The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1871-10-07
DEER HUNTING.
up the NIOunIaIn-The Fatal
Shot.
Correspondence Of the Philadelphia Post

SUGAR VALLEY, September IS, 1871.
We should not have stayed in the val
ley so long-for the days are beginning
to be cool, and the nights are already fog
gy-had not Euphemia been so intent
upon going on deer hunt. Her desire
for the chase became so great that at last
she even overlooked the danger Of the
bears.
"A built will kill bear, 1 suppose" "
said she. And on being told that such
thing was certainly possible, she deter
mined to go.
We went.
One path lay up the side of a noun
tain over an old and almost disused road,
and, after the first mile or so, Euphemia
found it hard path. She would not let
me carry her rife-a short breach load
er-for she asserted that she knew it was
proper for hunters to carry their own
weapons, aud, in course of time she found
it very heavy From one shoulder to
another she shifted it, and remarked TO
me that she hoped that she would find
some of Mrs. Horner's salve in the box
when she got back, for the skin was rub.
bed off in places, she knew.
You had better let me carry your ri
fe" SAID !, "aad not think so much
about appearances. For my part, | con-
slider a woman with rife on her should
er to be about as strange as any one
would want to see. In the olden time,
when women did hunt, they had bows and
arrows, and it was rather pleasant than
otherwise to carry them"
Bother" said she, "bows and arrows,
indeedl suppose the next thing will be
that you'll want me to go hunting in "a
chariot with a sickle stuck in the swim
gle tree, like the Romans"
AT the end of the axle tree, my dear,
they put the scythes in the ancient war
chariots," said l.
well, it makes no Indifference, Those
old fashioned things are all absurd.
wish | could see a herd of deer on top
of those rocks" said she, pointing her
rife at little eminence. as if she was
practising taking sight. I know very
we'll that she only did it to relieve her
shoulders. Il think l could hit few of
them"
"A few" | exclaimed. 81 don I be-
lieve you eouli hit one, at least, not the
first time you tried"
"That would not discourage me" she
cried, with a spirit of true hunter spark
ling in her eyes. 'If I missed, do you
know what ] would do?"
"What2" said I.
"Pick the flint and try it again. What
nonsense you are talking, Euphemiai
Your gun has no flint, aud so, of course,
you could not pick it.
"Do you mean TO tell me-" she said
stopping short in the road, ''that you let
me come away out here with gun that
has no fint?"
"Of course I did. No guns have fints
now days. They have percussion caps
instead"
Eyes, knew they bad caps" she said
more mildly. "but l thought they had
fints, too-somewhere inside of them
1t was about half an hour after thi:
conversation, and Euphemia was carry
ing her rife under her arm in way tha
made me tremble for my life, when We
came to spot where the road braDched
/ As | did not know which was the mair
track, l told Euphemia to wait a few
minutes while | went forward TO investi-
gate.
When 1 returned I could not see Eu
phemia, but directly l deserted her on the
/ top of low bank, a short distance VI
the other road. As walked toward hel
saw that she was leveling her gun al
something, which was over the bank and
invisible to me. Accordingly approach
ed her with noiseless steps. When ]
reached the bank she was still taking
aim, and whispered to her:
"Euphy, what is it? A deer?'
She turned to me, and in low, hollow
voice she said:
"No. 1t is bearl'
| put my hands on the bank to scram-
/ bic up, but she waved me back.
| "Not one inch forward, she said, "oI
your rashness will destroy us both
Keep your charge in reserve Be ready
with your rife if | miss him. If you
come up here | shall scream and we are
| lost"
"Hear me, Euphy," 1 whispered, trem.
bling with excitement. "Come down and
let me up there. Mine is the post Of dan
ger"
mo, it isn't" said she, in that solemn
undertone. at used to be, but not il
these days. Don't make fuss. In
going to fire as soon as l see the white o
! his eyes-and he is turning around now
If he rushes on us, remember the Nor
wegians Hold your knife out in front
of you, and let him run on that! If
have time | will step aside and let hin
rush down on it. If it should happen
that should-should perish, when be
springs l want you to remember what
tell you now. My gold earrings-not
the ones with balls, but the chased set
are for Lulie Tell her to think of me
when she wears them. My large braid ]
would like Mary to have. 1t always
was too dark for me and would suit he
hair. Send my new boots-the Mones
tier pair-to Bessie. She can't wea
them, but they'll remind her more of N,
feet, as they really are, if they are no
worn. Little Emmie must have my hi:
trunk. Put her name on the end. AuC
the preserves are for John. You mus
keep back I'm going to fire! Be firm
Keep my room always exactly as 1t is.
BANG!
And Euphemia sat down with grea
suddenness.
1 sprang upon the bank, and, seeini
she was eafe, rushed into the bushes.
"Call me if he resists,' said Euphe
mia, and then she sank against tree.
When / returned, Euphemia was her
self again:
"Oh lead me to him. she cried, he
eyes sparkling did you give him tn
comp de grace2 Let me cut off his brus
to put in my hat--that is, if bears hay
brushes"
Il don't know about bears" said
"but if l were you, Euphemia, wouldn
want to stick heifer's tail 10 my me-
straw hat"