The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-06-06


to; and the time is coming when it
will be of value. But | buy your
deer-here, this bill will pay thee,
both for thy shot and my own"
The old hunter gathered his tall
person up into an air of pride, during
this dialogue, and now muttered in an
under tone
There's them living who say, that
Nathaniel Bumppo's right to shoot in
these hills, is of older date than Mar
makuke Temples right to forbid him.
But if there's law about it at all,
though who ever heard tell of law
that q man shouldn't kill deer where
he pleased but if there is law at
all, it should be to keep people from
the use of them smooth-bores. A
body never knows where his lead will
fly, when he pulls the trigger of one
of them fancified firearms"
During this scene the female arose,
and, throwing back the hood which
concealed her features, spoke, with
great earnestness--
"Surely, youngman, sir-you would
not pain my father so much, as to
have him think that he leaves fellow
creature in this wilderness, whom his
own hand has injured. l entreat you
, will go with us and receive medical aid
, for your hurts"
"There is no human aid nearer than
Templeton," said the Judge; "and
the hut of Natty is full three miles
from this s;-come-come, my young
; friend, go with US, and let the
new doctor look to this shoulder
: of thine. Here is Natty will take the
tidings of thy welfare to thy friend !;
: and should'st thou require it, thou
shalt be returned to thy home in the
, morning"
Misunderstanding stood, in the mean
/ time, leaning upon his long rifle, with
) his head turned a little to one side, as
. if engaged in deep and sagacious
9 musing; when, having apparently sat
t isfied his doubts, by revolving the sub
= ect in his mind, he broke silence
''It may be best to go, lad, after
| all: for if the shot hangs under the
e skin, my hand is getting too old to be
d, cutting into human flesh, as l once
F.; used to. Though some thirty years
a agone, in the old war, when | was out
r under Sir William, travelled seventy
miles alone in the howling wilderness,
1 with a rife bullet in my thigh, and
then cnt if opt with INV %T ~o,rs own j"fh tho
p time well.
/, Unable to resist the kind urgency
of the travellers any longer, the youth,
i though still with an unaccountable re-
S luctance expressed in his manner,
}, suffered himself to be persuaded to
enter the sleigh. The black, with the
: aid Of his master, threw the buck
n across the baggage, and entering the
e vehicle themselves, the judge invited
!, the hunter to do so likewise.
- .tNo-no-" said the old man. shaking
his head II have work to do at home
! this Christmas eve-drive on with the boy
u and let your doctor look at the shoulders
q ''If you see anything of Indian Johr
about the foot of the lake, you had better
- take him with you, and let him lend the
doctor hand; for old as he is. he is cur
ious at cuts and bruises, and it's likeliel
'T than not he'll be in with brooms to sweeT
% your Christmas ha'arths."
Il "StOp-stop," cried the youth, catch
r. ing the arm of the black as he prepared
- to urge his horses forward; "Natty-yot
need say nothing of the shot, nor o
J, where am going-remember Natty, al
d you love me-"
II "Trust old Misunderstanding, return
~ =. ed the hunter, significantly; "he hasn'
. lived forty years in the wilderness, ant
le not larnt from the savages how to hole
his tongue-trust to me, lad: and rcmem
m Der old Indian john"
), And, Natty," said the youth eagerly
still holding the black by the arm, II vii
Y, lust get the shot extracted, and bring yol
4 up. tonight, quarter of the buck, fo
r the Christmas dinner"
\, He was interrupted by the hunter, VIII
" held up his finger with an expressive ges
ture for silence, and moved softly alon
e, the margin of the road, keeping his eye
IS steadfastly fixed on the branches of
w pine near him. When he had obtane
: such position as he wished, he stopped
and cooking his rifle, threw one leg ia
10 behind him, and stretching his left arm
D. its utmost extent along the barrel of hi
in piece, he began slowly to raise its muzzl
"a in Il line with the straight trunk of til
tree. The eyes of the group i'll the sleig
naturally preceded the movement of tn
Sh rifle, and they soon discovered the objeC
e, of Natty's aim. On small dead branc
a of the pine, which, at the distance of seN
enty feet from the ground, shot out hor
zontally, Immediately beneath the livin
ST members of the tree, sat bird, that |
re the vulgar language of the country wa
indiscriminately called pheasant or
partridge. In size, it was but little small
lS er than common barn-yard fowl. Tl
e, baying of the dogs, and the conversatio
r. that had passed near the root of the tire
of on which it was pcrched had alarmed til
bird. which was now drawn up near I'll
body of the pine, with head and nee
g erect, that formed nearly straight Lin
on with it's legs. So soon as the rifle boz
= on the victim, Natty drew his trigge
q" and the partridge fell from its height wit
ut force that buried it in the snow.
- Natty proceeded, with great rapidit,
re though with the incest accuracy, to /
~ load his piece. When this was ended, |
GU" took up his game, and showing it to ii
party without head, he cried-''Here
m a nice tit-bit for an old mans Christina
- never mind the venisou, boy, and /
= member Indian John; his YARDS are be
ne ter nor all the foreign 'intnents. Her
I'M Judge holding up the bird again, sc
nd you think smooth-bore would pie
T game off their roost, and not ruiiie
-. feather?' The old man gave another
~ his remarkable laughs, which partook
largely of exultati0n, mirth, and iron
ed and shaking his head, he turned with b
81 rifle at a trail. and moved into the fore
w with short and quick steps, that were B
nS tween walk and trot.
or ne Lo ocot;uuod