Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-09-05
A DAY ON WILLIS FARM.
A Hawk. a Snake. Cround-Hog
and a Bear Keep Johnnie Hus-


| "1hat, SAID Miles BOYD, the gun
man, TO New York Sun reporter,
"wasn't any one singing the refrain Of
the popular but somewhat frayed comic
song, but was the impossioned excla-
nation OF Farmer John Willis OF Sulli-
van county, at whose house among tho
hills | was a guest last week. Farmer
Willis was doing his chores about the
barn-yard one morning. His chickens
were scratching and picking away in
his immediate vicinity, confident, no
doubt, in the fact of his protecting
presence, when cheeky hawk, un-
mindful of that presence, swooped
down from somewhere and swoopcd
away again with one Of the overconti-
dent chickens before the farmers very
eyes. 10 add to the audacity and ag-
gravating nature OF the act the hawk
lit on the branch of a dead tree not 100
yards away and proceeded there and
then to rend the still squawking men,
Der of the farmers feathered flock and
make a breakfast on it. The daring
performance knocked Farmer Willis
speechless for a moment, but when the
momentary paralytic wave had passed
and released his vocal organism he
raised his voice and yelled:
johnny, git your guun'
johnny is Farmer Willis's hired
man, John Grimes. Every calls
him Johnny. He has n gun. He keeps
it ready TO hand behind the kitchen
door. Johnny at the time the farmer
issued his startling order was greasing
a set of single harness on the back
stoop. He heard his employers call
and instantly obeyed it. lie had't seen
the coming down nor the going up OF
the hawk, but he ran with his gun to
the barn-yard.
"Yonder he is. COLL ding him. ex-
claimed the farmer pointing to the
feasting hawk in the dead tree. He's
got the dominick hen! Whang him.
THE range was little too long for
the capacity of Johnny's gun, so
Johnny attempted to creep up on the
hawk and get sure shot. But the
hawk did't have that proverbial eye Of
his for nothing, and before Johnny and
his gun reached 4 point at which dan
ger threatened him the hawk gathered
together the remnants of the chicken
and in n very short time was speck
against the sky, and n cannon-ball
couldn't have reached him.
Them ding hawks gifts sassier and
sassier every day.! exclaimed Farmer
Willis. well have to be chainin' the
house down next, or they'll carry that
off,
Johnny went back with his gun and
put il in its place behind the door and
resumed his work on the harness.
Farmer Willis proceeded with his
chores. His wife was wedding onions
in the garden down back of the house.
The excitement caused by the attack of
the hawk on the poultry and his delib-
crate but mastery retreat with his
! plumber had passed away, A ha!f-hour
later up from among the green things
| growing there came q shrill and pene-
trating shrek:
" Johnny, git yer gum
ut was the voice of Mrs. Farmer
| Wills, 1t was burdened with alarm.
Johnny dropped his harness and once
more snatched his gun. Down through
the garden he sped, followed by Farmer
Willis, who had heard his wife's
! shrek.
d" 'Yender he goesr screamed the ex-
cited farmers wife. Down yender he
runs to'ards the brush lot! He's got
one q my old Seabright hens chick
ens!,
." It's ding funny hawk to be
a-runnin',' said Farmer Willis, putting
hard.
=" 'Tan't no hawk, replied his wife.
It's black-snake, and he's as big as
any bean-pole.'
johnny had hurried on with his gun,
but the black-snake had escaped with
his prize to his hiding-place and he
couldn't be found.
e" 'Agricultur' pursuits seems live ly
this mornin',' growled Farmer Willis.
hopping his head with his bandana
and walking back toward the barn
yard. Specially in the poultry de-
! partment.'
Mrs. Farmer Willis, bemoaning
the taking off Of her peeping pet, re-
sumed her work among the onions.
johnny logged his gun back and put it
| behind the kitchen door and busted
! himself in softening his harness once
more The usual calm rested on and
about the farm and remained unbroken
! for an hour or SO, when it was sud-
denly RULED again. This time n
| piping alarm came from the meadow
near the house. Farmer Willis's 12-
year-old boy Tommy stood on the stone-
wall waving his chip hat. 1t was his
thin treble that set the household by
the ears this time.
Johnny, git your gunr it piped.
Johnny dropped his harness and
grabbed his gun. Down toward the
meadow he dashed on the double
quick. Farmer Willis dashed after
him. Mrs. Willis brought up the
rear.
+" There's a big grounding got his
hole in the meddern said Tommy,
when the family contingent arrived
painting on the scene. i seen h i'm and
he's eat up half an acre o the best
| clover.
=" Hawks, snakes, and ground-hogs
III raise the price o. produce on this
farm more than amazin' IL they keep
on" exclaimed Farmer Willis, and he
told Johnny TO find the grounding and
kill it on sight Then he and his wife
returned to their respective duties.
Johnny laid for the grounding
/ L.,N Al.