El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-05-17
A POINTED ARGUMENT
The Herald's Daily
Short Story

its morther's return, she who would
never return.
Then suddenly, and with such unex-
pected speed that ii quite startled one,
the hedgehog made q quick. low rush,
and was upon the unfortunate leVereU-
There ensued a wild scurry Of short
duration, a prolonged pathetic squeal,
and silence. The leTeret was sitting
quite still, with its head hanging
down on one side, and with a hole in
its stomach 1t was most -unquestion-
ably dead.
That was a feed such as the hedge
hog would not be likely to get more
than once or twice in a lifetime pos
sibly and he made the most OF It, Ar
forwards he returned TO his nest among
the dr. leaves and the roots Of the
woodland hedge.
Next day was horribly wet The
hedgehog started out 10 cross the
meadow, but turned back in face OF the
driving rain, and, even as he did so,
something red leapt al him from the
jungle OF dripping bracken that filled
the hedge ditch 1t was very quick
spring. even for a fOX-Which the red
thing Was-but the hedgehog was
quicker. He literally jerked himself
into q ball, and all the fox got for his
pains was mouthful of spines. Then
he snarled and went away.
AS for the hedgehog. he waited
little while; then unrolled and walked
off as uncOncernedly as il nothing had
happened. This time he turned back
into the wood itself. and moved about
the underground
He may have been looking for acOrns,
of course. but il is singular that he
should, his nose aiding and abetting.
come across a pheasants nest, and
be only dissuaded from eating the eggs
therein by the plucky defence OF the
hen pheasant herself And it is also
strange that he should. after an hours
search, discover the nest of a wood
wren, whose tiny eggs he did entirely
consume. together with their owner.
Thence he set out on a journey right
through the wood. Having been away
hunting for two nights on end as was
his custom. he was going back to his
wife and children, who had a special
nest Of their own in the hollow Of an
old tree root
Now. all his adventures that night
had taken up some hours. and. his
progress being slOw-he had one broad
stream TO cross. for one thing
sun was well Up when he finally
reached the old tree stump. and then
and there stopped as If frozen App
parently mother hedgehog was out
and one Of the soft, White-spined ba-
bies had wandered out against orders
Our hedgehog knew nothing of this,
however. What he saw was the baby
hedgehog waddling innOcently and stu
pidly straight fer the hole Of in the
stump. across which a large, venomOus
viper lay basking in the sun-basking.
but now Win nedQ Ia4Scu Lcdu+ ~
strike Back drew the evil, Kissing
head further and further. In another
instant the fatal blow wiuld be deliv-
cred. when-ah,
with an odd. harsh cry. half squeal.
half grunt the hedgehog hurled for
ward. snapped at the snake. and
Ieapt clear to receive the infuriated
serpents lightning-quick return blow
on his sDines Again and again he
leapt in bit. and leapt out again, and
the maddened serpent lashing Itself
impotently against his spiny shield,
tin al last its strength failed, and the
hedgehog sprang in to stay
Finally he thOughtfully ate the snake
ND. and went into his home for a good
sleep. He deserved ii, 1 think. Don't
yOu2