Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-09-05
! PARTRIDGE'S STORY.
I AlnlinnSe Dnu,lrt !

AhhunSt Daudet
l'I know that partrldg.> 20 in coIie>
1nd lIilI their nests together in the
h.il"N OF tie furruW>. 80 thai they can
re. ~ iit.. beast alarm. scattered IN flight
like grain from thu, hand uf the >uwcr
car "Nn company i numerous and gay,
established OH Il pliin at the cdy, Of ii
Lti-'. W""d. with good pp.klnyS and fine
covers Oh both >!d.>. Thus. since first
Knew bow to run, we'll frathrr,4l, we'll
fed. | found my life happy one
N.Ncllh,lr>>. one thing disturbed me a
:ttlr. II was this famous opening of
th" hunting sc:I>"n. of which our
mothers began to talk softly among
Themselves One old member of our
company ;Iway, said 10 me at such
times.
"Ilavr no fear, kougct, they call
me l.oug,.t OH account of my bcak and
claws. the color of service berries
"havr no fear, R"uy,t, will take you
with ne on the opening day, and am
sure that nothing will happen To you"
This is an old cock. very cunning and
still active, although he already has Il
horseshoe marked on his breast, and
white feathers here and there While
still Young he received Il shot in his
WING. and aS that made him little
heavy he looks twice before flying, takes
his time and always comes safely
through. He often took me with him
as far rs the entrance to the woods.
There stands Il curious little house
Stlcd among the chestnut trees. silent
| .,p,,.I and H,ravS ..1...l
Look carefully at this house, little
one, the old fellow said to me; when
You see smoke rising from the roof and
the door and the shutters open, things
will be- goiUg badly for us.
And had confidence in him, knowing
we'll hat this WAS not his first season
In fact, the next morning at break of
day. heard some one calling softly in
the furrow: ''Rouget, Rouget"'
II was the old cock His eyes We're
wonderful To behold.
Come quickly" said, "and do as
do
followed him, half asleep, running
between the clods of earth without flying,
almost without jumping, like mouse.
We went toward the wood, and saw in
passing that smoke came from the chin
ncv of the little house, the windows were
open to the day, and before the wide
open door were huntSmcn, ready
equipped. surrounded by leapins dogs.
As we passed one of the huntsmen cried:
Let us try the field this morning; We
will 90 To the woods after breakfast
Then | understood why my old com
panion took us first to the forest.
Nevertheless, my heart beat, above all,
when thought of our poor friends.
Suddenly, just as we reached the edge
of the wood we saw the dogs running in
oar direction.
Lie down, lie down, said the old fel-
low, crouching.
Al the same time ten PAGES from us, a
frightened quail opened wide his wings
and his beak, and flew up with Il cry of
terror. | heard a fearful noise, and we
We're cnvcloped by strange smelling
dust, all white and warm, although the
sun had scarcely risen. was so fright
rncd that | could run no further.
Luckily, we had entered the wood. My
comradc squatted behind little oak,
placed myself near him, and We re-
manned hidden there, looking out be-
tween the leaves.
In the fields there was a terrible noise
of guns. At each report | shut my
eyes. completely stunned; then, when
decided To open them, saw the plain,
biz and bare, and dogs running, search
ing in the blades of grass, in the little
bundles of grain, turning on their tracks
like mad creatures Behind them the
.IAntnI.
>honr III the sun. At one moment, in a
itlr cl"',d of smoke, | thought | SAW,
talthOuyh there was no tree near, some
h.n. ny like falling leaves. But the
Old cock told me il was feathers and, in
fact, Il hundred PAGES in front of us a
superb gray partridge fell in the furrow,
turning up his bloody head.
When the sun became very hot, very
high, the shooting suddenly stopped.
The huntsmen returned toward the little
house, where could be heard the crack
ling of Il big fire of vine branches. They
chattcd together, gun on shoulder, and
discussed the shots, while their dogs
came behind them, tired, with lolling
tongues.
They are going to breakfast" said
ulN ~ uS NO ilhC titul
And We entered IA field of buckwheat
which is near the wood-a great biz
white and black field in flower and in
grain, with a smell of almonds. Hand
some pheasants with golden brown
piumage were feeding there also, lower
ing their red crests for fear of being
seen. All. they We're less naughty than
usual. While eating they asked lis for
news, and if any of their number had
fallen. During this time the breakfast
of the huntsmen, at first quiet, became
more and more noisy; we heard the
glasses clink and the corks of the bottles
fly. My guide considered it time to re
turn TO shelter.
At that hour the woods seemed asleep.
The little pools, where the deer came TO
drink, were troubled by no tapping
tongue; not the muZzle of rabbit in the
Wild thyme of the warren. But mys-
tcrious trembling was to be felt, as if
each blade of grass sheltered menanced
life These wild creatures of the forest
have so many hiding places-the bur-
rows, the thickets, the od-piles, the
brambles, the ditchcs-these little wood
bitches which retain the water so long
after it has raincd confess that
would have liked to be at the bottom of
one of these holes, but my companion
preferred to remain i'll the open, to have
room, to see about him, and to feel the
free air before him. 1t was well for us
that he did so, for the huntsmen came
into the woods.
Oh. that first shot in the forest-that
shot which tore holes in the leaves like
an April hail. and scored the bark
never shall forget it. a rabbit made
off cross the road, tearing up tufts of
grass with his extended claws. a Squir-
rel ran down chestnut tree knocking
off the green burS. There We're two or
three heavy flights of biz pheaSants, and
tUmult among the branches and the
dry leaves at the wind of this shot,
which a@itatcd, awakened, frightened
everything that lived in the wood. The
field mice ran to the bottom of their
holes. A horn-beetle came out of
crack in the tree against which
we were squatting, and rolled
I L