Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-07-18
A DAY ON WILLIS FARM.
A Hawk, Snake. Ground Hog and
a Bear Keep Johnnie Hunting.
" Johnny. git your gum

comic song, but was the impassioned
exclamation of Farmer John Willis, OF
Sullivan County, at whose house among
the hills was guest last week. Farmer
Willis was doing his chores about the
barnyard one morning. His chickens
were scratching and picking away in bis
immediate vicinity, confident, no doubt,
in the fact of his protecting presence,
when 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 aggrayating nature of the
act, the hawk lit on the branch of dead
tree, not hundred yards away. and
proceeded there and then to rend the
still squawking member of the farmer
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 or.
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 ia
stantly obeyed it, He hadn't seen the
coming down nor the going up OF the
hawk, but he ian with his gun to the
barnyard.
"'Yonder he is, COLL ding himP OK
claimed the farmer, pointing to the
feasting hawk in the dead tree. He's
got the dominick henl 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 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
very short time was speck against the
sky, and n cannon ball couldn't have
reached him.
"'Them ding hawks gifts sassier and
sass 'er every day. exclaimed Farmer
Willis. Well have to be chainin' the
house down next, or they'll carry that
of.
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 a shrill and penetrating shrek.
Johnny, git your gum
cit was the voice Of Mrs. Farmer
Willis. 1t was burdened with alarm.
Johnny dropped his harness and once
more snatched his gun. Down
through the garden he sped, fol.
lowed by Farmer Willis, who had heard
his wife's shrek.
"'Yender he goesl' screamed the ex-
cited farmers wife. Down yender he
runs to'ards the brush lott He's got
one o. my old Seabright hen S chickens'
i" It's a ding funny hawk TO be
runnin ? said farmer Willis, putting
hard.
- 'Taint no hawk, replied his wife.
IT'S a black snake, and he's rs big as
any Lean polel
'.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.
Specially in the poultry department.
Mrs. Farmer Willis, bemoaning the
taking off of her peeping pet, resumed
her work among the onions. Johnny
lueaed his 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 unbroken for an
hour or so, when it was suddenly RULED
again This time a 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 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.
"'Thsre's big g ound hog got his
hole in the medderp 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 clover'
Hawks, snakes and ground hogs II |
raise the price O. produce on the farm
more than amazin', if they keep on ex-
claimed Farmer Willis, and he told
Johnny to find the ground hog and kin |
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 filed their
pipes and were enjoying a consoling
smoke on the back stoop, when they saw
a man coming down the road toward the