Hall/

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70 Anecdotes of Birds/

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MCGN24/

p 193

 

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/-/I had*D1 once a favorite black hen, "a great beauty,"=A--

03 [JRas she was called*P (by everyone, )]/C/and so I thought*D1

her; /C/her feathers were*A1 so jetty, /C/and her topping so*E2

white and full! /-/She knew*D1 my voice as well (as any dog,

)and used to run*- cackling=P--01 and bustling=P--02 (to my hand

)to receive=IAV201 the fragments [JRthat I never failed*D1 to

collect=IDO120 (from the breakfast table )(for "Yarico," )[JRas

she was called.*P ]]/-/Yarico, (by the time )[JMshe was*A1 a

year=U--02 old, ]hatched*D1 a respectable family (of chickens;

)little, cowering,=P--01 timid things=A--06 (at first, )/C/but,

(in due time, )they became*N1 fine chubby ones; /C/and old Norah

said,*D1 [DO[AL"If I could only keep*D1 Yarico (out of the copse,

)]it would do;*- ]/C/but the copse is*A1 full (of weasels and

foxes. )/-/"I have driven*D1 her back twenty times;=U--02 /C/but

she watches*- [ARtill some one goes*- (out of the gate, )]/C/and

then she's*- off again. /-/It is*N1 always the case (with young

hens, )Miss;=D--02 /C/they think*D1 [DOthey know*D1 better (than

their keepers; )]/C/and nothing cures*D1 them (but losing=GOP072

)a brood or two (of chickens." )/-/I have often thought*D1 since

[DOthat young people, as well as young hens, buy*D1 their

experience equally dear. ]/-/One morning,=U--02 (after breakfast,

)I went*- to seek=IAV081 my favorite (in the poultry yard;

)/C/plenty (of hens )were*- there, /C/but*E no Yarico. /-/The

gate was*A1 open, /C/and, [ALas I concluded*D1 [DOshe had

sought*D1 the forbidden=P--01 copse, ]]I proceeded*- there,

accompanied=P--14 (by the yard mastiff, )a noble fellow,=A--09

steady and sagacious (as a judge. )!!!!!!!!