The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1857-12-25

was ail IN vain. then tfleQ Dy
throwing stones to drive him from
his bloody feast; but they were un.
needed; they did not reach the mon
ster, for he was too elvated. Un.
mindful ofall could do, he continued
his cruel dissection; all this time the
'plaintive pea.pea.pea resounded in
my ears. o! how wished for gun,
but none was obtainabie. The case
was hopeless. In despair ofrender
ing aid. after many minutes of ex.
treme cxertion, I quit the tree, horri
fed. | mounted my horse and gave
him the spur, but still resounded in
my ears the melancholy cry pea pea
pea; strong a. first, but gradually
weaker and weaker, as limb was
torn from limb, till it finally ceased
to cry only with the last throe of vi.
tality. have never in q long life
felt so miserable, depressed aud un
happy from so inconsiderable and
common an occurrence, and even to
this time, when remembrance brings
back the days Of auld lang syne, the
hopeless a.pea.p pea of this poor
chicken rcverberates through my
brain, and makes me feel depressed
ard wretched.
l gave my horse the whip, rode
hastily home, got my double.bar.
relei Manton and returned. When
| arrived | found the bloody feast
over, and the slayer OF the innocent
victim sitting on the limb Of an ad.
joining tree, apparently gorged and
asleep. | rode near, and the first
fire brought him to the ground with
the remains Of his prey undigested
in his stomach. How | triumphed
it would be unchristian to say in the
slaughter of this ferocious bird Of
prey, whose life is sustained by the
destruction of other more useful and
innocent animals.
AS bore my prize home, rejoic-
ing in having slain the slayer ofthe
harmless and helpless, the thought
suddenly occurred to me, by what
right had thus acted. | belonged
TO the most ferocious OF all animals
-(wh IN his passions are not prop
erly curbed) man--who not only for
his own necessities. but often, in wan
ton sport, destroy Us myriads of use.
tnl beings. This reflection worried,
depressed, and made me feel as il
had acted amiss. However, soon
became treasured when it occurred
to me that the Giver of all good had
allowed man the use but not the
abuse OF all created beings, and thai
most estimable OF all virtues, chari
ty, urges the protection of the weak
and helpless by the st. ong and pow
eriul.
1t seemed that this day was no,
to pass without further adventure. -
Several hours after returned homo
late in the day, | went to that par,
Of the farm where my people were q,
work. ] seated myself on knoll
overlooking a small marsh, and in
continently fell into snooze-wher
| was suddenly startled half awake
by the painful pea, pea, pea. Al
first thought it was a dream--ther
again it suddenly occurred to IN,
that it was the ghost of the dciuncl
chicken haunting me for the ineif
cient efforts | had made to save it
However. when wide awake, by lis
tening attentively, | could, at Ion:
intervals, just perceive the horrit
cry OF pea-pea--pea, in a sepul
cbral and very weak voice.
l Immediately arose, called one o
my men and directed him to examin
from whence the sound came. W.
soon got to the vicinity Of the cry
every moment becoming weaker Nm,
weaker, and the intervals longer, ,oc
,asionaliy seeming as if the suffer
ing animal was stransling, although
the sound could still be heard. o.
account of this part Of the marsh
which was comparatively tirnl--be
ing thickly covered with grass, moth
ing could be perceived, A scyth
was obtained and the grass NOW
of; after which, by strict examins
tion, the bill, one eye, and part {
the head of q nearly full grown chick
en- was perceived, the whole bod
. buried, and very slowly the sma
part above ground disappearing.
Immediately seized the head, afte
removing the earth around the nee
but found / should pull it off withor
disintering the fowl. 1t seemed
be held as If in vice by something
!, A mattock was sent for and the Sui
; rounding earth removed, when K
, and behold, the cause Of the catal
, trophe was soon discovered in q
enormous swapping turtle, who ha
7, a firm grip on the middle toe oftl
, fowl and had gradually worked hin
, self deeper in the swamp till he hs
! nearly entombed the luckless chicl
. en-. He seem beligerant and fer
. cious at being disturbed in his lit
: work Of charity, and kept dete
Q mined and untlinchiug hold. Z
was decapitated, but yet all in vsi
, to make him loose his hold; the ia
Q had to be luxated before the victi
o could be relieved. Doubtless he WI
thus msddened from disappointmeu
elhe having intended to luxurate wi
Q all the gusto Of an epicure on del
Q cate chicken meat; but II 10 an o
v ylproverb, vet a true one. ''there's mar