The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1912-03-28
Girls and
Rabbits
tcopyrisht. 1911. by Associated Literary Press)


down to The Birches to do a little
winter rabbit hunting. He was TWEEN
ty-three years old and was thinking
about the law, medicine, insurance,
banking and girls.
II was his brother who was master
at The Birches. and 1t was his cousin
Clara who welcomed him with sort
of Indian warwhoop, danced a jig,
and then exclaimed:
Never since Columbus discovered
America"
"What2"
"Have there been so many rabbits.
Down at the edge of the woods yes
terday counted over million"
you don't say!"
"And there were millions more
didn't see. We shall shoot and ship
enough to the city to buy a new au-
to-"
"That will be so nice!"
"And you are to meet Mollie Parker
She lives just half mile away. She
is the sweetest, incest girl you ever
saw. She doesn't believe in killing
rabbits, because they are so innocent,
but oh. my she is fierce on chicken
thieves! When she talks about them
her eyes fairly glare. She's had
chickens stolen three times. and she
says II she could catch the thief In
he act she'd show him no mercy.
She's got a shotgun all ready for
him"
There was rabbit hunting, and
there was an introduction to Miss
Mollie Parker. Both events were
quite satisfactory to young Donald.
All the rabbits escaped. and he at
once fell in love with the girl.
At the end of fortnight Miss
Clara began to glggle She giggled
all one day and wouldn't explain
why.
Next day she chuckled. She
wasn't going to explain that. either,
but Clarence took her out to a snow
drift FIVE feet deep and threatened
her death by suffocation, and she
agreed to be good
We'll you know. want to play
Joke on Mollie." she said
We'll, why don't your was asked.
'T want your help. It's a chicken
Joke"
"Is it something to make the hens
laugh?"
at surely is. You and I will steal
four or five of her chickens and bring
them home here. Why, when she's
mad she's the loveliest thing ever"
80 that's what you've been chuc-
king and gigglng over! Well, l won't
go into it,"
why, Clarence Donald! You won't
pretend to steal chickens to please
mel"
Il didn't say wouldn't go. was
just making few inquiries, you
know. You don't think Mollie will be
mad at me If we take tho chickens?"
MAD? Why, she'll just love you
for It! She'll see at once that you
are not Scotch and can take a joke.
Why. II viii surely bring about a
marriage between you!"
"If you think that way?"
"Of course ! do"
Yes, Miss Mollie Parker had chick
ems. A mile away lived a hardwork-
ing. honest colored man, who had
been helping himself to potpie at in
tervals and escaping suspicion. Miss
Mollie also had a shotgun, and knew
| how to use ii. She strung wire from
her chamber window to the hennery
and attached a bell. Then, with the
shotgun within reach, and waiting to
| take the law into it's own hands, she
| jumped into bed.
Up at The Birches at midnight's
| solemn hour-s-s>s-sh!
A door is cautiously opened-two
| doors. Two muffied figures steal
down stairs. One of them giggles.
Out of the front door and down the
road! No noon An ideal night
Two mufiied figures climb a fence.
They wade through snow up to their
knees. They peek-they peer-they
| crouch!
The hennery Is reached at last. It's
guardian sleeps. The hens within
| are unconscious of peril. They think
the hired man has come to give them
an extra feed for being good One
muffled figure carefully opens the
door. Two hundred feet away bell
rings and a girl hops out of bed,
seizes the shotgun and raises the sash
The alarm reaches. the hennery
There is gasp and an "oh, my!" and
one OF the figures fees. The other
seems to be confused, and 1t is while
he is humping against a pear tree
and getting up again that he hears
the report OF gun and feels forty bird
shot enter his anatomy. He utters a
long-drawn yell, and there is blood on
the snow.
Two households are aroused. In one
a girl exclaims:
"Father-mother-I shot that
chicken thief!"
In the other 1t Is:
"Father-mother- -cook-everybody
Clarence has been shot to death ano
is lying a cold corpse!"
| TO eo.tx, I,t,dahAf had haat. irad IN n