The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-09-23
A TRAGEDY of the Woods.

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2 field in Maryland, with gun and dogs
when II saw soariIfg above me-, a large
hawk, which seemed oblivious of MY
presence until it, ad~flown within CON
venient range.
ss.The. great bird swung gracefully. al
most directly overhead, and as | threw
the gun to my shoulder it paused, as If
realizing it's mistake; In that second l
fred and the bird ree1ed in rnidair. : 1t
tmade few half strokes. forward with
one wing, fell safoot or two and then
recovered itself. One wing was injured.
but not entirely broken; it's eyolutions
We're vigorous and lightning like.
AS it reached out in vain for something
to grasp, it showed every sign of being
filled with. rage at the unknown calamity
that had happened to it. From the time
when,, as a fiedgling, it had left the nest.
its wings had never failed it till the pres
ent moment. They had carried it. up into
stornl-clouds; they had bathed it in sun
light far above the earth; they had borne
it swooping, with open beak and extended
claws, from the heights of trees upon
its prey, or in swift flight and rapid turn
ings as it followed its quarry in air.
But as lit had flown: from the woods
ycndcr, aiming at that lofty tree, from
which it hopefsf6 look out for quail,
there had been a movement of man, a
PUN oA SuiOhSs iUlSe. anu SOI1eHOW
tho,H broad strong wings could pilot it
no longer. Now there was an awful
pressure, bearing fe9earer and nearer to
the ground. ;5'''
Its: struggle is in vain; it's desperate
strokes with the wounded wing fail to sup
port it; lower, and lover it comes, with
rage flaming, from its eyes, its beak wide
open. its claws spread. As it falls it
passes rlose fes messapdsstrikes out vicious
When mnen the ground, where it can
stand uppnits feet, it makes ready to fight
as step towards it. 1t holds out its unin-
jured wing. and with unfaltering gaze
looks upon and makes towards me: one of
the dogs dashes in, to receive stroke
that makes him howl.
There is nothing for it but to give this
fierce thing another cartridge regret
thatsit has been shot at all. Hawks are
usually SO wise in keeping out of range. SO
ablesta take care of themselves. that one
they fly over, with little expectation Of the
shots taking effect. So that this time |
havesthoughtlessly succeeded iii making a
cripple.
Meis too badly hurt to leave him to pine
and starve; the dogs cannot kill him. SO
find myself reluctantly compelled to finish
whAf has been begun. The bird is so
brave, dauntless and warfior-like, that it is
a pity to slaughter him. He is the king of
ma farms around. The quail, the mice,
ill Nhe insects and lesser animals and
BIRDS fear him. His fight is so lofty and
swift, his eye SO piercing, his beak so
stroR1s hisst alons so sharp. that when his
shadow fails upon field the hearts of all
creatuEos fail ssssithin them.
Now this King Is himself prostfated be-
foresas emightier;; this knight is hors de
cOmbatSin the arena. What spectators Of
those that have feared him are looking on?
Have other creatures in the tops. of; the
trees yonder taken notice of that sud
den arresting Of the hawks fight, and
of his desperate fall? Probably they have
their OWL way..Qf communicating news of
the essfH1tionS ST heir ehemies, and.ait
may ndw u known to all things for half
a miles6h9sH that:the great bird has been
smitten from theselouds. & ~ s5S
| It wilIbe no mercy tleaye this proud.
spirit t3suffer. With his broken wing, and
&c eanh1e sso Wg sts so
few yaSsis. in order that the shot, may
not tear his body too much.
Z How fierce and undaunted he looks!
What look of strength in his eyes! He
shows no fear ofsfhe dogs or of the man.,
He watches any movements keenlE and
is looking right towards the muzzle of the
gun as the fame of death carries the
shot! u. 1851. ST.. =. =. IS. $50.
Fl There is Il brief struggle The bcak
opens once or twice, the eye CLEANS with
defance, and then stands wide open in
death. The brave bird. master Of Ill thu
creatures in the woods hereabout. thes ter
helpless at last! { I - - s.s .5.s
= Ha is very rrarnf,,l pyel,s II, death : I'd