The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-02-08

Wear out, don't rust--to reach your goal,
~0' An0 = "''' u Mary e. Lambert.
How I WAS CURED OF HUNTING
When / was young and lived at home
upon the farm, like most other boys and
young men,. l was extremely fond of
hunting. Among my early story books
was the history Of Robin Hood and
His Merry Men," and for years after |
read that / tried to make bow and
arrows like those carried by the famous
outlaw. But after time l outgrew the
bow.and-arrow period of youth, and
grasped the stock and barrel of shot
gun. How the poor little birds and
SQUIRRELS had to take it from that time
on! Finally, this hunting passion OBJ
tanned an almost complete possession of
my mind. / thought about it by day,
and dreamed of it at night. Every
chance could get, would borrow gun,
Q never was rich enough to own one)
and stroll off to the woods, or over the
fields, shooting at everything that came
in my way. Whatever luck l might
have, / never became discouraged, but
was ready to 60 off and try it again
the very next opportunity that offered.
Matters ran on thus until grew to be
fifteen or sixteen years of age. l had
learned by this time to let all small game
alone, and to strike out after birds and
squirrels and other things that were
"good to eat"
One day, after tramping through the
woods for many hours, l came home at
night hungry, tired and entirely unsuc-
Il xa ha1 nd IN
dream about the days work. l thought
1 was chasing large hawk, he flew up
into the top of a large hickory tree, and
I began to crawl along beside the stone
fence to get near enough for a shot
But before reached the place thought
he few out of the tree-top and began to
sail around over my head. While was
looking at him, he seemed to change
into an angel who bore in his hand a
wide, long scroll, and who kept his large,
fiery eyes intently fastened upon me.
OF course, / was frightened, dared not
move, but crouched and kept looking
steadily at him. After sailing about for
a lew minutes, and coming down nearer
and nearer to me, the angel let drop the
scroll and disappeared. The parchment
futtered slowly down through the air
and fell near me. l ran and picked it
up, and on it was written in large letters
this sentence, Thou shalt not KILL
AS may be imagined, l did not sleep
much that night, and it was long time
before dared to take my gun in hand
again. After some weeks, however,
/ learned the hiding-place of a
large, fat gray squirrel, and wanted to
get him very much go l sailed forth
again, gun in hand, and started for the
woods. He had become very shy and l
had to wait some time before he made
his appearance. Pretty soon, however, he
came out of his hole and started up the
trunk of the tree. Taking a good aim,
/ fired, and down he came to the ground.
Running up to get him, found him
struggling in the agonies of death.
AS l came up he fixed his eyes upon me
with one of the strangest expressions
that a squirrel ever wore. Into it was
concentrated all the hate and scorn and
that look! 1t seemed to say to
me: "You miserable wretch, you have
killed me, haven't you? But what good
has it done you? How l would tear
your life out, if 1 could" And then l
thought of my dream again, and of the
command, "Thou shalt not kill" Does
this extend to animals, as well as include
men, I asked of myself? And I finally
concluded that for me it did.
/ never have hunted much since then
never could bear to memory was too
busy with the past. l tried it mum.
Der of times, but fate seemed to be
against me. At one of these times, /
came within an inch of killing myself
by premature discharge of my fowling
piece. And 80 / gradually learned to
let the whole thing alone. 1t may not be
wrong for others to hunt, but by this
experience / came to learn that it was
wrong for me. Boys, think the matter
over carefully, and if you think it is
wrong for you, better OUTFIT at once.
The FAIRY NEEDLE.-Once upon a
time there lived alone in village in the
Black Forest an old woman named
Gerbrina who made living by working
or doing chores for her neighbors, who
repaid her by giving her food, and now
and then q little money.
About the time of which we are speak
ing a war broke out, and, as a conse-
quence, the villagers became careful of
their pocket. books and stomachs, and
chose to do their own work rather than
to employ others. Things looked dark
for Gerbrina, who was at times on the
verge of starvation.
One day she was walking despondiDgly
in the woods in search of nuts to eat,
when, passing large pit, she happened
to look into 1t and saw large ball, ap-
parently of needles, lying at the bottom.
STOPPING down to get better view of it,
she was startled by hearing the ball ex-
claim, or rather screech, Help me outp
She jumped up as quickly as she could,
and ran away thinking that it must
surely be an evil spirit. She had run
but few yards, however, before curiosity
compelled her to retrace her steps, and
she again neared the ball.
The ball repeated It's request, and this
time with success, for Gerbrina stood
thinking awhile, and then Selling two
branches, she placed the ball between
them and drew 1t up. She then placed
1t on the ground, when the ball turned
over and out peeped little head, to the
great wonder of the woman.
Said the needle: CT am Queen of the
Porcupine Islands," and thanking the
woman, 1t said must give you keep
sake; take this needle, and IL not broken.
it will secure you from want" The bali
of needles then pulled out needle from
its body with its teeth, and laying IL be-
side the woman disappeared.
Gerbrina stood mute few minutes
with astonishment, then picking up the
needle, which she found was as complete
as il ithad come out of the store, started
home. She arrived at the village and
met a neighbor who told her that the
Countess, their mistress, who lived
several miles away, was going upon a
Journey in a few hours, but to 90 must
nave pair of slippers with certain
great number Of stitches, and had just
promised that she would give FIVE hun
dred francs TO the person who would