The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-10-24
TOMMY HARMoN's LAsso.

-
For long time Tommy Harmon's
lasso was the joke of the farm. He had
read somewhere of the wonderful do
ings of Western cowboys with the lasso,
and from description given in that ac-
count he had made himself very fair
specimen.
The fact that there was no earthly
use for such thing as lasso ON the
New York farm where he lived made
no difference in Tommy's enthusiasm.
and with great impartiality he went
about lassoing-or lassoing at-every-
thing. Gate post, dog, cat or calf was
welcome alike to Tommy, and he mind
ed neither failure nor laughter.
BY and by the day of Tommy's tri-
umph came. 1t came quite unexpect-
edly, and without any help from him,
except in the way Of what Matt, the
hired man. called silly suggestion.
1t happened in this way: A fox had
been stealing Mrs Harmon's chickens.
until that good lady lost patience and
insisted that trap should be set for the
thief
Tommy, accordingly, baited steel
trap with nice young chicken, and set
it between the barn and the wood lot,
where Master Fox was supposed to hide
during the day. Then Tommy went
away, intending to visit the trap the
next morning.
About an hour later, however, he saw
half-dozen crows angrily fluttering
over the spot where he had set the trap,
and it occurred to him at once that the
fox had already been caught, and was
being attacked by the crows.
He caught up stick and ran hastily
toward the trap, more sorry at each
step that he did not have his lasso with
him. As he drew near the spot he
could hear the angry cav, cav of the
crows, and could see them furiously
swoop ald rise again. all of which
made him think that the fox was fight
ing hard for his life. ss
But just imagine his surprise, when
he had gotten through the corn-ield
and could see the trap, at discovering
that instead of q fox an eagle was
caught He could now understand
what the crows were so angry about
Crows hate hawks and eagles, and take
every opportunity to injure them.
They seemed to know that this eagle
could not defend himself very well,
and they went at him on every side,
making the feathers fly atevery attack.
The eagle could easily have carried
away the steel-trap il it had not been
fastened by chain to a stake. As it
was, the captured bird struggled madly
at the end of the chain in his efforts to
beat off the crows. 49,.
Tommy at once became greatly ex-
cited, and with visions of stuffed eagles
floating through his mind, ran at the
great bird, intending to kill it with a
blow of his stick, and then carry it
home. - ~
This would have been an excellent
plan if the eagle had only stood still
and stretched out its neck for Tommy
to hit But it did not, and before
Tommy knew it he was on the ground,
with torn clothes and bleeding face. 1t
was very well for him that he had not
fallen within reach of the angry eagle,
or Tommy might not have lived to
laugh over the triumph of his lasso.
Fortunately the eagle could not reach
him. and Tommy was able to scramble
to his feet and run toward the house a
great deal more quickly than he had
run to the trap. g
Near the wagon-house he met Matt,
and breathlessly explained matters to
him. Tommy's appearance showed
that ne was not telling a big story, and
Matt, only stopping to ask where the
trap was, started off at run.
Tommy darted into the wagon-house,
snatched his beloved lasso from its peg,
and followed after Matt as quickly as
his tired legs could take him. Exactly
what he intended to do with the lassO
he did not know. He took it because
it was sort of second nature to do so.
When he reached the field he found
that Matt was as badly off as he had
been. The eagle had contrived to pull
up the stake. and was struggling with
claws and beak to tear out Mats eyes.
while Matt was trying hard to get
away, beating at the bird with his
hands to keep it from his face. In
Tommy's excited mind there was but
one thing to do.
"Lasso it, Matt! lasso itl'' he cried,
thrusting his lasso into Mats hands
Anything to beat the savage bird
with Matt whirled the lasso in his
hands, and struck blindly at the eagle,
which fell back for q moment
"Lasso it! lasso itr' shrieked Tommy,
dancing up and down. ~
The rope was cooled in readiness to
throw, and without intending. it, Matt
cast it at the eagle. BY great good
luck the moose fell over one of the
birds outstretched wings, and Tommy
fairly yelled with delight as he sprang
forward and drew the lasso tight q 3
They still had some trouble in subdu-
ing the mighty bird, but they did sue
coed finally in capturing it alive. They
sold it for fifteen dollars: and now,
when anybody seems inclined 70 laugh
ct Tommy's lasso, be shows them
Mats new hat and his new,snit 81