Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-12-22
JRSDAY. DECEMBER %. 1892.
Old Times.

Ed. Regster-This foggy. dark morn
ing. brings to mind a foggy morning
way. way back; the year brother Henry
went back East after his wife.
The summer before he went East, he
had bought new handsome rifle. Il
was a good mate to old .sBetsey" fol
length of barrel and size of ball, and
was withal a good close shot. But in
his hurry to get his house built, he had
neglected his gun and it had got out Of
order. When he left for the East, he
said, '.Thid," he always called me
''Thid", 81 wish you would clean my gun
up, and hunt with it some of the time
so as to keep it in good order" ]
didn't like to change guns much, for
they don't all hold alike and don't shoot
alike. If you want to be quick close
shot, always use one gun; you get
used to it, and can always know just
what your gun can do. When we get
used to anything animate or inanimate
we feel at home, how confident it makes
us feel.
Well, one damp, foggy morning, just
one of the best mornings to hunt squir-
rels in the world. ! said to myself, Il
believe 1 will take his gun this morn
ing and try it, After wiping it out
and examing it thoroughly, l loaded it
and started for the woods to kill squir-
rels. 1 had got down in the woods,
what is now my grove. In the bottom
field was good crop of corn that had
not been gathered yet. The field would
be tracked up with deer every night,
and all along the fence you could see
places where the deer had paths, and
on each side of the fence it looked as
though a flock of sheep had jumped
badk and forth. AS l loitered along
watching for squirrels, 1 saw, or thought
1 saw, tit was so foggy l could not
make out for certain) deer jump over
the fence. / stopped and watched up
the hill the way the deer would go.
AS stood looking all at once, oh, my!
not twenty feet from me came out
right in the path, one of the biggest old
bucks, and stopped. There we stood
not more than twenty feet apart. My,
how he did swell up with every hair
standing on end! just bristled all up.
l easily, carefully, brought my gun to
my shoulder and pulled the hammer
back and set the triggers. just as easy.
l did not make motion, but what was
just as easy. brought the gun to my
face, took good sight right between
his eyes, and touched the trigger.
Snap! oh, shucks! and there that old
buck stood and stamped his feet on the
ground, and shook his head at me. /
pulled the hammer back and touched
the trigger again. Snap! oh, but wasn't
I mad! and there we stood facing each
other, ana 1 carefully pulled that cap
off the tube without lowering the gun,
and put on fresh cap. The old fellow
was as mad as l was, for he kept shak-
ing his head and stamping his feet.
After got the cap on, took sight and
pulled. Snap! oh, my! After had
changed caps three times, the old buck,
with a snort, whirled AMI ran off. Can
you imagine just how hot I was? All
inside just felt like beating that gun
around a tree. After the deer had |
zone l turned around and made tracks |
or home as fast as could walk. When |
got there i hung that gun up in its
place and said, .'now stay there. ;"
The next morning it was still damp |
md foggy. / said, s.Now we will see if
We can find that old buck this morning"
As I took .'old Betsey" down from her
,ucks' horn perch, / said. "Betseyt
low we will see if tina, old fellow will
oo1 us this morning" When we had
rot down about where we met the deer
morning, he was not to be
cen. walked along carefully, watch
ng closely. At last l threw the gun
'ver my shoulder, saying, .'He is not
lere this morning." l had been car
ying the gun in my hand ready to
hoot at a moments warning.
As I threw the gun on my sholder up
umped that same old buck about a
hundred yards up the hill, and ran off.
oh yes, you know old Betsey' is
lere this morning" He ran over
idge out of sight. Eyes, and I'm 60
ng to follow you, I know just where
ou will stop and wait for me-" l took
he cover and followed on. As came
o the top of the ridge, way down the
lope, l saw him standing looking back
yer his shoulder. As soon as he saw
ne he squared himself hard side
n. There he stood all bristled up as
efore. / brought ..old Betsey" to my
ace. At the touch of the trigger, she
ave out a keen, clear crack that would
o any hunter good and, oh. you ought
D have seen how high that old buck
i'd kick, and the way he went as if the
:. L. e.,