The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to ever one in western Illinois and all readers of The Quill.
I'm a hope'n this weeks column finds ever one in good spirits and look'n forward ta the balance of the week in a good light.
It seems there's a lot of politic'n go'n on both fer the national level and on the state level. It's in the news one way or another almost ever day. Well, that reminds me of a story what was shared with me at one time about Butch the Rooster.
Here it is now:
Butch the Rooster
Madeline was in the fertilized egg business. She had several hundred young "pullets' and ten roosters to fertilize the eggs.
She kept records and any rooster not performing went into the soup pot and was replaced. This took a lot of time, so she bought some tiny bells and attached them to her roosters. Each bell had a different tone, so she could tell from a distance which rooster was performing. Now, she could sit on the porch and fill out an efficiency report by just listening to the bells.
Madeline's favorite rooster, old Butch, was a very fine specimen: but, this morning she noticed old Butch's bell hadn't rung at all!
When she went to investigate, she saw the other roosters were busy chasing pullets, bells-a-ringing, but the pullets hearing the roosters coming, would run for cover.
To Madeline's amazement, old Butch had his bell in his beak, so it couldn't ring.
He'd sneak up on a pullet, do his job, and walk on to the next one.
Madeline was so proud of old Butch, she entered him in the Dowerin Show and he became an overnight sensation among the judges.
The result was the judges not only awarded old Butch the "No Bell Peace Prize": they also awarded him the "Pulletsurprise" as well.
Clearly old Butch was a politician in the making.
Who else but a politician could figure out how to win two of the most coveted awards on our planet by being the best at sneaking up on the unsuspecting populace and screwing them when they weren't paying attention?
Vote carefully in the next election. You can't always hear the bells.
There ya has it then, just as it was passed along ta me by a very prominent Henderson County successful business lady. If'n ya don't pass it along ta a local, state, or national politician you're chicken, no yoke!
But then, it seems we have on the average little control when it comes ta politicians. On a more serious note there is something we should have more control over, which is in the area of feeding our youth.
Feeding Our Youth
They were an industrious pair, Daily and hourly minute by minute, the barn swallows pursued the full-time job of feed'n their growing youngsters. The parents swooped in and out, in and out, busily collect'n and bring'n food. Bugs, flies, and mosquitoes were prime targets. It seemed like an endless task, and only with both on the job was it possible.
Always the youngsters were alert, hungry, eager. A slight flutter, a shadow on the nest's edge, and they knew instinctively that Mom and Dad were there ta deliver nutrition. Enthusiastically they stretched out their scrawny necks, opened their beaks, and hoped it was their turn for a morsel. They were desperate. Their survival depended on their parent's supply.
Other youngsters are also begg'n fer food. They want spiritual food. They want it now, and they want it desperately. They want answers. They want guidance. They want hope and salvation. They want reasons fer their actions. They want it right and good. They want ta have integrity.
What are we feed'n the younger ones who look up to us? They want good, nourish'n food. We feed them with our thoughts, words, and actions. They will notice our attitudes and responses in various situations.
We are watched; we are followed. Our private thoughts, our spontaneous deeds, our unplanned words do matter.
Silly actions convey a careless attitude, frivolous spending portrays poor stewardship, and telling dirty jokes reveals a corrupt mind.
We should always conduct ourselves in a mature fashion. Then our youth will be nourished.
Our walk talks and our talk talks, but our walk talks louder than our talk talks.
You can tell more about a person by what he says about others than you can by what others say about him.
Be life long or short-its completeness depends on what it was lived for.
The Good Ole Days
Thats it fer this weeks column except for one final thought. I sometimes hear someone talk'n about the good ole days. With the hot muggy weather we had rece
Hope'n ta see ya all in church this week.
Wherever ya is, what ever ya be a do'n "BE A GOOD ONE!"
Keep on Smile'n
Catch ya later
BARNYARD BRUKE