Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-05-01
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| look and listen. stood perfectly still.
| AT last he flew up in a tree; then an
ally another, then another, until I
counted all their number. There was
just twelve of the nineteen left. 0,
but they were shy and watchful! I
said to old Betsey, now we have got
to do our best, for those old fellows
know you and are here and they viii
keep one eye open all the time. I
waited quite while so as to let them
get over their watchfulness. A last l
saw them settle down on the limb,
but could see their heads between
me and the sky moving about, still
watching. had gotten way around
back of them, SO they were between
me and the moon, when the moon
would get up high enough, at about
ten or eleven o'clock. So laid down
beside large rock on n bed of leaves
and watched those old fellows. Ev-
cry now and then one or another of
them would start up as if he had
heard something. / could see them
looking down below and above and all
about. After while their heads
would begin to nod, then start up
again. Sometimes / wonld think,
they are gone now, but after while
their heads would nod again. About
ten o'clock they had all got settled
down with their heads under their
wings, and I said, Now, Betsy, we
will see if we can get near enough TO
risk shot. Now, L know you will
not deceive me, you have always told
the truth, and 1 will see if can get o
little nearer. 1 have got to be very
careful and make no noise.h / laid
off my bullet poach, took off my shoes
and got down on my hands and knees,
for | was as much as two hundred
yards from the nearest one. / COM
menced creeping-how slow and how
carefully l made my way; so slow and
no one could hardly have
perceived my movements. Oh, hush!
1 had hit little rock which made %
racket. Like flash every one of
those old fellows heads were up and
they on their feet. I laid just as still
did not move a hand or hardly
breathed: and then waited, expect
ing every minute they would fly.
after another tucked his head under
his wing. Now, we will try it again.
Slowly, oh, how slowly we moved. If
| can only get to that rock about
twenty feet ahead we will be all right.
0, pshaw! that little dead stick snap
pedtand that old fellow heard it, Hcwst
he is watching; L could see his eyes
and they were looking right at me.
had L not been well trained, / think +
should have had the trembles. You
just settle yourself again until 1 can
get to that rock; it is not more than
ten feet. Waiting, waiting; how
many thoughts pass through my mind
as 1 am waiting. At last you have
gone to sleep. Easy now; careful, as
| glide up to the rock. At last! Hold!
There he is upon his feet looking, and,
oh, L believe he is going. Betsy, we
have no time to spare, for he is going
to go, as bring her to my face, SO
slow you could not have seen me move.
All, now l am ready, "fire!". With
a loud squak he comes tumbling to the
ground and down the mountain he
rolls, heaving and threshing, and L
in my stocking feet after him. Now
I've got you, old fellow! Amt he
buster? At the crack of my rifle
all the others have gone.
"My dear old Betsy, you are the
darling of my heart, the joy of my life.
Now we will go back and get my shoes
and the rest of our things and go
home, for I begin to feel like supper
them left. Maybe we will get some
more of them yet before they are
year older.n
And in the spring how L used to
love to go out in the mountains, when
you could hear the sound of the drum
ming of the pheasant on some old log
or the sound of those old gobblers in
every direction, fairly making the
woods ring. What fine times we had
calling those old fellows up with
,aller, as we sat with our backs to
rec or large rock. Way off yonder
you hear that old gobbler answer the
,all, and each call, nearer and nearer
le comes, until you hear the rumbling
If his wings, as he come strutting
owards you, but should you make the
east mistake in the call. that moment
hat old gobbler drops his wings and
S off and no amount of calling will
make him answer again.
l remember one morning / had gone
'ut to Cedar Hill to call up gobblers.
gave a call and soon one answered.
called again and again, but he would
lot come, but kept up an awfut racket,
% / thought, old fellow if you won't
ome / will crawl up to you. He was
ust over the ridge on the other side
# deep gulch and as / came to the
op of the ridge l saw him just strut
ing away and gobbling away as hard
IS he could. / crept around so as to
,ring big rock between us. When
got almost near enough to shoot,
ourteen deer came walking right in
between us. / drew down on one of
hem and shot it; as it fell the rest ran
fl a ways sandstoppedand looked hack,
,ut before | could load my gun they
off and the old turI<ay want ton buf