Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-11-07

time of night 'thout they have some
reason to. It's that fox come back;
that's what it's"
Miss Patience earlier in the evening
| had related narrowing tale of the
loss Of two of Mrs. Mayo's best Leg
horns that had gone to furnish Sun
day meal for marauding fox. AS the
said Leghorns were the pride of the
old lady's heart, even the impending
proposal was driven from Miss Davis
mind.
"oh, Perez, you don't s'pose tits the
fox, do you?'
yes, ma'am, I dol Where's the
gum"
There it's, behind the door, but there
amt mite Of shot in the house. Alb
ner's been goin' to fetch some from the
store for 1 don't know how long, but
he's always forgot It,"
Never mind. I'll pound the critter
with the butt. Come quick, and bring
a lamp"
The noise in the hen yard continued,
and when they opened the door it was
louder than ever.
Hes In the henhouse," whispered
Miss Patience. HE must have gone
in that hole at the side that had the
loose board over It,"
"All right" murmured the captain.
"You go round with the lamp and open
the door-that'll scare him-and I'll
stand at the hole and thump him when
he comes out"
So, shielding the lamp with her apron,
the guardian Of Mrs. Mayo's outraged
Leghorns tiptoed around to the hen
house door, while Captain Perez bran
dishing the gun like club, took up his
stand by the hole at the side.
Without the lamp the darkness was
pitchy. The captain, STOPPING down to
watch, saw something coming out Of
the hole-somethng that was alive and
moved. He swung the gun above his
head and, bringing It down with all
his might, knocked into eternal oblivion
the little life remaining in the finest
Leghorn rooster.
"Consarn it!' yelled the executioner,
STOPPING and laying his hand on the
VlcIlm. I've Killed nen!
Just then there came scream from
the other side Of the henhouse, follow
ed by crash and the sound of fall.
Running around the corner, the alarm
ed Perez saw his ladylove stretched
upon the ground, grooming dismally.
"Great land of Goshen" he cried.
"Pashy, are you hurt?"
"Oh, Perez" gasped the fallen one.
ooh, Perez
The pitiful appeal had such an effect
upon the captain that he dropped upon
his knees and, raising Miss Davis head
in his hands, begged her to say she
wasn't killed. After some little time
she obligingly complied and then, hav-
ing regained her breath, explained the
situation.
What had happened was this: The
fox, having selected his victim, the
rooster, had rendered it helpless and
was pushing it out Of the hole ahead
Of him. The captain had struck the
rooster just as Miss Patience opened
the door, and the fox, seizing this
chance Of escape, had lodged by the
lady, upsetting her as he went
WELL" she said, laughing, there's
no great harm done. I'm sorry for the
rooster, but guess the fox had fixed
him anyway. Oh, my soul and body,
look therel''
Perez turned, looked as directed and
saw the henhouse in flames.
tyH+ ~
tience had dropped as she fell, lay
broken on the floor, and the blazing
oil had run in every direction. The
flames were making such Roadway
that they both saw there was practi-
cally no chance Of saving the building
The frightened hens We're huddled in
the farthest corner gazing stupidity at
the fire.
"Oh, those poor Leghornsw walled
Miss Patience. '"Those hens Mrs.
Mayo thought the world Of and left
me to look out for! Last thing she
asked me was to be sure they was fed.
And now they'll be all burned up!
What shall do?"
Here the lady began to cry.
Pashy," roared the captain, whom
the sight Of his charmer's tears had
driven almost wild, don't say another
word. I'll save them hens or git cook
ed along with emp
And turning up his coat collar, as
though he was going into refrigerator
instead Of burning building, Captain
Perez sprang through the door.
Miss Davis screamed wildly to him
to come back and danced about, wiring
ing her hands. The interior Of the
henhouse was now mass of black
smoke, from which the voices of the
captain and the Leghorns foated in a
discordant medley, something like this:
Hold still, you lunatics! (Squawk!
SquawkD Druther be roasted than
have me catch you, hadn't you?
tSquawk! SquawkD A kershew
Land! I'm smothered! Now I've got
you! Thunderation! Hold still! Hold
still, tell you" =
Just as the agonized Miss Patience
was on the point Of fainting the little