Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 185, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 August 1914 — Why a Pet “Biddie” Cost Its Owner a $25 Fine [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Why a Pet “Biddie” Cost Its Owner a $25 Fine

KANSAS CITY, MO.—Sunday. Time to dig in the garden. Emerged from the back door of his home at 1400 Hardesty avenue, Prank J. Letellier, plasterer. Embryo weeds were wafted to weed heaven in short order. Letel-

lier leaned on his hoe to contemplate and admire. “Peck-peck-peck." He Jumped In surprise, then looked down. A scrawny chicken was Investigating the soil dinging to his shoe. “Shoo," commanded Letellier. But the chicken wouldn’t shoo. < • Letellier looked back through his well-ordered garden. A trail of depredation, scraggly, Irregular, leading back to a hole underneath the high" board fence separating his from a

neighbor’s. back yard, showed what way the chicken had come. He decided the necessity was for action, not words. So he and the chicken, pursued and pursuer, put action In the film. They also put holes in the garden. Then Letellier captured his quarry. A heave, and the chicken went over the fence. “Sa-ay," spluttered R. H. Mock, the neighbor, clambering up the fence the next moment “Keep your chickens at home,” cald Letellier truculently. “That’s my pet hen. She landed on my face, me a slttln’ here and readin’ the paper," Mock returned. - Then backyard compliments were bandied. ' Mock dropped back elf the fence. He reappeared, clasping an ax, and vaulted over into Letellier’s yard. Letellier beat retreat but the ax was thrown, smiting a belated heel as be vanished through the kitchen door. Came plater G. W. Couch, summoned policeman, who raised the siege, Mock having camped in the Letellier yard. In the South side polled court Mock was fined $25.