The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1871-10-24
Deer Huntina.

gar Valley so long-for the days are
beginning to be cool, and the nights
are already foggy had not Euphemia
been so iutent upon going on deer
hunt. Her desire for the chase became
81 great that at last she even overlook
ed the danger of the bears. "a bull
let will kill bear, / suppose" said
she. And on being told that such a
thing was certainly possible, she deter
mined to go.
We went.
One path lay up the side of the
mountaiEs over an old, and almost dis.
use1 road, and, after the first mile or
80, Euphemia found il hard path.
She would not let the carry her rifle
u short Observation-Disclosures she asserted
that she knew it was the proper thing
for hunters to bear their own weapons,
aud, in course of time, she found it
very heavy. From one shoulder to
another she shifted it, and remarked
to Inc that she hoped she would fad
some of Mrs. Horner's slave IN the box
when she got back, for her skin was
rubbed off in some places she knew.
"You had better let me carryy our
rife" said /, "and not think 81 much
about appearances. For my pert, |
consider woman with rifle on her
shoulders to be about as strage sight
rs any une would want tu see. In the
olden time when women did hunt they
had bows aud arrows, and it was rath.
er pleasing than otherwise to carry
them"
Bother" said she, elbows and ar
rows, indeed! | suppose the next
thing will be that you'll want me To
go hunting in chariot with sickle
stuck into the swingletree like the
Romans"
"At the end Of the axel tree, my
dear, they put the scyihes in the an
cient chariots," said |.
"Well, it makes no difference. Those
old d-fashioned things are all absurd. l
wish | could see herd Of deer on top
of those rncks," said she, pointing her
rifle at little eminence, as if she was
practicing taking sight. q knew very
well that she only did it to relieve her
shoulders.) II think l could hit few
of them"
"a feww l exclaimed. "I don't
believe yon could hit oue-at least,
not the FIRST time you tried"
"Tbat would not discourage me-"
she cried, with the spirit of true
hunter sparkling in her eyes. "Jf
missed, do you know what ! would
do?"
"What?" said /.
"Piek the flint, aod try again"
"What nonsense you are talking,
Euphemia Your gun has no flinr,
and, so, of course, you could not pick
it,"
"Do you mean to tell me-" said she,
stopping short in the road, "that you
let me come away out here with a gun
that has no fiint?"
"Of course l did. 10 guns have
flints nowadays. They have percus-
sioi. caps instead"
"Yes, l knew they had caps" she
said more mildly, "but | thought they
had flints too-sOmewhere inside OF
them"
1t was about half an hour after this
conversation, and Euphenia was car.
rying her rife under her arm in n way
that made me tremblc for my life
When we came TO spot where the road
branched. AS | did not know which
was the main track, | told Euphemia
to wait few minutes while went for
ward to investigate.
When / returned | could not see
Euphe MIA, but directly deserted her
on the top of low bank, short dis.
tance up the other road. As | walk
ed towards her | saw that she was lev
cling her gun at something, which wa;
over the bank and invisible to me
Accordingly | approached her with
noiseless steps. When | reached the
bank she was still taking aim, and ]
whispered TO her:
"Euphy, what is it? A deer2"
She turned to me, and in low, hol
low voice said:
mo. Ii is bearp
put my hands on the bank tC
scramble up, but she waved me back
"Not one inch forward" she said
cor your rashness will destroy us both
Keep your charge in reserve. Bt
ready with your rife if | miss him. L
you come up here | shall scream, anc
We are lost"
"Hear me, Euphy," l whispered
trembling with excitement, Come
down ami lei me up there. Mine i,
the post of danger"
"No. it isn't" said she, in thai
solemn undertone. sit used to be, bu
not in these days. Don't make fuss
I'm going to fire as soon as | see tn,
white of his eyes-and he is turnia,
around now. Ii he rushes on us, re
member The Norwegians! Hold you
knife out in front of you. and let hin
run ON thatl II have time, | vii
step aside, and let him rush down OF
it. If it should happen that l should
--shouId--perish, when he springs,
want you to remember what | tell yoI
now. My gold ear-ringS-not tn,
ones with balls, but the chased set-aE,
IN