Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-01-23

"Oh, that's nothin'; only the hen
squawkin'. Go on!''
Eyes, but hens don't squawk thil
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 th,
loss Of two Of Mrs. MayO's best Leg
horns that had gone to furnish Sun
day meal for marauding fox. As tht
said Leghorns were the pride of tht
old lady's heart even the impending
proposal was driven from Miss Davis
| mind.
"Oh, Perez, you don't s'pose tits thu
fox, do you"
"Yes, ma'am, I do! Where's the
gun"
There tits, behind the door, but there
amt q mite Of shot in the house. Alb
ner's been goin' to fetch some from the
store for l don't know how long, but
ne always IOrBOt IL.
Never mind. I'll pound the critter
with the butt. Come quick, and bring
lamp"
The noise in the hen yard continued,
and when they opened the door 1t 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 90 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 hem
house door, while Captain Perez, BRAN
dishing the gun like a 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-something 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 itv' yelled the executiOner,
STOPPING and laying his hand on the
victim. 1--WE killed hen"
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, groaning dismally.
"Great land of Goshenw he cried.
"Pashy. are you hurt?'
"Oh. Perez" gasped the fallen one.
"Oh, Perez"
The pitiful appeal had such an effect
upon the captain that he dropped upon
bis 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 1t 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 I guess the fox had fixed
him anyway. Oh, my soul and body.
look therew
Perez turned, looked rs directed and
saw the henhouse In flames.
The lighted lamp, which Miss Pa
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 headway
that they both saw there was practi-
cally no chance Of saving the building.
The frightened hens were huddled In
the farthest corner gazing stupidity at
the fire.
"Oh, those poor Leghorns!' 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 dor
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 'em!"
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 hoated in
discordant medley, something like this:
Hold still, you lunatics! (Squawk!
SquawkD Druther be roasted than
have me catch you. hadn't you!
(Squawk! SquawkD A-kershew!
Land! I'm smOthered! Now I've got
you! Thunderation! Hold still! Hold
still, tell your
Just as the agonized Miss Patience
was OH the point Of fanting the little
window at the back Of the shanty was
thrown open and two hens, like feath-
cred comets. shot through it. Then the
red face of the captain appeared for
an instant as he caught his breath
with a "WoOshw and dived back again.
This performance was repeated six
times, the captains language and the
compliments he paid the hens becOm-
ing more picturesque every moment.
At length he announced, That's all,
thank goodnessr' and began to climb
through the window. This was diff
cult task, for the window was narrow
and, in spite Of what Captain Err had
called his "injy rubber" makeup. Cap
tain Perez stuck fast.
"Catch hold Of my hands and haul,
will you, PashyY he pleaded. THAT'S
it; pull hard! It's gittin' sort Of muggy
in behind here. I'll never complain
at havin' cold feet ag'in IL git out of
this. Now, then! Ugh! Here we be!'
He came out with jerk, like cork
out of bottle, and rolled on the ground
af his lady's feet