I was hatched with six more in a large nest, formed by my mother; as soon as we broke the shell, she carefully threw out every thing she thought would hurt our tender bodies, spread her warm wings over us, and prattled us to sleep: when we awoke, we complained of hunger; she immediately went forth in search of food, but, alas! we never saw her more.
There chanced to be a large strange dog in the yard, my mother thinking he came to destroy us, flew at him, the contest was unequal, the dog provoked, seized my mother by the neck, and strangled her.
We lay cold and comfortless, wondering what had become of our parent. Before night, two of my brothers died; and we should all soon have shared their fate, had not a little girl, the farmer's daughter, found us: she took us to the fire, and fed us with a little warm milk and bread, which revived us; she then wrapped us up in flannel, and put us in a little basket, which she put in the chimney corner. She fed us very regularly; but I suppose not with proper food, as all my poor sisters and brothers died, probably I was stronger than they. My little mistress grew very fond of me, as I would eat out of her hand, and when she called chickee, would run to her.
As I grew large, I was very troublesome in flying upon the tables, and pecking at every thing; many severe blows I got from the farmer and his servants; who always ended by saying, if that troublesome fowl is not sent into the poultry yard, it shall certainly be killed; but my mistress always begged that I might stay a little longer, for she feared the other fowls would drive me away.
And indeed I had not endeavoured to make friends of any of them; but when the door was open, and I could see them, I insulted them, with calling out, poor creatures! you are obliged to work hard all day, and can scarcely get enough to eat, while I am fed plentifully with the greatest dainties, and have nothing to do but amuse myself. An old hen who had been a friend of my mother's, offered to supply her place, in teaching me how to scratch for myself; but I rejected her kind advice with disdain.
Nursing the chicken.
At last my young mistress could keep me no longer, her father insisted that I should either be killed, or go with the rest of my species, and setting open the door they fairly hunted me out.
Now it was my turn to experience mortification: numbers had been witnesses of my disgraceful exit, and taunted me with, so her ladyship is obliged to come among the working people; I suppose food will come flying to her, as she is of too much consequence to work; I wonder if her claws are differently made to ours?
In the evening, when the servant came to scatter corn, I was very hungry, and thought that would be a nice treat for me; but, alas! coarse as the food was, it was denied me; no one would suffer me to partake, but flew at, and pecked me whenever I attempted it, saying, no, no, mistress, you shall have none of this, we who have done our duty, may be rewarded; but what have you done? nothing. Thus was I driven from society, a thousand times did I wish that I had never known any other pleasure than the rest, and that my mistress had not nursed me so tenderly; but she did it from kindness, and I shall ever respect her memory.