River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-08-23

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fool had been! ] felt so when could
no longer see him.
But the voices of the dogs again
aroused me with that bark which is music
TO spOrtsman's ears; the rabbit reap
peared. but at some little distance, and
ran along the path directly away from
where was standing. rushed Qua after
him. lie heard me and turned off into
| the bushes. | followed him over roots
and stumps and broom and heather with
out taking my eyes off of him. He paused.
| raised my gun, took aim and fired. He
was gray before / fired, but white after
wards, for he fell upon his back with his
belly in the air. The next thing / saw
was my father leaning against a tree
about six yards behind nv victim. /
had killed the rabbit almost between my
dear fathers legs.
AT the moment my delight at my sue
cess oyerrovered every other feeling. /
sprang on the dead rabbit like young
savage, and waving it above my head
cried:
Oh, papa, it was my first shot!n
1t Is very well TO be good shot" he
answered, with what afterwards appeared
to me forced smile, "but you ought to
have obeyed me. If you'd staid where
had stationed you, you would have run
no risk of hitting me"
"Oh, | hope have not hurt youi"
No, no, my son, but another time be
more careful"
His face looked pale. 1 stopped down
and saw some rents in one leg of his pan
falcons.
Good heaven, dear papa. Can have
hit youl | see something like shot
holes"
Look at your own pantaloons. They
are torn as much as mine"
That was true, and felt treasured at
once.
The terriers, Waldo and Woldina, after
trying TO worry the dead body of my
game, were on another scent, and / wait
ed with great impotence till my father
should load my gun again.
Come, my boy, let Us 60" he said.
"YOu have done enough for the first time.
Well come back and have some more of
it one of these fine days, please God"
lie whistled for the dogs, went back 10
our gig without limping very perceptibly
and drove homeward. | observed that
he got out with some difficulty. and that
his left leg seemed to drag after him.
something hurts You, dear papa" |
said.
He made no answer-only told me,
rather abruptly, to put the guns away and
went up slowly to his own chamber.
Ny brother and SISTERS came running
to know if ! had any good luck, and
were delighted when they saw my rab-
bit. But | felt too anxious to be able to
enjoy their satisfaction. and all the time
was looking round me with one eye, and
listening to every sound in the passage. l
saw our old cook Gredel come out, and a
few moments after saw DR.. Naginn go
in. lie looked in a hurry and ran up
stairs without noticing us children. He
was there still when our supper was
served, suppose he left while we were
at table. Our dear mother came down
to US calm and sweet as usual, but she
looked anxious and pale.
Papa is not hungry and does not care
for tea" she said. HE is little tired
and not very well. But it will pass off in
few days. Come and kiss him before
you go to bed tonight, as usual"
Ny heart was very full. 1 could
hardly eat my supper. / kept furtively
watching my dear mothers face, dreading
to read my condemnation in her eyes.
But she did not seem disposed to be dis
pleased with me, and she staid at the ia
Die Though with some Impotence, l
thought. till our yOungest-my little
| brother-finished his last mOuthful.
As soon as our napkins were folded
she ran up to my fathers room TO see if
we might come in, and called TO US over
the stairs:
Come up and say goodnight to papa. .
| got up first, thanks TO my long legs.
He was lying on his back, propped up b
three pillows. But he did not seem very
badly.
l kissed him, trying not to cry, and
whispered:
Dear, papa, please tell me that | did
not hit you"
Frank" he replied, you are a good
boy, and love you. Goodnight. That's
all have to say to you"
The little ones who had followed me
began to climb up on his bed, as they
often did in the morning, in their night
gowns.
"Take care, he said you'll hurt my
leg. We got Tue TucuUldllSil.
But | could not believe in such sud.
den and violent attack of a sickness he
had never suffered from before glanced
all around the room trying to see some
thing that might show me how it was
By the light of the chamber candle per
ceived his pantalOons. They had been
hung up near a window, and | fancied
that one leg was cut all the way down.
had no time to verify this observation
for my mother, no doubt seeing what
was looking at closed the curtains.
You NAV easily imagine what an anx
iOus night il was. As often as | closed
NV ewes fancied that / saw my fathers
leo torn with the shot, and so terribly
swelled that the doctor had 10 cut off his
clothes. But this night was not the worst
Day by day things grew more wretched
Nv dear father could not conceal his suf-
ferings, my gentle mother could not hide
her great anxiety; even the children be-
came unhappy. got into corners and cried
without exactly knowing what they were
CRYING for. Our kind old friend, the doc
tor. was in and out of the house nearly
every hour. could not 90 outside OuI
own front door without having kind in
duiries to answer which were dreadful e
me- | shut myself up at last, saying
had some books / had promised to study
in the holidays. My mother had table
fixed for me in little study Of my faith
er's between the library and the sitting
room. I sat there most of the day, but
did not DO much studying. The greater
part of my time was looking through
an old medical book on gu7shot wounds
or the Law Encyclopedia, unless | was
crying too much to see the words.
All this went on a long, long fortnight,
when one morning between eleven and
twelve, | saw our doctor coming UP the
front steps in company with three elder
" strangers. all of whom had the red
ribbon Of the Legion Of Honor in then
button holes.