The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-10-06


This is wrong. No premiums should be
paid till the Fair is over. The officers have
enough to do in the regular business. go,
HUNTING AND FISHING.
There are many youngsters, and some
who are no longer youngsters, that enjoy the
veracious title Of hunters and fishers. We
publish the following story, or part Of a
story, of hunting and fishing, by "Young-
ster," an accomplished correspondent Of The
Spirit Of the Times, who is, or has been, in
dulging himself in the sports VIC are writing
about, on Rush River, Of Wisconsin:
When we arose the sun was smiling from
over the bluffs, starting thrush, cuckoo, jay,
and others OF the feathered race in one glad
song Of praise, while the natty little wood
yecker tapped his accompaniment on a with
cred tree near BY, or fitted restlessly to and
fro when the jay forgot his part rs flutist, and
varied with successful attempts on the cornet.
But the fresh air of these Wisconsin hills
had developed taste for other music than
that of nature. Art had her share-cHlinary
art, at least; for the Kissing and sPluttering
over the fire Of those big trout caught the
evening previous was refrain that, l am
ashamed to confess, full as sweet to my hun
crv senses as the out door chorus. The re-
atty We found NO less enticing; for if there
il one delicacy in this world more tempting
and luscious than all others, il certainly Is Il
Rush River trout as prepared by our good
hostess.
This being Sunday, the fish Of course
wouldn' bite; a least we did not try them,
but amused ourselves watching the attempts
Of some lads who had assembled high bluff
hack Of the house To detach huge fragment
spfOck, some six feet in diameter, from the
face of the cliff and send it rolling down the
steep decline Long and we'll they labored
but seemingly in vain, struggling, scram-
bling about the hill-toplike a swarm of ants,
when at last budding Archimedes Of the
hand brought two saplings for levers. These
were stoutly piled; slowly the great mass top
plcd from its base, fell with crash that
reached us like distant thunder, then fairly
leapcd booming towards the river, leaving 4
cloud oi dust to mark its course, splintering
the trees in its path like reeds, aud followed
by a host of smaller fragments, until Il sharp
rattle on the river-bel proclaimed that the
level was reached. A grand sight 1t was
the work Of centuries undOne in \ moment.
Whilst We were watching this, the horse.
had been harncsscd and all made ready for
the balance of our trip. With many
kind adie,lS Ia our entertain
crs, We again took the road for Johns cabin,
some miles further on. All through the
woods we saw deer tracks in the road and
by the slougI,s, while regularly beaten paths,
leading from the tops Of the bluffs showed
the run-ways made BY the timid creatures fin
their nightly incursions to the water.
Strange that M animal whose every instinct
teens devoted to selfpreservaion, 90 inge-
NOUS in resources to escape pursuit, yet in
thus following undeyiatingly, season after
season, the path trodden by sire and Vand-
sire, should give 50 great IN advantage to il
DESTROYER. Sheltered in some tree overlook
ing the runway, the latter waits patiently
the coming of his prey. Slowly the daylight
fades, leaving the forest in full gloom.
Ha! what's that? His quick ear catches the
soft pat-pat of the light hoof far up the
bluff. Snap!-there goes a twig. Nearer
and nearer the footsteps approach the breath
less, silent watcher-the underground sways
|
graceful animal clears that clump Of brush
and trots swiftly into view. The rifle is lev
ellc1l, a sharp crack, 4 stream Of FIRE, the
death-stricken creature draws its limbs to-
gcther in one frantic leap, and falls con-
fused, shudderinS mass at the foot Of the
I, tree that has SO treacherously sheltered it,
destroyer. ....
| Many buck had thus met its fate al
Johns hands, every runway in the valley
| being to him source Of unfailing supply Of
fresh venison. The deer in this vicinity, hi
| told us had already put on the red coat and
were in excellent condition, owing To thu
! abundant supply OF rich grasses to be found
in the woods early in the season. As VI
logged along he got his rifle ready, express
ing himself as doubtful what might happier
fla good buck should present itself within
| range. "There might be fresh meat il
! camp this evenin'. Mebbe not, but thur
be scarf deer in the woods, anyhow" Bn,
the deer discreetly kept their distance. W.
drove lcisurc!y along, until a sudden turn il
the road brought us to a neat bridge crossing
the river, and at the same time John.
cabin came into view on the other side Of thu
river, the very picture Of hunters home, 8
substantial log building, standing within &
few feet of the bank, the smoke curling
lazily from the chimney, Wink
! a CHEEKY lark from old Carlo, thu
''honest house dog" and welcoming shout
from neighbor Hicks and Tom Mclntire-
Johns mate in IBIS bachelorhood- greeted u:
when We reached the farther side, where they
! sat costly summing themselves. n warm re
! ception met US from both, Hicks face glow
ing with pleasure at the sight Of ''Oliver'
hack again at his old haunts, while Tom hur-
ried to prepare our supper, which was coon
served in true huniei s style. In the same
style did it di<appea, for Johns persuasive
powers are decidedly telling when put in the
! form of 'just one more bite o this trout now
it'll do We world o good The interios
Of the cabin was model of ingenuity in the
! way Of storing every Imaginable c0nyenieOce
| for 'backing' in the smallest possible space.
| In one corner stood the stove, its bright fire
| of red cedar roaring cheerflIly and sending
the sparks swapping up the chimney; in an
other, good vide bedstead; the third gave
place to a stairway to the loft above, while
! the fourth WAS partitioned of in q st0reroom
70. groceries and ea;ables Of all kinds. In the
| centre Of the room stood the table at which
we were seated, directly beneath which
! opened trap-door into the little cellar, and
its occupant. Here, a rife; there a fishing
rod, fying-pan, strings Of onions, spring
traps, and similar objects Of restu gracefully
disposed on wooden pegs or shelves-a veri-
table bachelor camp indeed, and right well
did our Nimrod seem to thrive therein. ,t.
After supper pipes were lighted and all
sauntered TO the emu Of the bridge, where
Hicks was already blowing cloud, and NO
doubt dreaming OF some of his feais At tar
key-shoOting; for he and John are terror to
all spectators in turkey flesh at the Christ
mas matches thereabouis. Every bird they
draw bead upon is fated to have very sore
head Immediately after, and their appear