Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1888-12-13
A MIDNIGHT CALL.

A
MIDNIGHT CALL.
ny EUGENE c. FISK.
E WO years
- o: : !: & !. !: :. !: J:
~ M the town,
rFfA n where he
NIX, GEJ M could keep
J,,e,ta.S; ~ ~ H,M chic k e S
VI :, s5r.s. y H3k,H6KlI an d not
&( EVs<&HY THD. have them
M I NNSHIglZ~ growing in
III N ~ p1ES h e b e d.
sss;-ss8-As.rS| room vim
sssss.-,-s;5 dow of his
TS next-d DOR
l.;abbor. Therefore he kept few,
a aei' for profit, but for the pleasure OF
I y, his garden seeds scratched up
u nrory morning before sunrise-it was
s, WI exercise to plant them over every
ny, sL y II 30 one night he was gently
,ronsed from his peaceful slumbers by
sI o blnnt end Of Mrs. Acker's left
nm .Ibow seeking for his short ribs.
awake M! Wake up! Some one is
.,.l;ng our chickens" chartered she.
'T Tins Gently aroused Acker slid out
.,an tbe floor in the dark and reached
~ his clothing, He caught up his
ua,taloops and tried to get his feet
Erorgb them. In his haste he hoped
ard doundered around like a shark OIL
Inv land. upsetting the wash-pitchei
or5 howl one taking a carrom on his
best corn, the other spilling its contents
r bis Sunday beaver. After tumblina
aver something like dozen chairs,
ro.b.stand. towel-rack, etc, he sal
dawn on the floor, not through any de
siro Of his own, but because OF the
tangled condition OF his legs end wear
Re soon sailed forth in his stocking
Feet accompanied by his gun and the
appeals of Mrs. A. :,
The night was darker than the mind
Of tbe most benighted heather, and he
rrosped his way along as quietly as
possible, hoping to surprise the stealel
Of fowls. :,
Allof a sudden he stretched himself
cautiously and quietly upon the ground
and began TO murmur, soft and low, a
little article of prose which arises ire
sistbly to his mind at times. While
rppeating the words, he took his left
loot in both hands and extracted n
niece Of glass from the heel OF his
stocking 7drs. Acker came rushing
out, and began to urge some one not to
kill her dear Nimy-NIr. Acker's full
handle being Nimble Yankee Acker-
but take all the chickens and vel.
come.
Mr.. Acker was so much interested in
his little story that he told his better
bali to shut her yawp and go into the
house. and not make goll slammed
fool Of herself
Il don't care if you get killed and
the chickens all stolen, too; so there|
And the door closed so foroibly that
Acker at first mistook it Tor report of
the robbers pistol.
This arous d his ire, and he deter
mined that be would allow the prowler
to take neither his life nor his chickens,
50 he sprang up and rushed limping in
the direction Of the hen-house, urged
on by the loud clamor of the hen COM
munity.
In bis hurried progress toward the
cause Of the connection he encountered
the dog kennel upset it, sought the
bosom Of mother earth, sprang up
again with the dog fastened to the tail
Of his coat, tried 10 coax him into the
belief that he was his master by per
suas7Cly using the butt end Of his
gun, suece ded in tearing loose after
going the length of the chain, aud
finally reached the door of the hem
house.
Hecocked his gln, opened the door,
and inhis most commanding tone or
dered the thief to come out and be
shot, but received no reply, save a mo-
l0tonous "sIuack, squack, sluack. "
he became bold, stepped inside the
door, closed it, and determined to have
revenge for his mishaps. He struck a
match and saw--the old rooster dang
Ing head down from the perch, having
slipped his foot through a small knot
hole, and in his struggles lost his bal
ance and was unable to extricate him
Sli.
Aeker returned to the house, put a
Pee OF court plaster on his heel and
glred. In the morning he watched
Ms Acker obliterate Towser's trade
mark from the tail of his coat.