Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-08-30
A DAY ON WILLIS FARM.
A Hawk. a Snake, a Cround-Hog,
and a Bear Keep Johnnie Hus-

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 the
hills | was 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 a cheeky hawk, un-
mindful of that presence, swooped
down from somewhere and swoopcd
away again with one CT the ovcrcont-
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 n dead tree not 100
yards away and proceeded there and
then to rend the still sQuawkinG men,
Der of the farmers feathercd flock and
make q breakfast on il. The daring
performance knocked Farmer. Willis
speechless for moment, but when the
momentary paralytic wave had passed
and released his vocal organism he
raised his voice and yelled:
4" Johnny, git your guu"
johnny is Farmer Willis's hired
man, John Grimes. Every body calls
him Johnny. He has "a gun. He keeps
il 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. He 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 dominicl1 hen! Whang him.
"The range was little too long for
the capacity of Johnnys 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 point at which dan
ger threatened him the hawk gathered
together the remnants OF the chicken
and in very short time was speck
against the sky. and a cannon-ball
couldn't have reached him.
Them ding hawks gifts sassier and
sassier every day. exclaimed Farmer
Willis. Wen have to be chainin' the
house down next or they'll carry that
| Off
johnny went back with his gun and
put it 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 half-hour
| later up from among the green things
growing there came shrill and pene-
trating shrek:
:" johnny, git yer gun'
1T 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.
&" 'Yender he goesr screamed the ex-
cited farmers wife. Down yender he
runs to'ards the brush lot! He's got
one O. my Old Seabright hens chick
ens!,
:" It's n ding funny hawk to he
a-runnin',' said Farmer Willis, putting
hard.
=" 'Tan't no hawk, replied his wife.
| It's a black snake, and he's as big as
any bean-pole.'
Johnny had hurried on with his gun,
la I,
his prize to his hiding place and he
couldn't be found.
." 'Agricultur'l pursuits seems live ly
this mornin',' growlcd Farmer Willis,
hopping his head with MS 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 ruffed again. This time a
piping alarm came from the meadow
near the house. Farmer Willis's -
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.
a. Johnny, git your gun! 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 big grounding got his
hole in the medder! said Tommy.
when the family contingent arrived
painting on the scene. / seen him aud
he's cat up half an acre o. the best
clover.
Hawks, snakes and grouud-hogs
vi raise the price o produce on this
farm more than amazin' II they keep
onw exclaimed Farmer Willis. and he
told Johnny TO find the grounding and
XIII IL on sight. Then he and his wife
returned 10 their respective duties
Johnny laid for the grounding
until dinner time. but the
grounding kept TO his hole
his hoie. Then Johnny raised the