The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1890-11-20
Editorial Correspondence.
A DEER HUNT IN WEST
VIRGINIA.
tContlnnedN

tOntnued.)
i left the readers of the Posr at
Elkins, West Va, with everything
arranged for our eighteen-mile trip
into the mountains. The man with
whom we had contracted to carry
our provisions, clothing and camp
ing equipments to camp had prom
Used to be on hand mt seven o'clock
in the morning. We waited in 81
lence till eight and then began to
get uneasy and inquired as TO the
probable cause of delay. Our anx-
iety took tremendous boom when
u man, who is somewhat acquainted
with Virginian customs, informed
us that we need not look for him be-
fore nine, and might expect him at
ten, but the probabilities were that
he wouldn't come ut all. We asked
him what in the nation this meant,
and he replied "The obligation of
blooded West Virginian is as un-
certain rs the east wind" We wait
ed. AT nine we were uneasy, at ten
digusted and at eleven desperate.
At last reports he hadn't arrived yet.
We hurriedly packed the most es-
sential portions of our baggage
consisting of thirteen loaves OF
bread, ammunition and blankets into
grain bags, hired three horses from
a livery and mounting ono man on
each, started for the eighteen mile
tramp into the very heart of dense
wilderness. If you could have seen
the editor OF this paper perched on
n pack-horse with bundles in front
and behind the saddle almost as
high as his head, riding through
.@nd nn To the horses knees ,y, yca
could probably appreciate some
thing i cannot describe. But we
logged along, changing with the
foot-men whenever one of them got
tired. The mountains rose higher
and higher. The mud got deeper
and deeper. A little before sunset
we reached Cheat river, stream
about as wide ms Penns Creek but
so deep and swift that it taxed all
the powers of one horse to carry one
man across. The animals made five
trips for the eleven men--including
the teamstor and our guide, Mr.
Paul Kettle, Of Elkins, an honest,
conscientious gentleman and II good
hunter. Then began the steep as
cent OF Cheat mountain. The
mountains on either side of the
Cheat are so high and steep that it
requires four complete switch
backs to reach their SUBMITS. Two
miles beyond the Cheat ut dark we
came upon the plantation of Mr.
Flint, typical Yankee, who was
years ago presented with one
thousand acres of land, providing
he would move upon it and take
care of the balance of an $4,000 acre
tract of land owned by syndicate.
They seemed not in the least dis
concerted ut the arrival of so many
guests Mt their "hotel," and the
women ut once set to work getting
supper which consisted of yenison
and corn bread. Foot-sore and
hungry we sat down to this i'm.
poyerished meal. You may have
heard that hunger is the best
cook If you haven't heard it,
hear it now and believe it. thought
of Bobby Burns Edenburg grace
"Some hm meat and Gamma eat.
And some would eat that want it:
But we hm meat and we can eat,
Se let the Lord be thankit.n
After supper we surveyed the
house. 1t is large log building
: about 50x30 feet with n 80 foot
square kitchen. There are only tive
rooms below in the main house with
n large, old-fashioned fireplace il
each, in which heavy birch logs
were sending out an intense heat
We never so fully appreciated tn,
comforts of such old-fashioned fire
places. We thought of the days o
long ago, when our grandfather
| sat around the hearth and cooet
and courted our grand-mothers will
a as much satisfaction as is now af
r forded by "a fifty-dollar heater.
, almost wished / had lived an hun
/ dred years ago. This wish grew il
strength as did the venison whicl
, we were compelled to eat, and a
q the expiration of two days I almos
wished / hadn't lived at all. Th