at this request, but it was quickly complied with, as the fowls had been cooped, — await ing the decision of the matter. Then the Squire rose quickly, and ad dressing a constable said : "Release the turkeys in the road; " and then turning to the contestants and witnesses, he continued : "The court reserves its decision until the turkeys, just released, go to roost, and, in the meantime, all the gentlemen present are invited to join the court, that we may ob serve the birds select their roosting place." This announcement made the plaintiff and his friends smile. They construed it as a verdict in their favor; while the defendant looked uneasy. But all turned out to watch the manceuvers of the birds. They fed leisurely along down the road, and as it was getting late in the evening, they made upward glances with heads one-sided at every overhanging object they passed. Finally, they left the grass and took up a line of march straight down the road in the direction of Rube Wilkins' home, — the honorable court, and all in terested, to the number of forty or fifty men,
following gravely along at a safe distance behind, that they might not frighten the fowls. On down the road they went, straight to Wilkins' back-lot bars, where they turned, went single file over to the horse-trough, drank with solemnity, then filed about to the barn shed, where the mother turkey said a few words to her young, — looked first with one eye, then with the other up to some poles stretched across, where there used to be some hay, then deliberately flew up there and settled down for the night — followed by every blamed young turkey in her brood! Squire Patton sprang up on a stump where he was in full view of both audiences, — the turkeys and the litigants with their friends, — and, clapping his hands for order, said : "You gentlemen are all aware that 'chick ens will come home to roost.' It is the belief of this court that turkeys will also come home to roost, and, therefore, the court decides this case in favor of the plaintiff." A shout of approval mingled with exclama tions of admiration greeted this decision. The next day the Squire's opponent with drew from the race.
