Rev. A. J. Ogden

As a lad back in the 1930s, mother and I had quite a few yard chickens in Wilkinson County. As a small boy, we fed them together at times when I began to notice one Rhode Island Red hen who was especially greedy. She never seemed to get enough corn. All she seemed to think about was eat, and she was overweight to say the lease. One day I began wondering how far from home I could lead old Red by dropping one grain of corn at a time as I walked farther and farther from our house. With mother gone one day, my opportunity came. The Devil always cooperates with those who want to do wrong. So that day I got my corn in hand and started away, shelling one grain at a time with Red following. The other chickens followed a little way, but then went home. But old Red kept coming as I shelled out one grain at a time, and we were far from home. I finally ran out of corn and she looked bewildered. I tried to catch her but she ran into a briar patch and I returned home to face mother. Old Red was lost.

Satan inspired me to remain silent when mother began to say, “I wonder where Old Red is today.” I didn’t say a word. Finally, after about two days I confessed my sin and mother came mighty near whipping me. She must have heard a rooster crowing or something.