Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-05-03

falling and saving up those trees into
blocks of single lengths. After cutting
and saving enough for ten or twelve
thousand we would start those short
logs rolling down the mountain side to
our camp. tell you it was fun to see
those logs going like flock of sheep
jumping and bounding down the noun
tain. Alter we had split all our blocks
up into bolts and piled them up under
our shanty, I, with the proc and mall
let, would rive or split the bolts up
ready for the shave. AS my old pard
shaved them l would keep a good pile
at his right hand and as he shaved
each shingle with his left hand would
throw it to his left. AS we lived he at
his home and at my home, we were
always on strife to see which would
he at the shanty first each morning.
We were always on time. We always
carried our guns 30 as to hunt on the
way home at night. One morning, for
some cause, I did not take my gun and
and when l reached camp my pard had
just arrived and I noticed be had left
his gun at home, but we neither of us
made any remarks about it and went
to wo,k. About ten o'clock we heard
the baying of hounds way over the
mountain. After awhile it came near
er. All at once deer came running
to the top of the bank above us and as
soon as he saw us stopped and stood not
more than fifty feet from US. There it
stood and looked at US. and looked all
around as if to make observations. We
sat perfectly still and watched that
deer. How graceful in all its motions
as it turns its head from side to side,
with large, lustrous eyes. How beau
tiful in form, how carefully it lifts its
feet when it steps. AS sat and watch
ed it in all its motions just thought,
now why did not bring my gun? Oh.
how easy could have put out one of
those eyes. After standing for quite a
while it switched its tail and lowered
it's head and picked its way down the
bank and walked in few feet of our
our pile of shingles, then on top the
ravine back the way it came, in sight
of the hounds. Just as it had passed
out of sight those hounds started up a
large flock of old gobblers, fifteen or
twenty great big fellows, and thay lit
in the trees all about US, and there we
sat and looked at them. What beau
tiful bird an old gobbler is, with all the
beautiful hues, as the light shines on
them from different ways. After
awhile one by one they flew lazily
away. After they had all gone 1 gave
deep sigh and went to work. Just
then I saw my pard shake his head.
He got up from his bench and walked
few steps to a buch of good slim
switches and cut good one. l
thought, we'll what now? He came
over to where [ was sitting. With his
left hand on my shoulder he just laid
that switch on my back until L was as
hot as pepper. AS be dropped his
switch he said, fetch your gun to-
morrow" then took his seat ond went
to work. I sat and looked at him for
about one minute. 1 got up and cut
me good hickory about four feet long.
1 walked over to him and I put my
hand on his shoulder and the way I
let down on his shirt fairly made the
dust fly. After l thought L had give
as much as he gave me and some for
good count. I dropped my switch and
said, "fetch your gun tomorrow, "then
I took my seat and you never saw two
fellows make shingles faster than we
did, until at noon my pard spoke for
the first time and said, "Old 'oman, I
guess it's about dinner time" We laid
our tools down and went to the fire and
spread out our dinners as usual, for we
always made our dinners company
affair. We ate of each others part as
we always had done, and now let me
say, as long as he lived I never heard
that affair spoken of between us or to
anyone else. T. p. r,