The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-10-22
NOT A FAIR GAME.

tho fence, one morning in June.
sS' . "l,ttle fellows" listened moment
1he u,on they rushed off to their play
anV ,ho fields. The sky was clear ann
~ ,,,o and they could see any danger
plu', ,oroature that might appear, while
vus s',oe vet a long way Off. They would
u w. w nenty of time to scurry away, to
na 10, home before 1t could catch them
ee' ot least, to hide deep In the bushes
MI II had gone. go.
ali chap. What with telegraph
s,ur s,ires hung up in the most unexpected
,aoos and the railroad with all the
po,so and smoke, and those terrible
noDys ho n does seem as IL we could not
hovo a minutes peace. It's look out
mere or run away from this or fly
away from that all the time"
"ohl I'm not afraid" said one young.
&.,er "I did run into a telegraph wire
me first day It was put up, but now
lodge them all. ,
small Miss, in speckled gray. u
Snow they do no harm, but they fright
en- me Just the same, and l always fly
"I can stand nearly everything but
the hawks" said one OF the older ones
in the party.
They all agreed nobody could abide
hawks. If II were not for the fact that
they could run and hide when the
hawks appeared, life would not be
worth living.
High in the air. wheeling slowly
round and round in great circles, was
hawk looking sharply down on the
country, spread out like map beneath
him. He could see the fields, the
woods. the brooks and ponds, the
roads and the railway. There were
chickens down in the farm yards. He
must move slowly and cautiously so as
2 not to attract attention and alarm the
cock and hens. II he was careful, per-
haps he could have spring chicken for
breakfast. Suddenly he dropped, like
stone, out of the sky right into a farm
yard. Ali They saw him and ran,
and-oh oh!-there was man with gun!
The hawk turned and darted into the
air. while a shower of shot whistled
after him.
How vexatious! No chicken this
time The sun was now more than an
hour high and he had eaten nothing
since the afternoon before. when he
had caught a sparrow In a wheat field.
He circled round and round, keeping a
sharp lookout for breakfast All!
here was Just the thing-a whole flock
of little birds holding a meeting in
field next to the railroad.
He steered off to one side and then
made bold dart right in among them.
Away they flew in every direction and
in moment were jeering at him from
the bushes. He sprang up into the air
and sailed round and round, very hun
cry and in a discontented frame OF
mind.
The meeting of the little fellows re-
sumed it's session, and one small speak
er made a brave speech about not car
ing for anything. He could get out or
the way at any time. He was not the
one to be afraid Of
Just then a train rushed by on the
railroad and the meeting adjourned in
q hurry. The speaker tumbled from
the fence-rail and the audience scam
pered off quite demoralized by fright.
"Ha! hav' remarked the hawk.
THAT gives me an ideal I'll have reg
ular breakfasts after this"
He looked up and down the railroad
fOr miles in each direction and saw
trsn coming He flew that way and
soor met it tearing along with great
nr'rlr and much smoke. 1t was trt-
fe llarming at first, but he bravely
ioawed it and found he could easily
keep up with the cars, though the
smoke made his eyes smart He flew
close behind the last car, right in the
smoke and dust where he could not be
seen. AS the train rushed along, he
s,Ia n.fr 10
away on each side, frightened out Oh
their wits by the noise and smoke.
Swoop! The train rushed on and
sly Mr., Hawk clapped his claws on
sparrow and then flew leisurely away
to enjoy his breakfast.
Every one within a mile was on hand
al the great indignation meeting at
cranberry Hollow. Blue and gray ana
black and red breasts-in fact, every
little thing on wings in that part OF the
country.
1t was dreadful! Perfectly shame
ml. The hawks had devised horrible,
wicked trick. They flew behind rail-
road trains, and when the little birds
were half frightened out Of their wits
and tried to run away in confusion, the
uoi lcu OuI liOhl 'hS Su' y
and, pouncing upon the poor innocents
actually ate them up! Such a state OF
ahairs could not be tolerated. 1t was
monstrous, tyrannical, and very wick
ca on the part of the hawks. Resolu-
Nohs declaring the practice an unfair
one and calling for its suppression,
must be drawn up and sent by mail to
al the railroad men, and copies must
oe presented to the hawks.
4, Just then a venerable tomtit rose In
tne meeting and remarked in severe
manner that, for his part, he thought
sney had just cause for indignation.
me resolutions were highly proper and
should be signed by all, but--remind-
ing MS hearers of the well-known fable
VI the rats, the bell, and the cat-he
"ould like to ask who was to deliver
cue paper to the hawks.
"A solemn hush fell on the assembled
congress. Not peep was raised. 1t
was SO until you could have heard a
pin-teather drop.
suddenly there was a rush. roar
ahd binding cloud OF smoke, The