Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-02-14
A Day on Skees
(NORWEGIAN SNOW sHOES.)

"Ola. my ladr' cried Morse father te
his young son, one crisp. cold winter
morning, "fetch the ax from the wood
shed and bring me nv gun from the corner
behind the clock, and we will see wha
luck we had with the fox traps and the
snares up in the birch glen.'
And Ola has no need of being asked
twice to attend to such duties. His
mother, in the meanwhile. has put up q
luncheon, consisting of cold smoked ham
and bread and butter. In a gayly painted
wooden box. which Ola sings across his
shoulder, while Nils, his father, sticks the
ak into his girdle, and with his gun in
one hand and his skee staff in the other,
emerges into the bright winter morning
They then climb up the steep snowbanks,
place their skeeS upon the level surface
and put their feet into the bands. Nils
gives tremendous push with his staff
and away he flies down the steep hillside,
while his little son, following close
behind him, gives an Indian war whoop,
and swings his staff about his head 10
show how little he needs it.
Whew, how fast he goes!
In few seconds father and son have
reached the bottom of the valley. and
before them is steep incline, overgrown
with leahess birch and elder forests. 1t is
there where they have their snares. made
of braided horse hair; and, as bait, they
use the red berries of the mountain ash, OF
which ptarmigan and thrushes are very
fond. Now comes the test of their
strength; but the snow is too deep and
loose to wade through, and to climb a
H. Wit " q mn
rs it is to slide down a smooth hillside.
Half au hours climb brings them to the
trapping grounds. But there, indeed
their efforts are well rewarded.
"Oh, look, look father!' cries the boy,
ecstatically. ooh, what a lot we have
caught! Why there are three dozen
birds, as sure as there is one."
There is enongh to buy you a new
coat for Christmas, lad," he says chuck
ling; "and if we make many more such
hauls, we may get enough to buy mother
silver brooch, too, to wear at church on
Sundays"
mo, buy mothers brooch, first, father"
protests the little lad little hesitatingly
(for it costs many boys an effort to be
generously my coat will come along
soon enough. Although. to be sure, my
old one is pretty shabby" he adds With a
glance at his patched sleeves.
Now, quick. laddic," his father called
out. "Stir your stumps and bring me
your bag of bait. Get the snares to rights
and fix the berries as you have seen me
doing"
Ola was very fond of this kind of work,
and he pushed himself with his staff from
: tn h,,po I,n
berries in the little hoops and arches
which were attached to the bark of the
trees. He was in the midst of this labor,
when suddenly he heard the report of his
fathers gun, and, looking up, saw fox
making great leap, then plunging head
long into the snow.
"lIello, Mr.. Reynard," remarked Nils,
as he slid over towards the dead animal.
You oversight yourself this morning
You have stolen my game so long, now,
that it was time l should get even with
you. Now, sir. we are quits"
When the task of setting the snarcs in
order had been completed, father and son
glided lightly away under the huge. snow
laden trees to visit their traps, which
were set further up the mountain.
And when they turned their faces
they had, besides the ptarmi-
gan and the fox, big capercalzie (or
grouse) cock and two hares. The twilight
was already falling, for in the Norway
winter it grows dark early in the after
noon.
Now, let us sec, lad," said Ola's father
bis son with strange, dubious
glance, ''if you have got Morse blood in
10
the way we came, or we should scarcely
reach the house before midnight. But If
you dare risk your neck with your father,
we will take the western track down the
bare mountain side. 1t takes brisk and
stout legs to stand in that track, my lad,
and won't urge you, If you are afraid.
"1guess l can go where you can, father"
retorted the boy, proudly. Anyway, my
neck isn't half so valuable as yours"
spoken like mani" said the father,
in voice of deep satisfaction. "Now for
it, lad Make yourself ready. Strap the
hunting bag close under your girdle, or
you will lose it. Test your staff to make
sure that it will hold, for If it breaks you
are COMO. Be sure you don't take my track.
You are fine chap and brave one"
Ola followed his fathers directions
closely, and stood with loudly palpitating
heart ready for the start. Before him lay
he long, smooth slope of the mountain.
[fithad not been his father who hallenged
him, he would have much preferred to
AXE the cirouitous route down into the
valley.
"Ready!' shouted Nils, advancing
oward the edge of the slope: zone, two,
hree"