Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-07-24
JOYS OF FARM LIFE.

.  One Days Adventure on the Old
 Willis Homestead A F awk, . Snake. . Ground-Hox and
 B oar Keep Johnny HustlinE-Rural
 Life Made Burden by Dspre-
 dators of All Kinds.
 :; "Johnny, git yous gunl'
 "That," 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 impassioned exclamation of Farmer John Willis, of Sullivan County, at whose house among the hills l was 8 guest last week. Farmer Willis was doing his chores about the barn-yard one morn ing. 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, unmindful of that presence, swooped down from somewhere and swooped away again with one of the over-confdent chickens be- fore the farmers very eyes. To add to the audacity and aRgravating nature of the act, the hawk lit on the branch of a dead tree, not hundred yards away, and pro- ceeded there and then to rend the still squawking member of the farmers feath- cred flock, and make g breakfast on it. The daring performance knocked Farmer Willis speeches. for moment, but when the mo- mentary paralytic wave had passed and re- leas0 his vocal organism, he raised his voice and yelled:
 Johnny. git your gunr
 "Johnny is Farmer Willis hired man, John Gr,mes. Every body calls him John ny. He has gun. He keeps 1t ready to hand behind the kitchen door. Johnny at the time the farmer issued his startling or der was greasing Q set of single harness on the back stoop. He heard his employers call, and instantly obeyed it. He hadn't seen the coming down nor the going up of the hawk, but he ran with his gun to the barn. yard
 Wonder he Is, goll ding himp exclaimed the farmer, pointing to the feasting hawk in the dead tree. He's got the dominick hen 1 Whang himr
 "The range was little too long for the capacity of Johnny's gun, so Johnny at tempted to creep up on the hawk and get 8 sure shot. But the hawk didn't have that proverbial eye of his for nothing, and be- fore Johnny and his gun reached point at which danger threatened him, the hawk gathered together the remnants of the chick en, and in very short time was . speck against the sky, and 8 cannon ball couldn't have reached him.
 Them ding hawks gifts sassier and sass fer every dayr exclaimed Farmer Willis. 'We'u have to be chainin' the house down next, or they'll carry that offp "Johnny went back with his gun and put | 1t 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 tue attack of the hawk on the poultry and his deliberate but masterly retreat with his plunder had passed away. A half hour later up from among tbe green things growing there came shrill and penetrating | shriek:
 Johnny, git yer gun!
 1t was the voice of Mrs. Farmer Willis. It was burdened with alarm. Johnny dropped his harness and once more snatched the gun. Down through the gar den he sped, followed by Farmer Willis, who had beard his wife's shriek. | "'Yender he goesp screamed the ex- cited farmers wife. Down yender he runs to'ards the brush lott He's got one O my old Seabright hens chtckensv
 'Y'It's . ding funny hawk to be runnin' ? said Farmer Willis, putting hard.
 "'Tain't no hawk replied his wife. Its black snake, and he's as big as any bean
 "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 toTp9d. ur,,,,.ur., ,,,r.,,,+. ...n. ,,va,v t,,. | mornin',' growled Farmer Willis, mopping his head with his bandana and walking back toward the barn-yard. Especially in the poultry department
 ''Mrs. Farmer Willis, bemoaning the talk ing of of her peeping pet resumed her work among the onions. Johnny lugged bis gun back and put it behind the kitchen door, and busted himself in softening the harness once more The usual calm rested on and about the farm, and remained un- broken for an hour or so, when 1t was sud alarm came from the meadow near the house. Farmer Willis twelve-year-old boy Tommy stood on the stone wall waving his ship hat. It was his thin treble that set the household by the ears this time:
 "'Johnny, git your gunp it piped.
 "Johnny dropped his harness and grabbed his gun. Down toward ths meadow he dashed on the double-quick. Farmer Willis dashed after him. Mrs. Willis brought up the rear.
 "'There's big ground hog got his hole in the medderp said Tommy, when the family contingent arrived panting on the scene. I seen him, and he's eat up half an acre O the best cloverP
 "'Hawks, snakes and ground hogs I'll raise the price O produce on this farm more than emazin', if they keep onp exclaimed Farmer Willis, and he told Johnny to find the ground hog and kill 1t on sight. Then be and his wife returned to their respective dutiex Johnny laid for the ground hog until dinner time, but the ground hog kept to his hole. Then Johnny raised the siege and went back to the house. After dinner tho farmer and Johnny filled their pipes and were enjoying . consoling smoke on the back stoop, when they saw man coming down the road toward the house on . dead run. It was neighbor Sam Bush. INeighbor Sam paused at the farm gate @ moment to catch his breath, and then burst out with:
 "Johnny, git your gunp
 "John jumped for the gun again, and the family followed him to the gate to hear what new danger was threatening the pros. perity of Willis' farm.
 "sA slsmmin' biR bar has rest come