New Britain herald., 1928-07-05
Whitehall Misses . Chance RN Thornton N. HurgeSs

bN IuuiutUyl w. buTSCSs Who hesitates finds to his cost That often he his chance has lost.
 -Whitetail the Marsh Hawk
 Whitehall was out of sorts. 1t had been a bad day for Whitehall the Marsh Hawk. For the matter of that, it had been bad day for a lot of folk. The nerves of all the little people of the Green Meadow were very jumpy. You see, all day long there had been dreadful banging, like the noise of terrible guns. Of course, the furred folk and the feathered folk didn't know any thing about the Fourth of July. They didn't know that all that bang ing meant nothing but noise.
 To be sure, that noise had been confined mostly to the homes of those two-legged creatures called men. That had helped little, New ertheless, it had made everybody uneasy and it spoiled the appetites of most of them. So Whitehall the Marsh Hawk was quite out of sorts by the late afternoon. He had had little to eat and now he was begin ming to realize that he was hungry. So he had sailed back and forth across the Green Meadows. looking for Meadow Mice and having no luck at all. And then, in the dis tance he had seen something move. It was way over by the home of one of Johnny Chuck's children, not very far from the Old Pasture. Like all members of his family, Whitehall has wonderful eyes.
 T wonder if there can be some baby Chucks over there,' thought he. II guess I'll so over there and have look"
 So Whitehall turned in that direc- ton. He saw at once that there was a Chuck sitting on the doorstep of his home. but he was too big a Chuck for Whitehall to consider try ing 10 catch. That Chuck could fight. Yes, sir, that Chuck could fight. But Whitehall kept right on in fiat direction, for he hoped there might be some little Chucks around. Then he saw something white bounding along through the grass. Whitehall blinked three times. He would have liked 10 rub his eyes if he could. but. of course. he couldn't do that.
 That looks like young Rabbit he muttered, "a half-grown young rabbit. But it can't be. Whoever | heard of a white Rabbit running around on the Green Meadows? Pe- ter Rabbits children are all brown. But that certainly looks like a white rabbit
 Whitehall swung up little higher | in the sky, so that he could look right down for better view. "As I live, 1t is.' he muttered. Tt Is a young Rabbit and he certainly is all white. Now, who ever heard of such thing?"
 Whitehall was so interested in his discovery that he had quite forgot. ten he was out hunting. By the time he did remember it, that young Rabbit was almost to the edge of the Old Pasture.
 White or not, he ought to be good eating.' muttered Whitehall, and shot forward.
 Now. Whitey. the young Rabbit had discovered Whitehall the Marsh Hawk. He had seen Whitehall skim. ming over the Green Meadows around the dear Old Briar.patch and his mother had warned him that this was one of the great birds to be afraid of So now Whitey was making those legs of his Ro just as fast AS he knew how. Lip. perty-lipperty-lip, lipperty-lipperty. lip, he ran. and his eyes were rolled back and up to watch Whitehall. He saw Whitehall suddenly shoot for. ward. He saw those great claws Of Whitehall They seemed to be reach. ing for him. Without Knowing jus, why he did 1t. Whitey dodged. as only a Rabbit can. Whitehall tusi missed him. Whitehall checked him. self with those great wings of his and turned with surprising quick. ness. But he was not quick enough Whitey had just dived under the fence into bramble-tangIe in the Old Pasture. There. panting fol breath, he gazed up into the fierce hungry eyes of Whitehall the Marsi Hawk.
 'ITl get you next time" saic