Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-11-14
Old Times.

Ed. Register-Last night, just as /
was about to retire for the night,
happened to look out of the door, and
saw the moon almost in the full over
cast with fieecy clouds. I felt a-pecu-
liar sensation go all over me, like an
electric shock. How fresh the early
days in this Valley came over me like
a flash, anil stood gazing t the moon.
I could hardly resist the temptation to
get my gun and mount my old hunt
ing pony and start for the woods to
hunt wild turkeys. How many, many
times I have Travelled all over the
Shut-In mountains, all alone, In such
a moonlight night as last night.
Well do / remember one beautiful
afternoon in the month of November
the month after was married, and the
same fall Rev. J. c. Bergman came to
this VaIley-I took "old Betsey" on
my shoulder and started out in the
mountains to kill deer. / went up to
that mountain just east of Irontou. /
up on sapling. then took trip
way around the head of the valley, be-
tween the mountains east of Pilot
Knob. When I got around to Cedar
hill, near the old Pennington road, I
saw, away on beyond, on another
ridge, herd of fine deer; and when
you see a herd of deer feeding, you will
always see some one of that herd with
head up looking. AS Iknew it would
be almost impossible to try to creep up
on them, took out my pt cket handker-
chief aid seated myself with my back
against large tree. and gave my
gentle wave. One of
those deer saw it and started up as il
to run, and gave whistle; then stop
ped At the sound of alarm the whole
herd threw up their heads and took a
look. I shook my handkerchief again,
at which the whole herd made a dash
and ran few yards and turned around,
with heads up, and gazed at it with all
their eyes. Igaveanother gentle wave.
The whole herd dashed off again u few
steps, and turned back towards me and
gazed; another gentle wave. and the
leader began to walk few steps to-
ward me. They seemed to consult
"What under the sun IS that thing? /
am going to know anyway" l gave
another gentle wave. and the whole
herd would start up and then walk
few steps nearer. and stop to reconoit-
er. At each move Of the handkerchief
they would come a little net rer, until
at last thought they were near enough
TO venture to shoot. drew down on
the old leaders, breast, and felt my
fingers touch the trigger there came
over me such thrill of ecstasy oil feel
ing it is impossible to describe and
thought, "Ah, you are my deer" At
the crack of my rifle that deer feel in
his tracks, dead. while the rest Of the
herd went off with those long. swing
ing yet graceful sweeps, with their
white plumes moving from side TO side.
What beautiful sight to see thirty or
forty deer moving OFT allin mass! It
is grand; it is splendid!
AFTER / had hung up my deer / start
ed OIL my return, for the sun was al
most down, and was quite well salts
fed with my evenings hunt. When
/ reached the low lands near the creek,
on each side of the old Farmingtan
road, found large flock of wild
turkeys Oh their roosts. Issid to "Old
Betsy" (hunters very often get in the
habit of talking to their gun or dog),
"I guess We will try those turkeys"
I killed three OF them, one after anoth-