The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-05

FATHER AND THE EAGLE.
pairing to dart upon its intended prey. He
was reared within sight of the peaks of
the Austrian Alps, and he recognized the
bird as an eagle. Had he been longer a
resident of Indiana he might with almost
equal right nave styled the %swooping giant
a roc or any other tabled flying creature
of antiquity. But he did not know that
an eagle has no territorial right to appear
above the marshes of Indiana and supposed
that eagles must be everyday sights for
the people of the neighborhood.
He determined, however, to possess the
eagle, dead or alive. He waited until it
fell upon the rabbit and pinioned it with
it's claws. With the true instinct of a con-
queror the eagle stood for a moment over
it's PROSTATE victim, and in that moment
its own doom was sealed. The brown
breast offered its full front to the hunter.
Father Benedict brought his gun to the
level of his shoulder, took quick but ac-
curate aim and fired. The charge of heavy
shot struck the breast, feathers went flying
in every direction and the badly wounded
bird fell heavily forward.
Father Benedict thought that he had
killed the game. He dropped his gun and
ran forward to examine his prize. He had
not estimated either the protective power
of the feathers or the vitality of the bird.
AS the priest stopped over the body h
eagle reused itself to furious life. Spring.
ing upward, it fastened its talons into the
priestly yestments and dug it's beak vicious
ly and deeply into the clerical shoulder.
Astonished but not ~dis1nayed, Father
Benedict fought back, trying desperately
to get the enemy's neck into his hands.
His efforts at throttling were futile, for
the eagle, striking savagely with its BILL,
continued to eyade the fingers. The priesa
resorted to other tactics. He kicked at thS
birds body and underworld to come to
close enough quarters to prevent the bird
from using it's beak. The eagle was again
the victor, for it beat him off with its
wings. He was becoming exhausted and
has himself admitted since that he would
have been glad to take to flight. He was
bleeding in a dozen different places, md
he feared that each new blow would de-
prive him of eyesight. But he could not
flee. The talons which preventedhin from
mastering the eagle prevented him also
from leaving it in possession of the Held.
One or the other must sucoumb.
Nerved rather than disheartened by his
appreciation of tho real peril in which he
stood, he started to rush the battle to o.
crisis. Like Fitzsimmons in the Nevada
prize ring, he planned to end all with q
blow. He ceased his wrestling tactics and
began to strike madly with his fists. He
struck at the bleeding breast, at the body
and even at the elusive neck. His fist
landed somewhere with stunning force
and in the end a disheveled, painting,
bloody priest stood above a limp mass Of
feathers.
The contest had taken place within view
of the scattered cottages of Robertsdale,
and the alarm was finally given by the
children. The only man at the settlement
at that time of day was George Nickel,
the organist of the church, Father Bene-
diets companion at the modest parish
house. Nickel seized a stout walking stick
and started across the fields to aid his
friend, but he did not arrive until the bout
was ended. The two prepared to lift the
eagle and bear it home, but again the
fierce valor of the monarch of the air rose
superior to its weakness. This time, how
ever, two foes were against it, and it soon
lay bound and sullen. The men hoisted
the body over che cane and bore it home.
They expected that the eagle would be
dead by tho time the journey was ended,
hut the wound did not prove mortal. In
the wood shed the captive tottered to its
feet and looksd gloomily about, but did
not offer to renew the conflict. Spirit was
broken, though life remained. On exam-
ination the shot were found buried in the
flesh of the breast, but as none of them
had penetrated to the crop the eagle could
eat and digest its food with unimpaired
power. In a week the flesh had healed
over and in two weeks the bird showed no
trace Of the injury. Its appetite increased
and grew yoracious. Father Benedict had
to have it killed to save expenses.