News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-07-11
A DAY ON WILLIS FARM.
A Hawk, Snake, a Ground Hog and
Bear Keep Johnnie Hunting.
" Johnny, git your gun?'

man, wasn't anyone 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 | was Il guest last week. Farmer
Willis was doing his chores about the
barnyard one morning. His chickens
were scratching and picking away i'll his
imme late vicin ty, confident, no doubt,
in the fact of his protecting presence,
when n cheeky hawk, unmindful of that
presence, swooped down from some
where and swooped away again with one
of the over-confident chickens before the
farmers very eyes. To add to the
audacity and aggravating nature of the
act, the hawk lit on the branch of a dead
tree, not a hundred yards away, and
proceeded there and then to rend the
still squawking member of the farmers
feathered flock and make breakfast on
it. The daring performance knocked
Farmer Willis speechless for moment,
but when the momentary paralytic wave
had PASSED and released his vocal OF
ganism, he raised his voice and yelled:
Johnny, git your gum
"Johnny is Farmer Willis's hired
man, John Grimes. Everybody called
him Johnny. He has gun. He keeps
it ready to hand behind the kitchen
door. Johnny at the time the farmer
issued his startling order was greasing
set of single harness on the back stoop.
He heard his employers call and in
stantly obeyed it. He hadn't seen the
coming down nor the going up of the
hawk, but lie Tau with his gun to the
baTnyard.
"'Yonder he is, golI ding him. ex-
claimed the farmer, pointing to the
feasting hawk in the dead tree. He's
got tue dominick hen! Whang him.
'FThe 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 didn't
have that proyerbial eye of his for
nothing, and before Johnny and his gun
reached point at which danger threat
ened him, the hawk gathered together
the remnants of the chicken and in a
very short time was speck against the
sky, and cannon ball couldn't have
reached him.
Them ding hawks gifts sassier and
sass 'er every day. exclaimed Farmer
Willis. We'll have to be chainin' tho
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 deliberate
but mastery retreat with his plumber
had passed away. A half hour later up
from the green things growing there
came shrill and penetrating shrek.
Johnny, git your gum
cit was the voice of Mrs. Farmer
Willis. 1t was burdcncd with alarm.
Johnny dropped his harness and once
more snatched his gun. Down
through the garden lie sped, fol-
lowed by Farmer Willis. who had heard
his wife's shrek.
"'Yender he goes!' screamed the ex-
cited farmers wife. Down ycnder he
runs to'ards the brush lott He's got
one O. my old Seabright hens chickens
I" It's ding funny hawk to be
runnin = said farmer Willis, putting
hard.
"''Tain't no hawk, replied his wife.
It's black snake, and he's as big as
any lean pole!'
s'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.
Agriculture pursuits seem lively
this mornin',' growled Farmer Wilkes,
hopping his head with his bandanna
and walking back toward the barnyard.
Especially in the poultry department.
"Mrs. Farmer Willis, bcmoaning the
taking off of her peeping pct, resumed
her work among the onions. Johnny
lugged his gun back and put it behind
the Kitchen door aud sllusicd- himself in
softening the harness once more. The
usual calm rested on and about the
farm, and remained unbrokcn for an
hour or so, when it was suddenly rufied
again. This time piping alarm came
from the meadow near the house.
Farmer Willis's twelve 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 gum it pipcd.
"Johnny dropped his harness and
grabbed his gun. Down toward tho
meadow he dashed on the double quick.
Farmer Willis dashed after him. Mrs.
Willis brought up the rear.
There's big ound hog got his
hole in the medder' said Tommy, when
the family contingent arrived painting
on the scene. Il seen him, and he's eat
up half an acre O. the best cloverl'
&c 'Hawks, snakes and ground hogs ii
raise the price o produce on the farm
more than amazin', if they keep on OK
claimed Farmer Willis, and he told
Johnny to find the ground hog and kill
it on sight. Then he and his wife re-
turned to their respective duties. 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 din
ner the 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 n dead run. 1t was neighbor
Sam Bush. Neighbor Sam paused at the
farm gate n moment to catch his breath,
and then burst out with
" Johnny, git your gum
'John jumped for the gun again, and
the family followed him to the gate to
hear what new danger was threatening
the prosperity of Willis farm.
" "A slammin' big bar has jest come
outen your sheep pastur' said Sam, and
has gone inter the beech with one O.
your lambs
"'Well, there,' exclaimed Farmer
Willis. IF night don't come pooty soon
I wouldn't be willin' to give six dollars
for all that II be left on this farm wen
it does come.
''Then Johnny and the gun and the
farmer and neighbor Sam started to the
beach to get the bear. I had to leave
for home, and haven't heard whether
they got 1T or not. - New York Sun.