The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1859-10-27

O'i holu VI usefulness, we resolved
10 divide INTO two parties, of three each,
one under the leadership of Joe Smith,
sportsman OF no mean renown; the 9th
er, consisting Of Jerry Robinson and Gus
Stanley, under my direction
After reviving our energies bv sundry
deep-drawn draughts from a black bottle,
enormously supposed to contain water, we
TOOK our respective stations but for sew
erai hours saw nothing to justify US in
arriving at the conclusion that cocoon
were very plenty out at Jones corn-feld,
by the Flve-Mile Bun" and were almost
prepared to dispute the applicability to
our situation of that good old promise.
''Seek and you shall find - but our pa
tlence, as will be more fully shown in the
subsequent portions of this veracious
ventures, was well rewarded
We had sat and talked, and talked and
smoked, and smoked and Smiled" for
about four hours, on a rough calculation,
when Jerry, after numerous injunctions to
keep COOL prefixed by the assurance
that "he'd fix him." proceeded to direct
my particular attention to the fact that he
saw a coon.
He pointed it out to me and, sure
enough, there ardS coon but, unfortu-
nately for my expectation of distinguish
ing myself by crack shot, Gus, spying it
at almost the same moment, fired ut it
lie had, IN consequence Of not being able
to procure better gun, a remarkably an
tiquated musket, whose day of usefulness
was supposed to have been prior to the
Revolution, and had made no allowance
for rust and other serious Inconvenience
incident to ancient guns The effect of
this, after putting in 4 load TO Garry "a
pretty good distance" was to knock him
off the fence where he was sitting, and
otherwise disturb his equilibrium. 1t is
needless to add that he missed the coon.
Leaving him to pick himself up as soon
as circumstances would permit, away we
went helter skelter after the coon, the
leader giving mouth loud enough to scare
all the animals within half mile into
convulsions. After an intensely interes-
ting race Of about mile, through bogs
and bitches, up hills and down hollows,
over logs and through rush-piles, the
coon under consideration suddenly stop
ped in its mad career, and Immediately
after changed its course,-that is to say,
instead Of being the pursued, became the
pursuer.
| had heard great deal of the ferocity
of all animals when closely pressed, but
this was more than | ever expected to see.
The use Of our guns was suddenly forgot
ten in the panic that Immediately seized
upon US, and, by common consent, we
took the back-track, faster, if possible,
than we came-makIng time which would
do no discredit to Flora Temple-the
coon in the meantime pursuing and rap
idly gaining on us.
L repeated all the prayers [ had ever
learned, beginning at 'Now | lay me
down to Sleep" and going through; and
made many resolutions for the better, (to
be carried into effect if | was spared for
the various incidents of my life rushed
force, displaying not much to soothe one
in expectation of instant death, for l had
never before seen coon, and knew moth
ing of their nature.
Jerry had got separated from me in
the beginning of the return trip, so l was
obliged to fight it out alone.
Everything must have an end-so had
my Grace for life" In my swift career, l
chanced to plout right into mud-puddle,
where, in spite of my endeavors to the
contrary, | stuck. Then l thought all
was over with me, but [ struggled round
resolved to face my deadly foe.
Oh, the agony of those moments, as
there [ stood, unable to fight, or as before,
ran for my life!
The animal was within rod of me !
At this critical juncture | bethought
myself of my rifle, which all this time |
had carried with me. To raise, aim and
fire was the work of moment. L then
closed my eyes, and commenced reciting
my prayers again
When L had finished my devotions, and
once more opened my eyes on worldly
things, [ beheld the blood-thirsty creature
stretched out at full length, dead as
door nail, not six feet from me. l felt
considerably relieved when | perceived
this, for would have one trophy to show
of nv success, at all events, besides saving
me from the other alternative OF being
made mince-meat of by it. To prevent
such a catastrophe in the future, L added
another resolution to the category afore-
mentioned-never again to go 'coon-hunt-
ing.
/ then set about gathering up the de-
tails of my miraculous escape to tell to
INV companions, as also to manufacture an
account of the way in which [ came to be