The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-11-05
!, The True
!; Story Of
! Trapsy, q
! Massachusetts Fox
RY MRS. ANNIE A. PRESTON
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(By Mrs. Annie A. Preston.)


We'll, / must say" said Uncle Zeke
as he came in to breakfast, that
don't fancy marketing my chickens
to Mother Fox up at Foxboro
on the side hill. i never shall get
rich raising poultry at this rate, some
thing will have to be done about il"
"Set trap" suggested Aunt Sarah
as she poured the coffee
"And catch cat? II |. was boy
/ would dig the varmint out"
"S'pOse you'd find the hole first, 2
grinned John Henry with his mouth
full of griddle cake. Dick and i
haven't been smart enough, but if you
say SO we'll spend two or three more
days up in the wood lot"
Il don't say SO, young feller."
grinned Uncle Zeke in turn you may
go trap borrowing instead. And be
sure to tell all the neighbors to shut
in all their cats and dogs until after
sunrise tomorrow morning"
The neighborhood lads were all in.
terested sufficiently to accept the in.
vitation to bring their traps about
shutdown" and assist in the batting
and setting and they were still chat
ting in the wellhouse ass to whose
trap was most likely to catch and
hold the thief when succession Of
sharp barks over behind the poultry
houses assured them that the cunning
marauder was already caught.
Now, what shall be done?" cried
Uncle Zeke. Leave him and let him
bark all night as a melancholy ex-
ample to his neighbors. or shall we
made an end Of him with a gun? 1t
always did seem blamed mean to me
to catch critter in a trip an then
kill it,
It's that little light trap of Eu-
genes" shouted John Henry, who had
darted away at the first yelp of the
prisoner and was now returning with
the Information. He's caught by one
foot and he's running away with the
trap. Come on, boys!" ~
What race that was by the bright,
white light of the full June moon. The
feet, cunning wild creature had the
start but her infrequent banks of pain
gave her pursuers the clue. and, impe.
ded by the painful burden of the trap
clinging like an angry thing to her
poor manned foot, she was soon over.
taken.
Let her go home.'' said John
Henry. Give her time enough, we're
in no hurry"
There, the trap is caught in the
brush!" some one shouted, and the pa
thetic whining cry that rang out
through the woodland made Uncle
Zeke who, very much out of breadth,
had come up, declare that he wished
he had never complained but had let
the poor mother go into the chicken
yard and help herself, unmolested.
Tn sorry for her, blamed II amt.
What can we do to end this racket.
kin her, set her free. or what?"
Please be quiet minute" whis.
pered Dick. There comes her young
ones through the shadows. Can't you
see them?"
ITO be sure" cried John Henry,
making sudden dive, "and I've got
one OF them"
Boy-like they all rushed to see the
bright eyes and pointed nose protrld-
ing from the breast of John Henry's
thin jacket.
He's lively one to hold. and don't
you forget it." cried the lad. 81 don't
want to lose him and I'm going
home"
I'VE might all as well co. said
Uncle Zele. Here's the trap and
here's that blamed thiefs foot, poor
thing. Guess she must think she's
paying pretty high price for chicken
meat"
"She will when she counts her ba-
bies," chuckled John Henry. "We'll
tether this fellow with trace-chain
under the old butternut tree back of
the harm and we shan't have to worry
about the chickens any more this year