Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-03-13
CURIOUS INCIDENT ON A FARM.

! CURIOUS INCIDENT ON A FARM.
/ Many curious incidents of the ex
traordinary boldness of the foxes are
reported from all quarters. Near
the Big Canon, on the line of the
Lycoming Valley and Pine Creek
Railroad, in Northern Pennsylvania,
lives a farmer, William Bunnell.
Foxes had worked so industriously
and skilfully, in spite Of traps, aud
dogs, and guns, that they had ia
ken all of Bunnel's chickens but one
Domlnlck hen. A few mornings
ago, Bunnell took his dog and went
to a neighbours, about half mile
distant, to join in fox hunt. The
companionless Domininick hen was
pecking disconsolately about in the
dOor-yard when Bunnell went away.
Mrs. Bunnell was boiling soap at
the back of the house, near the
kitchen door, which was open.
Bunnell and his dog barely got
beyond call when Mrs. Bunnell was
startled to see the Deminick hen
come cackling around the corner of
the house and make straight
for the open kitchen door. The
hen had not yet reached the
door when big red fox followed
her around the corner of the house.
The fox paid no attention to Mrs.
Bunnell, but kept right OH after the
hen. Mrs. Bunnell shouted to fright
en- the fox away; but lie didn't
frighten. The farmers wife flung
dipper of hot soap after him, but he
disappeared through the open kitch-
en- door before it reached HIM, and
the soap spread all over the floor.
Mrs. Bunnell followed after the fox
and the hen, carrying her clothes
FOUNDER to beat the fox to death.
The hen led the chase through the
sitting-room into the front hall and
up the front stairs. The fox follow.
ed the hen. Mrs. BunnelI and the
clothes FOUNDER followed the fox.
The hen ran into a bedroom and I'M
der the bed.
The fox was close upon her, and
before Mrs. Bunnell and the clothes
FOUNDER got there the former knew
by the squawk that arouse that the
hen and the fox had met, and that
the fox hadn't suffered from the
meeting. The farmers wife and the
clothes FOUNDER reached the bed
room door just as the fox and the
hen were coming out, the hen being
slung carelessly but firmly over the
foX's shoulder.
Mrs. Bunnell yelled and struck at
the fox with the clothes FOUNDER.
The fox retreated under the bed,
and the farmers wife knew from the
subsequent sounds that he was not
allowing the detention to interfere
with his dinner. The farmers wife
didn't advance to the attack, but,
closing the bedroom door and max
ing the fox prisoner, she ran down
stairs, and then started at the top
of her speed for the neighbours where
her husband had gone, in hope that
she might reach there before the
hunting party left. She did. Her
story was soon told, and Mr.. Bun
nell and the party started BACK to
have some fun with reynard.
Reynard, however, hadn't waited
for them. A broken window pane,
to the Jagged edges of which hung
tufts of foX's fur, told how he had
made his escape. A trail of blood
led away from the spot where he had
landed in the snow, showing that he
had not got out of his prison with a
whole skin. By the bloody trail the
fox was followed for four miles,
where he was run to earth in a
ledge. He was routed out, and the
dog made short work Of him,