Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-01-06
FIELDS OF ADVENTURE.
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND DARING
DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA.

the future-a mile within the bound
aries of the great city. The dusk was
closing in upon perfect day.
From somewhere out of the bound
less eXpause of blue that marked Il
cloudless sky. says the New York
World, tiny speck appeared, grew
larger, blacker and became the like
ness of a gigantic bird. In wheeling
circles it flew ever nearer to the earth,
uttering fierce screams OF hunger
every now and then, and ever coming
nearer to the earth. 1t was an eagle,
as wild and savage as any that have
brought terror to the Andes. Yet it
was hunting within the circle of
Greater New York.
Round and round it swung on pin
ions that seemed motionless, in Il
spiral which meant death to some poor
creature. As it reached the lower
stratum of air above the present village
of Cedarhust, in what will soon be
the Borough OF Queens, there came
sudden and mighty clamor of crows.
They rose from wood and harvested
field an army of frightened and vocif-
erous cawers, for they knew that n
terrible enemy was near. Their alarm
probably saved human life.
Right over the farm of prosperous
Thomas NJ. Lloyd the eagle hovered,
looking for prey. Soon its sharp eyes
found it, for there back of the barn
was playing little James Thomas
Lloyd. He was boy of three, fat
and chubby, a most delicious morsel
for bird or cannibal. Above him the
fierce bird hovered, preparing to de-
scenJ, its talons drawn up to strike.
Yet the fierce bird hesitated, for there
were men in sight.
Its hesitation was fatal. While it
was lowering undecided the cawing of
the crows attracted the attention of
the farm hand Max. He thought some
hen hawk must be menacing the poul-
try yard and ran out to see what was
the matter. He almost tainted when
he beheld the ponderous bird circling
above the child of the house, the only
son.
"The gun-the gun!" he screamed
to Farmer Lloyd, who was luckily not
far away. And then he ran toward
the child, swinging his arms and
shouting.
A moment later Mr.. Lloyd appeared
at the door of the barn, shotgun in
his hand. In an instant he had taken
in the scene. His nerve did not de-
sert him. He saw the eagle swooping
toward his boy. He saw the latter on
his knees, looking upward without
fear, wondering at the big bird over
him. And then he let fly the contents
of the gun straight at the savage bird.
The charge entered its wing and the
eagle Topped, foundered and then
pitched headlong to the ground.
The foxy bird closed its eyes, laid its
head upon the ground and feigned
that it was dead.
"Go get bag" said Mr.. Lloyd to
Max.
The huge bird never opened its eyes
nor made offer to move while the hired
man was gone. But when he came
back with "A potato sack, and the two
men started to throw it over the head
of the bird, it suddenly came to life
again and fought with n fury of beak
and talons that left red streaks across
the hands of its human enemies. 1t
was caught at last and placed untamed
and savage in large hen coop.
Farmer Lloyd was completely un-
nerved after the excitement was over.
He took his little boy in his arms and
went over him like n child
"What was it, papa, snipe?" asked
the little fellow, looking up in wonder
at his fathers tears. He had often
heard the latter talk about going out
to shoot snipe, and he thought that
this must be one.
An attempt was made to measure
the pinious of the bird but It fought
so fercely that its captors were glad
to let it go. 1t was estimated that they
would measure full twelve feet from
tip to tip, and perhaps even more. 1t
was a mOnstrous bird.
The eagle made short work Of a
woman visitors pet dog that tried to
make friends. The bird reached out
a hungry bunch of talons between two
Stats Of the pen and the dog was trans
lated to the happy hunting ground.