Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1889-01-05
4 MIDNIGHT CALL
BY EUGENE C. FISK

not for profit, but for the pleasure of
having his garden seeds scratched up
every morning before sunrise-it was
good exercise to plant them over every
day, You know.
About IL 30 one night he was gently
aroused from his peaceful slumbers by
the blunt end of Mrs. Acker,s left
elbow seeking for his short ribs.
wake up! Wake mp! Some one is
stealing our chickens!" chartered she.
Thus gently aroused Acker slid out
upon the floor in the dark and reached
for his clothing. He caught up his
pantaloons and tried to got his feet
through them. In his haste he hoped
and houndered around like shark on
dry land, upsetting the wash-pitcher
and bowl, one taking carrom on his
best corn, the other spilling its contents
III his Sunday beaver. After tumbling
over something like dozen chairs, n
wash-stand, towel-rack, etc, he sat
down on the floor, not through any de
sire of his own, but because of the
tangled condition OF his legs end wear
ing gear.
He soon sailed forth in his stocking
feet, accomp mel by his gun and the
appeals of Mrs. A.
The night was darker than the mind
of the most bcnighted heather, and he
grasped his way along a3 quietly as
possible, hoping to surprise the stealer
of fowls
All of sudden he stretched himself
cautiously and quietly upon the ground
and began to murmur, soft and low, n
little article of prose which arises ire
sistibly to his mind at times While
repeating the words, he took his left
foot i'll both hands and extracted
piece of glass flom the heel of his
stocking. Mrs. Acker came rushing
out, and began to urge some one not to
kill her der Nimy-Mr. 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
half to shut her yawp and go into the
house, and not make goll slammed
fool of hers If.
Il don't care if you get kill d and
the chickens all stolen, too; SO ther,!"
Acker ut first mistcoll it Tor report of
the robbers pistol.
This arous d his ire, and he deter
mined that he 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 his hurried rogrcss toward the
cause of the commotiol he encountered
the dog kennel, ups it, sought the
bosom of mother earth, sprang up
again with the dog fastened to the tail
of his coat, tried to coax him into the
belief that he was his master by per
gun, succeeded in tearing loose after
going the length of the chain, and
finally reached the door of the hen
house.
He cooked his gan, orened the door,
and i'll his most commanding tone or
dercd the thief to come out and be
shot, bat received no reply, save a mo-
notonous IS Iuack, sIuack, sIuack."
He became bold, stepped in, ide the
door, close d it, and dtt rmined to have
revenge for his mishaps. He struck
match and saw-thc old rooster dang
ling head down flom the perch, having
slipped his foot through small knot
hole, and in his struggles lost his bal
ance and was unable to extricate him
self
Acker returned to the house, put u
ii ce of court plas ter on his heel and
retired. In the morning he watchod
Mrs. Acker oblitcrate Towser's trade
mark from the tail of his coat.