The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-26
VANOUISHED BY OWLS.
A Connecticut Farmer Beaten by a
Couple of Night Birds.
n ew York Pres

NV hbIA russ.
Uncle Elisha Huff, o well-known citizen
of Glover Plain. went 10 the door last Mon
day night to take look at the sky before
going 10 bed. While he stood on the DOOR
step an owl hooted in an apple tree across
the garden.
Mr.. Huff is an old hunter and trapper and
the minute he heard the owl boot he de-
eided TO get him If he could.
He went back into the house TO slip on his
boots and get his gun. The moon was
shining, but Uncie Elisha's eyesight is not
as keen rs it was once and when he got
under the apple tree he couldn't see the
owl With the idea Of stirring il up and
making it fly out Of the tree, If il was still
there, he picked up a stone and threw Ii
among the branches.
There was sort of fluttering noise'among
the limbs. and Mr.. Huff tried 10 get sight of
the bird, but the shadows were too much
for him; he couldn't see ii. and he let drive
another stone. This time there was more
noise among the limbs, and Mr.. Huff fought
ne saw the owl sitting high up in the tree.
lie pulled up his gun in line with the dark
object and pulled the trigger. That same
instant Uncle Elisha heare sort of squeal,
and he got rap in the tace that knocked
him FAT.
When the old man fell his elbow struck a
stone and his gun fell out of his hand. He
collected his senses, and saw. sitting on the
branch Of ounce tree a few feet away,
two immense white owls.
Mr.. Huff immediately began to get onto
his feet, but he didn't reach them. When
he was on one knee, ready to stand up,
the two owls. with savage sQGeal, shot out
from the the ounce tree and struck the old
man fearful blow on the side OF the head
with their claws.
Uncle Elisha toppled over half stunned.
L. .f,v,. 4
When he came TO his mad was up, and he
jumped 10 his feet as quickly as his age
would permit him 10. He hardly straight
eued up when the owls struck him again.
This time Que OF the birds hit him in the
head, the other on the chest. The old
man went down once more, and the two
owls still SAT on the quince-tree limb squeal-
ing aud grinding their beaks together omi-
nously. When Uncle Elisha moved the
birds shook their feathers savagely and
made ready 10 pounce on him.
Mr.. Huff hated 10 give up TO few owls.
but be knew enough 10 lie still while think
ing out plan to outwit them. He thought
of his dog and whistled 10 him. The dog
was asleep IN his kennel out back of the
house. lie was big, lazy animal Of the
Newfoundland species. He heard mis-
masters whistle and shambied cut into the
garden.
When the dog got within ten feet OF the
ounce bush the owls landed on his back,
and he moved faster than he had moved for
years in tie direction of his kennel, yeiping
painfully Mr.. HUFF seized upon this op-
portunity to getup, but he quickly lay down
again when The owls left the dog and started
for the ounce tree
Once Mr.. Buff started to crawl toward
the house on his hands and knees, but he
was brought TO a halt by the owls. They
liz on his back and pounded his head and
sides numerically with their wings.
The old fellow hated to acknowledge him
self beaten and lie lay till after midnight
trying to think OF some way Of escape from
his tGrmentors. but he couldn't do il, and he
finally yelled ut the top of his voice for his
son to come out.
His son was about half asleep when be
came into the garden in answer 10 his
fathers calls. He woke up. however, when
one Of the owls came at him with sQueal.
The young man retreRted 10 the house and
got his gun. When he returned to the gar
den his father was still lying on the ground
and the owls occupied the limb of the ounce
bush. Young Huff was a crack shot.
and taking both birds in at long range. he
let both barrels of his gun go at them. They
tumbled TO the ground dead.
The owls are very large. One measured
three and one-half feet across the wings
from tip to tip. The other measured few
inches less.