The Springfield Fox 



After an hour's digging, enlivened by frantic 

 rushes of the dogs after the old fox, who hovered 

 near in the woods, Pat called : 



" Here they are, sor ! " 



It was the den at the end of the burrow, and 

 cowering as far back as they could, were the 

 four little woolly cubs. 



Before I could interfere, a murderous blow 

 from the shovel, and a sudden rush for the fierce 

 little terrier, ended the lives of three. The 

 fourth and smallest was barely saved by holding 

 him by his tail high out of reach of the excited 

 dogs. 



He gave one short squeal, and his poor 

 mother came at the cry, and circled so near that 

 she would have been shot but for the accidental 

 protection of the dogs, who somehow always 

 seemed to get between, and whom she once 

 more led away on a fruitless chase. 



The little one saved alive was dropped into a 

 bag, where he lay quite still. His unfortunate 

 brothers were thrown back into their nursery 

 bed, and buried under a few shovelfuls of earth. 



We guilty ones then went back into the 

 bouse, and the little fox was soon chained in 



