The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1891-10-21
THE SWOOP OF A HAWK.
EXPERIENCE OF A SUMNER VISITOR
IN A NEW YORK SUBURB.

He Had Heard About a Hawk Chasing
Man, but Didn't Believe 1t Until He En-
cOuntered One of the Animals In a Lone
Iy Evening waIk-How He Tells of 1t.
Mr.. Rogers was late for tea. The. red
twilight of August had faded, and sea
breeze 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 and refreshed
himself. Then we gathered around him.
81 have had a most unpleasant adven-
ture," he said in his solemn way. "Ihave
been chased by hawk" Now, if q
child of six had made that remark it
would have been touching, but for a
broad shouldered person of any number
OBJECT to announce,that, he was afraid
of hawks was too much for our sense of
humor-we laughed. ''What did you
DOR asked the inquisitive member of our
houseparty. "Iclappedgmy hands and
shouted" said Mr.. Rogers, ''but the
hawk didn't mind at all; 1t kept circling
round my head and swooping down.
We reasoned with him. We said it
was physically impossible for hawk to
fly away with him. We told him the
next time hawk chased him to fall fat
upon his face and call for help. We
suggested that a plump mosquito had
caused his alarm. All in vain. He lis
tened without emotion, and fixing his
eye ON me as the mostobtrusively. merry
person present, said, "Wait till 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 bay. We staid there, splash
ing and swimming, till the blue water
turned gray and the sun went down In a
red smudge. Then suddenly we all felt
an empowering desire to get out of our
clammy bathing suits and home to tea
as fast as possible. decided to walk l
was cold; besides rather wanted to get
away from the noisy crowd.
So the house party packed itself into
the wagonette and quickly disappeared
down the winding road, leaving me to
cut across the hills alone. Funny with
what alacrity people who are really fond
of you leave you behind.) felt very
much alone somehow, and l almost
wished had gone with them. Our
house is only mile from the Peconic
beach ON level line, but as the Shine
cock hills are like SO many green dump
lings ones progress is very up and downy.
and mile may be twisted into astonish-
| ing lengths.
struck across the fern scented hills at
rapid pace, one moment on top of q
mountain range, with view of the two
bays, the next down in hollow with
only bay bushes for a horizon. Istopped
in sort Of cup to watch the coming
night. The earth sent up warm, sweet
smell; little stars began to twinkle as
though pricked into the sky. Some
thing dark started up under my feet
my shadow, for the moon had risen. ut
is nice to be alone sometimes" thought.
Zone can't be intimate with nature
when crowds of people are about. feel
now that am lying on her BOSOM
Whirr-rl from the sky. Then two short
sounds like the tapping of a wet towel.
DISCRETION AND vALoR.
looked up. Right over my head,
poised as neatly as the sword of Damo-
cles was hawk. 1t looked quite sta
tionary, but remembered Mr. Rogers
words, and 1 felt bold. 1.-THE thing
doesn't seem inclined to swoop,'
thought. Then l started up a hill, with
my nose pointed at the hawk. Just as
reached the top it gave two flaps and
swooped. | clapped my hands. Where
upon the bird circled and dropped few
| feet.
II won't encourage it by looking at
| it," and walked into the next hollow
in dignifed manner. Then looked.
That brute of bird was lowering in an
expectant attitude. As it caught my
| glance 1t began to circle; it circled till
grew dizzy; then itgave cry of triumph
and swooped. That action demoralized
me; it turned the hawk into roc and
me into pygmy.
| With one "Shoop OF despair, l threw
manhood and self respect to the winds.
1 ran. IRAN as hard as 1 could, up hill
and down. Brambles caught at me;
blackberry vines clasped my ankles; but
once mounted ON terror nothing could
stop me. My white fanneled figure
shone out in 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 a long cry of scorn,
sailed away to the pine woods in the
west.
The house party was on the piazza az
/ came up. GLORIOUS walk" I cried.
"Ran half the way. Finest sport In the
world after bathingr' Mr.. Rogers fol-
lowed me into the house. "It's awful
when 1t swoops, isn't it2' he said, with
a cruel look in his brown eyes.
| York Post.