(_A Fable._)
A New Hen wandering disconsolately in a country farmyard once made the
acquaintance of a cock of the old school, when both fell into some
discourse concerning the changes of the modes.
"Ah," said the former, arrogantly addressing the latter, "times are
indeed a good deal altered since you were a cockerel, and all for the
better, thank goodness! Time was, and not so very long ago either, when
I was expected to do nothing save lay eggs and breed chickens: now,
however, my mistress must know better than to expect such degrading
offices of me, for I will neither lay the one nor breed the other."
The old cock was about to offer some remarks in ridicule of these
sentiments, when the housewife came into the yard, and, snatching up
the New Hen, wrung her neck, remarking to herself as she did so, that
a fowl that could neither lay eggs nor rear chickens, had obviously no
place in the economy of nature.
* * * * *
NEW READING.--"A bull in a china shop" may be
Latin-Americanised with a considerable amount of truth as "The '_bos_'
of the show."
* * * * *