The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-05-09
HUNTING.
what Sometime Happens.
by NOVICE,

doorless log cabin in the midst of :
little clearing IN the heavy timber. Il
stands on knoll above murmurins
stream, scarce a yard wide; rod o.
two from its door runs an old logging
road, while on all sides stretch ridge or
ridge of hard maple, interspersed here
and there with beech and Eastwood
the simmer of golden leaves broker
only by the dark green of an occasional
cedar or hemlocis, where the nature O
the ground permitted their growth
Near the cabin itself, with its roo
ragged by age and Winter SHOWS, stand:
a little tent, with its flaps invitingly
open. From the confused heap O
bedding therein, you see shining forth
the folds Of bright red pair of blan.
kets, much priced by the writer, fo1
their comfortable warmth, and because
in their continued possession there
hangs tale.
Here then was the scene Of oul
second camp. a weary journey of 81,
miles the afternoon before, laden with
baggage and tent equipage, had con-
Quoted US over a muddy and much
quilted road, in the falling rain, to the
door of the cabin. Not yet possessed
of the one-eyed horse and the rickety
blackboard, that afterward figured in
our hegiras, this our first move hac
been accompanied by many groan o.
WEAKNESS and hearty anathema. Form
ing into one huge pack, tent, rubbers
blankets, cooking utensils, etc., anC
singing them upon his strong back
supported in front by a broad strap
across the forehead la Indian, m,
h-Canadian guide trotted briskly
along. Not yet hardened to all the
usages of the woods, | followed slowly
in the rear, bearing two heavy rifles
over one shoulder, from the muzzle o.
one Of which hung suspended a wooden
pail full of provisions on the Other
shoulder an AK, fiom which hung also
a huge fitch of bacon. These iwbedl,
menta, together with heavy load O.
cartridges, made the six miles seem
twelve, and many log and stump or
the way received the impression of my
corduroys and the patch that adorned
their seat before the journey was finally
accomplished.
When the cabin was at last reached
the shades of an early autunlnal night
fall were rapidly coming on. A hurried
search for the lantern revealed it miss,
ing-and then we remembered we had
left it hanging suspended from a tree
at the other camp. The beer-bottle
containing the oil was also empty
Carried cork downward in P.'s pack
the cork and contents had both spilled
and the odor of one Of the blanket.
told US where the oil had gone. Well
as this was one of the things thai
sometimes happen" we tried to take
it philosophically. Too dark to cut {
bed, we hurriedly undid our pack
spread out our blankets on the pun.
cheon floor, and after lunch of some
scraps to be found in the pail, kicked
the dog off Of the blankets, and pre-.
pared to sleep. y disagreeable odor
| had noticed on entering the cabin
by no means diminished, when we as
sumed the position horizontal. l could
have imagined, had the circumstance:
warranted, that the last family who hac
occupied the cabin, being much
troubled by rats, had adopted the in
genious method of distributing arsenic
lberally around the premises, till the
whGle colony of rodents had ignomin
ously died and left their remains under
the floor. Ii certainly had the odor o
such a state of affairs. The dog, too
seemed very unhappy. Sitting dowr
at our feet he gave a sniff or two, fol
lowed by sharp howl, and a violen
licking Of his person continued at in
tervals during the night, showed tina
something was up. The odor of deac
rats, however, was somewhat modified
by that of the spilled kerosene, and be-
ing tired with our afternoon work, we
slept ON the hard puncheons the SLEEP
ofthe just.
Morning light revealed the cause O
our disturbance. A porcupine, witt
black malice in his heart, feeling hi:
end at hand, had calmly laid himse1
down to die on the cabin floor, Having
paid the debt of nature, his remain:
still lived to veX his enemies. We haC
unconsciously spread our blanket:
| (the kerosene soaked one below upor
his scattered remnants. "HNc lila
M11M@." Hence, too, the odor
hence the dogs stern. ornamented witt
a frill of quilts hence our blankets per
meated through and through with fret
ting needles. With trembling hands
examined my precious red blankets anC
was rejoiced to find them sans oil, san,
porcupine. The luckless blanket We
afterward bestowed upon an individual
whose objections were less acute thar
ours. With much alacrity we bestirreC
ourselves to pitch our tent outside
spread our wet bedding on the bushe:
to dry, built rousins fire with mater
ais taken from the decaying cabir
(Which henceforth we regarded as q
legitimate woodpile), and cooked {
hearty breakfast.
Our meal eaten, l dispatched P