Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1891-12-05
THE SWOOP OF A HAWK.
EXPERIENCE OF A SUMMER VISITOR
IN A NEW YORK SUBURB.

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IN A NEW YORK SUBURB.
TIE Had Heard About Hawk Chasing
Nan, but Didn't Relieve 1t Until T.o En-
couitered Ono of the Animals In Lone
w Evening walls-How Ho Tells of It.
Mr.. Rogers was late for tea. TIE red
twilight of August had faded, and sea
hreeze was rafting at the shutters before
he came in, looking warm and agitated.
Seeing him reused out of his usual calm
excited our curiosity, but we asked no
questions till he had eaten aud refreshed
himself. Then we gathered around him.
II have had u most unpleasant adven-
ture, he said in his solemn way. "lhave
been chased ny hawk" Now, if
child of six had made that remark it
would have been touching, but for
broad shouldere,l person OF any number
of feet to announce that lie was afraid
of hawks was too much for our sense of
hrlnor-we laughed. What did you
do?', asked the inquisitive member of our
house party. y clapped my hands and
shouted" said Mr. Rogers, "but the
hawk didn't mind at all; it kept circling
round my head and swooping down -
We reasoned with him. We said it
was physically impossible for u hawk to
fly away with him. We told him the
next time Il hawk chased him to fall fiat
upon his face and call for help. we
suggested that IL plump mosquito had
caused his alarm. All in vain. He lis
tened without emotion, and fixing his
eve on Inc us the most obtrusively merry
person present, said, wait till a hawk
is after you; you won't like it.
AN EVENING WALK.
The meaning in his words came to me
a few days later We had been bathing
in Peconic buy. We staid there, splash
ing and swimming, till the blue water
turned gray and the sun went down ina
RET. s,nudge. Then suddenly we all felt
ap overpowering desire to set out of our
clammy bathing suits and home to tea
as fast rs possible. decided to walk. !
was cold; besides rather wanted to get
away from the noisy crowd.
So the house party packed itself into
the wuSonet,e and quickly disappeared
down tho winding road, leaving he to
cut across the hills alone. Funny with
what ;.lacrity people who are really fond
of You leare you behind.) / felt very
much alone somehow, and / almost
wished had gone with them. Our
house is only IL mile from the Peconic
beach on Il level line, bnt us the Shine
cock hills are like so many green dump
hugs ones progress Very upand downy,
and Il mile may lie twisted into astonish-
ing lengths.
| struck across the fern scented hills at
IL rapid pace, one moment on top OF Il
mountain range, with 4 view Of the two
BAYS. the next down in IL hollow with
only bay bushes for Il horizon. Istopped
in II sort of cup to watch the coming
night. The earth sent up a warm, sweet
smell; little stars began to twinkle as
though pric!ied into the sky. Some
thing dark started up under my feet
my shadow, for the moon had risen. 1T
is nice to be alone sometimes" thought.
.'Ons can't he intimate with nature
when crowds CT people are about. | feel
now that am lying Oh her bosom-
Whirr-r from the sky. Then TWO short
sounds like the tapping CT I. wet towel.
DISCRETION AND yALo2.
looked mp. Right over my head,
poised as neatly as the sword OF Damo-
Giles, was al hawk. 1t Looked quite stu
tionary, but remembered Mr.. Rogers
words, and I felt bold, THE thing
doesn't seem inclined to swoop," I
Thought. Tile = | started up a hill, with
my nose pointed at the hawk. Just as
| reached the topit gave two flaps and
swooped. | clapped my hands. Where
upon the bird circled and dropped few
feet.
81 won't encourage it by looking at
it," and l walked into tho next hollow
in a dignitied manner. Then looked.
That brute of bird was lowering III an
expectant attitude AS it caught M
glance it began to circle; it circled till |
grew dizzy; then itgaveacry OF triumph
and swooped. That action deinoralized
me; it turned the hawk into Il roc and
HE into pygmy.
With one "ShooI' of despair, | threw
manhood and self respect TO the winds
ran. r;lll us hard rs conld, Up hill
and down. Brambles caught at Inc;
blackberry vines clasped my ankles; but
once mounted on terror nothing could
stop me. My white hanneled figure
shone out iii the moonlight, adding zest
to the hawks attacks. On we raced,
swooping, running, lodging, but never
stopping till the friendly lights from the
house streamed out to meet US. Then
the hawk, with long cry of scorn,
sailed away to the pine woods in the
west.
The house party was on the piazza as
came up. GLORIOUS walk" cried.
Ran half the way. Finest sport in the
world after bathing!" Mr.. Rogers fol
lowed me into the house. ITS awful
when it Sweeps, isn't it::' he said. with
q cruel Iool, in his brown eyes.-New
York Post.
A 1.isc!,ievors Schoolgirl.
Commodore P. Vedder, while young