The morning call., 1891-06-29
TALE OF A HUNTSMAN.
Experience of Drummer on
the Back of a Moose.

Several evenings since a party of con-
viviai spirits had assembled, as was their
won't in certain place-which shall be
nameless-within the limits of this city's
business districts. says the Bangor News.
There was one of the number who usually
reserved his story until the latter part of
the evening. and on such occasions those
constituting the party rose and departed
slowly hOmeward after the story was fin
iShed, agreeing to a man that for stories
told in good faith as actual experiences of
the relator they must be awarded tue palm.
The tale was told as follows:
:" 1t was while | was in the northern part
OF Maine on hunting tip with party of
men from Boston. They had good luck
with small game, but they wanted moose.
l tod them that would show them one be-
lore long, and did. One or two days after
they began asking me where that moose
was and kinder got me ried. | took my
gun and told them that I'd get a moose
pretty quick If they wouldn't come racing
round like pack of steers. Off | went, and
mad gone about mile when Iheard noise.
got up a tree as soon as possible, and had
just got fairy seated when two of the finest
moose l ever set eyes on came right under
the tree. Here was luck, and took aim at
the largest and pulled the trigger"
At this point the narrator looked rather
sheeplsh, as if he had no particular desire
10 proceed, but after considerable urging he
continued.
"The truth of it was, boys, in my hurry
from the camp | forgot to bring my car
trldges and l didn't even have one in my
gun. Well, l knocked my head against a
tree and tried to think how | was going to
get Que of those moose, who all this time
were cycling each other like cats and dogs.
All OF sudden they started for each other
and came kerplunk together. They then
backed off and tried it over. They kept at
this for quite time, and seemed TO be
getting kind o. tuckered out and were walk
ing round aud round till they got their
wind. The largest one was right under me,
and could almost touch his antlerS. |
never knew how it happened, but down l
went head over heels and lit right on that
critters back. He didn't seem to like this
sort OF surprise party, and just threw back
his head and went, the other one following
after.
Lucky for me, the trees in that place
were rather high, and there wasn't much
danger of being Knocked off by the limbs
Well. the time that it takes me to tell this
was time enough for that moose to 60 half a
mile and the smaller one right behind all
the time. l was clnging TO the sides Of that
moose like c0ckTOach to a biscuit; it was
all l could do to breathe. and l had lost my
hat long before. | noticed that we were
going toward the camp and we soon hove in
sight OF II. gave shout and as l did 80 felt
something slip down my throat The boys
heard the shout. and, looking up, saw US
coming. Down went The boards they were
playing cards on and off they scudded like
so many jack-rdbbts. We were now
right in the camping place and /
wanted to stop there, but just about a hun
dred yards from the camp the moose stopped
suddenly and | went over his head into
brook. | wasn't much hurt and scrambled
out like grasshopper out OF knOthOle, and
right in front of me lay those two moose,
dead as herring. put on as straight a face
as l could and walked up to the camp as I'M
concerned as possible.
Here's the moose promised you, boys
| said, and we all went out to cut them up
The boys never said word until after sup
per. when one of them handed me a small
mirror. [ really did not know myself. Just
as sure as l am telling this, my beard was
gone, worn off by the rapid progress [ had
made through the air, and two of my front
teeth had been knocked out from the same
cause.
Both moose had run themselves to
DEATH"