Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1901-11-29
Gallant Little Hale Robbins
~ CHARLES AdasAs.
MASTER HALE ROBBINS h.. near,

u
lvl y recovered from the wounds rs
teived iAst August in his remarkable
battle with wo-white-headed eaglus
accounts Of which were published al
Ne time In Aeveral Maine newspapers
Hut u makes ones heart ache to see
che scars ON the little feiiow--greAt [
blue. livid scars that 70 to the bone;
eight on his face and scalp. eleven On
his right arm aud shoulder, six. o.
the other arm. three down his back
and several othery--Oyer 30 ia ajli
This lad Of ten IL indeed - battle
scarred veteranl" Some of thcea
scars he will carry TO his grAvs--elo-
quent evidence Of the pluck with
which he fought the big birds Of prey.
But thanks to the boys courage.
his little sister Lois. In whose defcnss
he made the fight. has but one light
scar upon her cheek. The two or
three red marks still visible ON her
hand and wrist. when contrastcd with
his wounds, show plainly how Hale
took tine aggressive and bore tho
brunt Of the battle. The fight WAS
fought to u finish. II was nearly AN
hour after tho eagles hrst swooprti
down that = last lucky blow Of the
cOrn-cutter brought the big female
20 the ground.
A local taxidcrmist has mounted
this eagle. and no archaeological col
lection within my knowledge pos<
s~ss~s more sAvage-looking syecl-
men Of lIaliaetus leucocephalus. The
wings. from tip TO tip, spread fully
six feet six inches.
The assault was not wholly unpro-
vokcd. although the children were not
40 blame for 1t. by III luck the birds
had just been disturbed by the fall
Of one Vt their young from the nest
in tho great elm tree.
The Robbinscs live in a clearing on
the 81. Croix river. In eastern Maine.
FROM their house to the district
school tho road IL n long one for lit
tle six-year-old Lois Robbins. and for
n mile and half or more II traverscs
shc forest. But up to the morning OF
the encounter the child had not
missed a day Of the summer term.
Hale had been his sisters trusty
guardian ever since she was large
enough to toddl- out-of-doors, and the
child needed a protector there. for it
is q rather wild sort Of country. not
wholly free from wild animals. The
boy appears TO have had no uncertain
or wavering sense Of his fraternal re-
sponsibility. Ever since he was seven
years old he had undertaken never
20 come home without little sister"
That morning they set of for school
just before eight o'clock. In addition
90 their dinner-pAil and two books.
they carried light woven bushel
basket and an old bush-hook. or corn
cutter. as they called II. because their
father sometimes used II for cutting
rows OF sweet corn In tho garden.
This tool consisted Of about IS inches
cut from the point Of worn-out hav
scythe. no inserted In . rude wooden
door. A man with . gsunt face looked
In.
"Room enough fer two7" he In
quir~d. Rhods's heart was beating 1T
his ears.
II shall probably bs killed" be re-
hected. and remembered with anger
that he had NO weapon Of any sort.
not even = pockstknife. The other
man had entered and eiosed the door
behind him. standing with his bnck 10
u. lie was short and rather stout. and
bis head sat almost upon his Shout
ders. His heavy nOas and mouth be-
spoke an obstinate. but not particular
" iil-natured temperament. hlA eyes
were sunk~n In his head. but hhods
rould see that they were black and
sharp In their eSpressios.
The feet Of the man protruded from
HE shoes. and his clothes were In .
ragged and hithy state. lie took his
bat from his head and dashed the
moikt're from II.
II guess yer givin' . house warmin.
Ain't ye?" he asked. smiling In ~ re-
Issuring u manner ~ possible. "fve
been Logging II fer IS hours. and rD
ht TO drop"
vNr'~ -cv'N -cv"- N-w~ ~~~0~~-
lered all OF those embarrassfncnts /
which had made him an outcast II he
had not been Of 4 whimsical tempera- |
mont. Now. suddenly. his fear de-
'erted him. He desired an adventure. |
Il certainly had been devoid Of all
venture In the place Of his residences
|or the last two years.
He held out his hand.
'Come In" said he. "There arc TIVE
.hairs and flre enough for forty. Il 10
! pity cannot give you something u
at and drink"
lie was smiling. and actually. for
moment. n glow went through hin
Ike that which comes from the eIer-
Use OF hospitality. The other mas
advanced almost jauntily.
"weIl. call this white!" he said.
n eommendation. "You're . gentle
nan. I ken see that. II you are dowp
IN your luck"
'Don't speak Of that. please." said
ahoda. lightly. II was just making
~ my mind to forget II for time"