The Marshall republican., 1912-05-24
Girls and
Rabbits
tcopyrish,, 1851. By Associated Literary prsssI

down to The Birches to do a little
winter rabbit hunting. He was TWEEN
tythree years old, and was thinking
about the law. medicine, insurance.
banking and girls.
II was his brother who was master
t The Birches. and II was his cousin
lara who welcomed him with a sort
: Indian warwhoop, danced Jig,
nd then exclaimed:
Never s:zce Columbus discovered
America"
"what?"
"Have there been so many rabbits.
Down at the edge Of the woods yes
terday I counted over a million"
you don't say!"
"And there were millions more I
didn't see. We shall shoot and ship
enough TO the city TO buy a new au-
TO-"
THAT will be 90 nIce!"
"And you are 10 meet Moiiie Parker.
She lives just half a mile away. She
IL 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 chickei
thieves! when she talks about then
her eyes fairly glare. She's hat
chickens stolen three times. and sb,
a y n she could catch the thief II
the 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 Nils
Mollie Parker. Both events were
quite satisfactory TO young Donald.
All the rabbits escaped. and he at
once fell In love with the girl.
Al the end OF a fortnight Miss
Clara began to giggle. She slggled
all ono. 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 Ave feet deep and threatened
her death by sufrocstion, and she
agreed to be good.
well. you know. I want TO play a
Joke on MollIe." she said.
swell. why don't your" was asked.
81 want your help. It's a chicken
Joke"
is It something to make the hens
laugh"
ut surely H.. You and ] will steal
four or ave Of her chickens and bring
them home here. Why. when she's
mad she's the loyeliest thing ever"
80 that's what you've been chuc
king and giggling over! Well, I won't
60 into IT,"
-.why, Clarence DonsldI You won
pretend to steal chickens to pleas.
mel"
II didn't say I wouldn't go. ! wal
Just making q few inquiries. yot
know. You don't think Mollie will b
mad at me ~ we take the chickens!'
mad? Why. she'll Just love yor
for II! She'll see ut once that yot
are not Scotch and can take a joke
Why. II will surely bring about {
marriage between you!"
III you think that wsy?"
'of course I do"
Yes. Miss Moiiie Parker had chick
ems. A mile away lived a hard.work
ing. honest coiored man, who hst
been helping himself to potpis at In
tervais and escaping suspicion. Mis-
Moiiie also had q shotgun. and knew
how e use II. She strung 4 wire from
her chamber window to the henner.
and attached q bell. Then, with tn
shotgun within reach. and waiting 4
take the law into It's own hands. sh'
jumped into bed.
Up at The Birches At midnishtt
solemn hour-sss-sh!
A door Is cautiously opened-tw'
doors. Two mufied figures stes
down stairs. One OF them gigsles
Out Of the front door and down thu
road! No moon! An ideal night.
Two mufied figures climb u fence
They wade through snow up to thei
knees. They ~peck-they peer-the!
crouch!
The hennery In reached ut last. II
guardian sleeps. The hens withii
are unconscious Of peril. They thinl
the hired man has como to give then
an extra feed for being good. on'
mufied figure carefully opens th'
door. Two hundred feet away q bel
rings and a girl hops out OF bed
seixes the shotgun and raises the sash
The alarm reaches the hennery
There Is a gasp and an "Oh. my" ant
one Of the figures fees. The othel
seems TO be confused. and II 10 whil'
he Is humping against q pear tre'
and getting up again that he hear
the report Of gun and feels forty bird
shot enter his anatomy. He utters I
longdrawn yell. and there is blood OF
the snow.
Two households are aroused. In one
4 girl exclaims:
"Father-mother--I've shot tina
chicken theft"
In the other 1t Is: