Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-03-22
A DAY ON sKEEs NORWEGIAN
SNOW -SH0ES.)

Mndl lAith VIC uti Win Ile IOA-lTdDS anu
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 a
luncheon, consisting of cold smoked
ham and bread and butter, in 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, energies into the
bright winter morning. They then
climb up the steep snow-banks, 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 be-
hind him, gives an Indian war-whoop,
and swings his staff about his head TO
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 a steep incline, over
grown with leafless birch and elder for
ests. 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 decliyity on Skees is by
no means as easy as it is to slide down
a smooth hillside. Half an hours
climb brings them to the trapping
grounds. But there, indeed their efforts
are well rewarded
''Oh, look, look Father!' cries the
boy, ecstatically. "Oh, what lot we
have caught! Why, there are three
dozen birds, as sure as there is one.
"There is enough to buy you new
coat for Christmas, lad, y he said chuck
ling; "and if we make many more such
hauls, we may get enough to buy
Mother a silver brooch, too, to wear at
church on Sundays"
mo, buy Mothers brooch first,
Father" protests the lad, a little hest
tatingly (for it costs many boys an eff
fort 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, laddie," 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 tree to tree, and hung the
tempting red 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 a great
leap, then plunging headlong into the
snow.
"Hello, Mr. Reynard," remarked
Nils, as he slid over toward the dead
animal "You oversight yourself this
morning. You have stolen my game so
long, now, that it was time should get
even with you. Nov sir, we are
quits.
When the task of setting the snares in
order had been completed, father and
son glided lightly away under the huge,
snow-laden trees TO visit their traps,
which were set farther up themountain.
And when they turned their faces
homeward, they had, besides the ptar-
mipan and the fox, a big capercailZie
Cor grouse) cock and two hares. The
twilight was already falling, for in the
Norway winter it grows dark early in
the afternoon.
.'Now, let us see, lad, said Ola's
father, regarding his son with strange,
dubious glance, ''if you have got Morse
blood in your veins. We don't want Ia
go home the way we came, srwe should
scarcelyreach 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 axes brisk and stout legs to stand in
that track, my lad, and | won't urge
you, if you are afraid.
Il guess / can 90 where you can,
Father retorted the boy, proudly.
Anyway, my neck isn't half so yalua-
bic as yours.
spoken like man, said the father,
in a voice of deep satisfaction. ''Now
for it, lad! Make yourself ready. Strap
the hunting-bag close under your Cir
die, or you will lose it. Test your staff
to make sure that it will hold, for if it
breaks you are gone. Be sure you don
take my track. You are a fine chap and
brave one"
Ola followed his fathers directions
closely, and stood with loudly palpitat-
ing heart ready for the start Before
him lay the long, smooth slope Of the
mountain. If it had not been his father
who had challenged him, he would have
much preferred to take the circuitoas
rou,e down into the valley.
'Readyr' shouted Nils, advancing
toward the edge of the slope "One,
two, threem
And like an arrow he shot down over
the steep track, guiding his course
steadily with his staff; but it was scarce
" five seconds before he was lost tC
sight, looking more like WHEELING
snow-drift than a man. With strained
ewes and bated breath, Ola stood look
inc after him. Then. nerying himseL
for the feat, he glanced at his S6ees Il
see that they were parallel, and glideC
out over the terrible declivity. His frs
feeling was that he had slid right on
into the air-that he was rushing Will