San Saba County news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1874-19??, 1893-02-17
A EIGHT WITH OWLS.
How Uncle Elisha HUI Went for Ga
and Cot ..Done VB.H

How Uncle Elisha HUI Went for Gain'
and Got "Done Up"
Uncle Elisha HUI. a we'll known
citizen of Clover Plain. Conn. went
TO the door to look at the sky before
going to bed While he stood on ths
doorstep an owl Scoted in an apple
trcee across the garden.
Mr. Huff is an old hunter aud
trapper aud the minute he heard the
owl boot he decided to get him il he
could. He went back into the house
10 slip on his boots aud get his gun.
The moon was shining but Uncle
Elishas eyesight is not as keen as it
was once aud when he got under the
apple tree he could not see the owl.
With the idea of stirring the bird up
and making it Fly out OF the tree, if
was still there, he picked up a stone
and threw it among the branches
There was sort OF } uttering noise
among the limbs and Mr. HUFF tried
TO get sight OF the bird. but the shad-
ows were two much for him; he could
not see it and he let drive another
stone. This time there was more
noise among the limbs. and Mr. HUFF
thought he saw the owl sitting high
up in the tree. He pulled up his gun
in line with the dark object and pulled
the trigger The same instant Uncle
Elisha heard q sort OF a squeaI. and
he got a rap in the face that knocked
him fat When the old nan fell his
elbows struck stone and his gun
few out of his hand. He was a little
bit dazed at first but he soon col
lected his senses and saw sitting on
the branch OF a-quince tree a few feet
away Two immense white owls.
Mr. HUFF Immediately began to get
onto his feet but he did not reach
them. When he was on one knee
ready TO stand up the two owls with
a savage squeal shot out from the
ounce tree and struck the old man n
fearful blow on the $ dc of the head
with their claws Unclo Elisha top.
pied over half stunned The blood
was running down his face. When
he came 10 his mad was up and he
jumped TO his feet as quickly as his
age would permit him to. lie had
hardly Strengthened up when the owls
struck him again. This time one OF
the birds hit him on the head; the
other struck him on the chest The
Cd man went down once moro. aad
the two owls still sat on the cuince
tree limb squealinG and grinding their
beaks together ominously. When
Uncle Elisha moved the birds shook
their feathers sayagely and made
ready 70 pou-ce on him. Mr. Hull
hated TO give up to a couple Of owls
but he knew enough TO lie still while
thinking out a plan for outwitting
them. He thought of his dog and
whistled to him. The dog was asleep
in his kennel. out back OF the house.
He was a big lay animal OF the
Newfoundland species. He heard his
masters whistle and shambled out
into the garden. When the dog got
within ten feet OF the gu nee bush The
owls landed on his back. aud he
moved faster than he had moved for
years in the direction OF his kennel.
yelping painfully. Mr. HUI sci ed
upon this opportunity to get IN but
lay down again when the owls left
tho dog and started for the ounce
tree
nee Mr. HUFF 7rted 10 crawl
toward the house on his hands and
knees but he was brought to halt
by the owls Thoy lit on his bacx
and pounded his head and sides I'M
mersifuly with their wings The
old fellow hated to acknowledge him.
elf beaten and he lay still till after
midnight trying to think out some
way OF escape from his tormenlors but
he could not do / and he iinally yelled
at the top OF his voice Tor n IS son 10
come Out. HIS son was about hall
asleep when he came inlo the garden
in answer to his fathers calls lie
woke up however when one OF the
owls came ut him with a soueat |
The young man retreated to the
house and got his gun. When he re
turned 10 the garlen his father was
still lying on the ground aud the owls |
occupied the limb of The ounce bush.
\ Dung Huff was a crack SHOT and /
.aking both b rds at long range he /
ct both barrels OF his gun 90 at them.
They tumbled TO the ground dead. |
he owls were very large. One (
three and half feet across /
he wings from tip to tip. The other
measured few inches less.