Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-10-20
An October Morning with the Ducks

AL SStObCi AnoihAbS WILL luc ouChS.
Now, don't overseep, and be all ready at
4 o'clock, sharp" This was the parting in
junction from my old friend, Joe, as he babe
me good night, after arranging for day
with the web foots."
OF course, every thing had to be ready the
night before. The big 10 lb. Daily was
drawn from its case and carefully rubbed
over with a light coating of vasalne; good
supply of Nos. and cartridges was sorted
out; the long rubber boots and canvas coat,
pants and hat were placed within reach. The
lunch basket was not forgotten either, and
was well filled with eatables and drinkables
too, for a duck shoover can reasonably count
on getting both cold and wet before the days
sport is over.
It's just day-break as our alarm clock
springs off with whirr like startled par
fridge and brings to an abrupt ending one of
those vague dreams the gunner frequently
has, of countless birds waiting to be shot; of
the vain attempts made to pull off the old re-
liable choke bore, which never was known
to go back on us, except in these night mare
dreams Have you ever been there, reader?
Pulling at the trigger for dear life, and yet
the thing won't go off Funny, isn't it?
Well. there's no time to lose, and hastily
jumping into the old canvas shooting suit
which has done duty for many a season and
slipping on a heavy WOODEN shirt. we are soon
eating breakfast. Two minutes later finds
us seated beside joe in his eighty pound
skitf, mounted on an express wagon and
speeding over the road on our way to Little
Togus Pond Whew but isn't it cold in
the chill morning air just the boss morning
for ducks though-cold and dull.
The first remark Joe makes is Haven't
.ot so''en any ,nlns, ''"se ~ loph tne
IIp3 NV ISL ,,',, ,na. .,i'ns -
a .iSu' =, ,I, anu vi y",''iueS, iou 'e
,n~ ~ 4'u '.gsIn yt"rs ago, II,
va uas' VI '1,.. ",au. .l;s ", III s,S
o'u ma. W so o'i Il w nc ou'I
$40 - ~
sos ess'y an.ns a. 'n,e pue (, S srt;
taP' a'.', 'us 80 ~ h; .e az 80
nc. ne "ou. ~ iep - :. ~; I'm IN. "
w. ~ ','a, IN
n0'ei iOi gu aN' Va nc "' u"y
no"efe,' "nen nea''i ivy n'ies nom none
ne was iooAins owe, JUS traps anu iiiu''er,us
" himself as uSua,- rour 'i,hgs, po"uer'
sno'i 'aps Sau "au' vs. 'nat al here'
o'd" n. ~ "'op '"e VIC ioiso' '"e
s",
an nour pi.sA uo' u'inss Us within srgn,
Vi ..e o,iu WIN ns s,edinine anu unr u'neu
suIiace ens'enlls III .le irosY morning ar
prNins as near DIS we 'ii'nh pruoen' we ni'ch
10 convenient 'ree anu putting our guns TO-
eetner ee. reauI i"l pus'ness' Joe says
SKIES III tne right parrel ana tours n ,he
'ei. are eoou enough ior MN anu l ioioN
SUIT CAUTIOUSLY creeping 10 uhe ousnes al
the upper eiu OF the pohu we peep .hrough
ahu discover hrst ouhch OF SIX oiack ducks
ousliy Ieedihg among the my paus' nearly
IN 'he centre; "fiiie at the io"er emu are
-FOUR WOOD DUCKS An are out OF gunshot
however from any point ana there is hothihg
10 40 out walt ior tneih ID WORK III shore'
we are not kept "aitihg long Tor III rev
minutes they are nearing our way ana slow
~ swimming towards our cover. Now they
are nearly within range but turn again.
Here they come once more Joe Whispers,
don't be IN hurry. nod IN response,
while keeping my eyes on the birds and
nerYously lingering the triggers lhey draw
nearer and are now within nifty yards
but badly scattered Joe gives me Know
ing look anu cautiously raising ms farker
to his shoulder. am ABOUT TO toiio" SUIT
when their sharp eyes discover us ana with
quack quack they are IN the AR with
Jump. Its business now ana rising up, our
right barrels crack toge'her as one gun, ana
two big brakes drop with loud splash
Bang goes Joe lett ana Dang goes mine also'
but the four ducks keep on down the pond,
as II IN correspondence race.
MARX says Joe as ne drops on one knee,
ana LOOKING up discover the ouiieh OF WOOD
ducks swinging out over the meadow lhey
turn 10 come PACK ana are making LOT the
ponu IN pee line uirectF III our range
They had rise" at our nrst hre put are appar-
entity ioath 10 leave tneir feedlhg ground
These oirds 90 not circle ABOUT as their more
wary BLACK relatives put select spot ana