The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1900-04-19

BrOuuu' OuaDle 10 ny us YET, IL clnbB
to the limb with its feet, Hopping
clumsily. Meantime, the parent
eagle, after peering down from the
nest, swooped past it, then rose. An
other smaller eagle, too, the male
bird, probably, appeared on the scene,
and sailed around the tree.
The eaglets screams excited the
children greatly, and they approached
nearer, to get a better view. Several
times the parent bird swooped close
beside the suspended eaglet, and rose
an il to boar ii aloft again; but the
youngster clung obstinately aud
screamed continuously, while little
Lois cried aloud, from sympathy or
excitement. The noise seemed to
rouse the ire OF the old bird, aud it
swooped close to the heads OF the
children, swapping wrsthful, yellow
beak, and utteYing short, hoarse
screams.
1t came very close, tapping its
great wings, aud it's savage oyes were
so terrifying that Lois turned, cryihg,
and ran back TO where they had set
down the bushol basket; but Hale
caught up q stone and fling it high at
the bird. shouting, keep of, old
snapper -bilI'
Immediately the eagle swooped
again, 50 near that its talons clutched
the straw hat on the boys head, and
one pinion brushed his face There.
upon ho seized dry hemlocb bough,
aud facing the bird, which rose no
more than thirty or forty feet in the
air, struck at il as it swooped third
time. But the eagle descended with
such forcs that Hale was knocked
over; and this time ono OF its talons
tore the brush from his hands, lacer-
ating his right wrist.
Screaming fiercely, the bird rose,
carrying the dry bough high in the
aiy, while the boy, alarmed and hurt,
ran backward to where little Lois
stood. The other eagle swooped
toward the children, bat not close
enough to strike with its claws.
Lois was now crying loudly and
looking for some place to hide herself,
but en the burnt land there is little
cover.
While the female eagle was hover
ing above them, still holding tho dry
bough, tho lad remembered the corn
cutter which was in the bushel basket
along with the school books and lunch
basket. He hourished it defantly,
shouting, "I'll cut your head off, old
eagle" and the morning sun may
have cast CLINT upward from the
blade; for the female eagle, dropping
the bough, swooped again more saw
agely than before.
This time one claw clutched the
boys head, tearing two deep scratches
in his forehead, and pulling out q
great deal OF his hair. He was knocked
dowu aud cried out from the pain, but
struggled bravcly to his feet and faced
the fierce bird, which was now hover
ing almost directly over his head,
SCI canning aud swapping with its beak.
The other bird also stopped again, as
il seconding the attack OF its more for
midable mate. The shrieks of the
little girl only increased their exasper-
alton.
If the boy Ind wavered, it would
probably have proved fatal to one or
both of tho children. But Hale cried,
"Stop that crying, Lo, and put the
bushel basket over your head!" Bare
headed aud bleeding himself. he gal
lantly faced the lowering bird and
brandished the corn-cutter. Down it
swooped on him again; but the little
fellow, learning from experience,
lodged aside and struck as the eagle
shot past. He hit it with the point
of the blade, aud felt the sudden Joy
of striking home for the first time.
Emaged, the bird turned short in
the air, screaming wildly, and dashed
at him again. This time it fixed a
talon in his back, knocked him of his
feet, and dragged him till his clothing
gave way. HE fell hard upon some
small loose stones, and for an instant
lay prostrate-so frightening little
Lois that she ran toward him, partly
raising the basket off her head. One
OF the eagles swooped at the same mo-
ment, struck it's claws into the basket,
tearing it away, and wounding the
child's face.
Her shrek Of pain brought the
dazed boy to his feet; but before he
could strike, the eagle swooped again
with great force. One claw buried it.
self in his upraised arm, and again he
was dragged violently from his feet.
The eagle, holding fast, with au angry
scream, beat him hard with its wings,
then sunk its hooked bea1 in his
cheek.
Boy and bird fell and rolled over on
the ground; but the boy grasped the
birds neck, and with his wounded
arm dealt such blows as he could, and
tore out handfuls of feathers until the
eagle, struggling free from his grasp,
rose few feet The relief was only
for an instant, for the bird pounced
down on him again, and yet again
The lad was thrown on his back. but
kept on fighting, striking aud kick
ing upward with both feet. The eagle,
clntching his foot with its talons,
dragged him for number OF yar ~,
beating him terribly with its wings.
II WAS whila hainQ TINS dra aOQad his