what a lot of ways the family can torture Annie. Tbey try to make life a burden to her in every way. Victor is the only one who helps her, and sometimes he comes in when Harry Jones and Annie ure left together. He gets into great trouble about it, fer Maggie tells her father, and tbe father is always hard on Victor in any case. Victor was inventing a wonderful machine a day or two ago, and he left it on the scullery floor and went away for a moment, when hie father came in and, putting his foot on it, smashed it, and told him cot to waßte his time on such rubbish, but to go out and look after the sheep. Victor went out, hie lips set and bis eyes blazing, and when he was alone with Annie be told her it was an idea he was trying to work out for shearing sheep. Jim, the man, says he is a genius, and Annie tells him he will never have any chance of doing anytbicg at home. I " You must go away, Victor, dear," she said wistfully when Victor had told her his troubles. " You will never get on with father unless you wish to do exactly as he wants.' Ah," she added with a sigh, "if only I were a man ! " - : Victor kieoed her and said he would go and make his fortune, and then Annie should come and live with him. Annie smiled, but shook her head. "It will take too long, Victor, dear," eaid she ; " and in the meantime what is to become of me ? " That is tbe worst of Annie. She would like to hold out, she would like to do great things, bat she is too timid and yielding. The continuous oppression is telling on her. If only the right man-creature would come along and take her and me away from this place ! I am dying to go away — longing to get j into a wider sphere ; the narrowness of the life at this farm stifles me. I want wider j aim*, larger aspirations. I tried to geb away ' and see what was beyond that long stretch of road that leads past our farm. Surely, i thought, there must be ether places and j other living creatures if only I go far enough. But I went on until I got bewildered by the distance, and nothing passed me but a milk- ! cart, which was going into the vast unknown. Sadly and wearily I retraced my steps, and I narrowly missed being stoned to death by some children with satchels on their backs. I escaped from the young barbarians with my life, but have Buffered a great locs to my personal dignity, for I fluttered about and cheeped just as any ordinary chioken would do. Tbeie was not time for anything else-^ifc Is strange how, at a crisis like that, one's origin will tell. I, -who pride- mysslf upon ray superiority and extraordinary 'intellect, flattered about and "behaved just as my mother would have done. • My feathers stand on end at the remembrance 1 Are we never to throw off the clogs that keep us down and remind us, just when a great trial comes, that we are in no way " superior to our fellow creatures ? I think now that I would rather have died than have flattered about and shrieked so Aimlessly. Bat it is a lesson to me to cultivate in myself dignity of behaviour at all times. If one could only cast off the bonds with which heredity holds us so firmly tied 1 My hopes for something better are centred in Victor, who has made up his mind to run away from home. " I shall get on in the world, never fear I " he said to Anne to-day. "Everyone shall hear of me. - And father shall admit that there are other things in the world besides looking efter sheep." — Not long ago a theatrical manager wrote' the following couplet as an advertisement of his comedy : — From half-past eight till half-past ten You laugh and laugh and laugh again. Imagine his surprise when a matter-of-fact compositor set up the advertisement, and it appeared : — . From 8.30 till 10.30 You laugh and laugh and laugh again. Valuable Discovery for the Hair.— lf your hair is turning grey, or white, or falling off, use the " Mexican Hair Renewer," for it will post- " 'lively restore in every case Grey or White Hair to its origfpal colour without leaving the disagreeable smell of most "restorers." It makes the' hair charmingly beautiful, as well as' promoting the growth of the hair on bald spots where the glands are' not deoayed. Ask your chemist for "The Mexican Hair Renewer." Sold by chetnißts tod perfumers everywhere at 3a 6d per bottle j Wholesale denot,33JFarrißgdoa road, London.— Awg.