Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-09-03
Il DROLL ADVENTURE.

we're two ShOteS ana GWenCy-SeVeu tur-
leys. which had been killed and dressed
he night before.
It was early in November, and I re-
collect that the ruts in the road were
frozen, and that the ice was so thick on
The puddles in the road that it would al
most bear the oxen.
was boy then, and lived In the
Sc blue-nose" country, as the Province OF
New Brunswick is sometimes called.
We had quite large farm, though it
was some distance back in the woods,
and raised large numbers of cattle, pigs
and poultry. Father worked at lumber
ing in the winters, and at the time l am
speaking of had already gone up the
Tobique, to build scamp" for a gang
of choppers who were to begin work the
both of the month. So my brother Ran
som and I had the winters wood to cut,
and the marketing to do.
It was sixteen miles from our place to
Woodstock. and for the first three miles
there was only cart-road. We had
heard that there was to be a shooting
match at Woodstock that day. Geese
were to be fired at, at Cd shot. The dis
lance was only fifteen rods, for any sort
of guns that competitors might bring.
Ranse and I, of course, took our guns:
and Joe Ethridge, neighbor from over
the river, went with us. IL we should
get to town in time, we meant to try
few shots at the geese.
We had gone mile or more, and
were passing through second growth
of white birches and some thick clumps
of hemlock that were on each side of
the road, when Ranse and I heard the
sharp squeak of hedgehog, such as the
animal often makes in November morn
ings.
Joe, who was walking little ahead of
the cart, on the lookout for cartridges,
cried, "Just look at the 'quin-pigs ,
over there across the hollow I"
There was valley on the west side of
the road. Across it, on the mountain
side, twenty-five or thirty rods off, the
poplars grew thick and tall. The leaves
had dropped from their branches, and
in the tops Of the poplars we saw four
hedgehogs gnawing at the bark.
The sun had just risen, and shone
| upon them 80 that we could see the ami
mails very plainly.
"They're fat now" said Joe.
"They're as good as geese. Let's git
EN-, and take 'em along in the cart"
We did not dare to leave the team in
the road, for our cattle were yoke OIL
spanked 4-year-old steers, not very
we'll broken Turning them partly
round to tree, Ranse chained them te
| it, with spare ox-chain that was in the
cart, through the staple of the yoke.
That done, we took our guns out O
the cart and ran after Joe, across TIT
| hollow. He had fired at the hedgehogs
before we reached him, and had brough
down one great fellow. The Others
were in plain sight In the bare popla
tops.
Ransc and I soon had two more lyin.
at our feet in the dry leaves. But tn
last one, which Joe now shot, lodged a
1t fell in the crotch of limb, wher
it chung, being still alive.
Just then we heard q tremendou
noise, that came from the plac
where we had hitched the steers. Th
chain was rafting. and we could hea
the cattle thrashing the yoke agains
/ the tree.
, "They're breakin' away y exclaime
{ Ranse, and he shouted, Whoa-hush
' | Whca-hush p
But the noise increased, and we hear
< one of the steers suddenly bawl ou
making a queer cultural sound.
Il "Somethings biting 'em !" cried Jot
We each Of US caught mp a hedgeho
by the hind legs, and, without stoppin
, for the one in the tree, ran toward tn
: cart as fast as we could.
The steers broke loose and wei
!. wheeling round to run for home wit
= the cart, as we came up through tt
Q white birches and caught sight OF then
> :" What's that in the cart ?" pante
q Ranse.
j Through the trees I could see som
thing that looked black, as the stee
y darted away.
!. We dashed into the road, but were t.
v late to head them off. They had ten
E. dozen rods the start, and were goil
y as fast as they could leap. The ca
, was humping and rumbling over Il
" frozen ruts, and in it was block cres
1t ure that looked as large as yearlil
Ill steer. The animal was staggering
70 his endeavor to keep on his feet as t
> cart jounced along, and he turned roul
rs constantly in making attempts to jur
Is out.
W oJt's a hear |" Joe shouted. either