San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-12-29

words to him. Even the sister ianitreSS
failed to answer his greetings ard
questions except by written words
HUNTING A WILD TURKEY.
Long Shot at a Great Eird Brings Him
Down in the Woods
The sun sank further toward the
west, and the shadows Of the trees
grew longer and longer. Jack sat list
ening, and enjoying the warm solitude.
The sun sank lower and lower.
Van dc turkey, Massa Dennis, said
Little Coffee suddenly, and Jack, whose
thoughts had been wandering, came
sharply and keenly bacl, to himself
Dennis started up from where he lay
and looked in the direction in which
Little Coffee was pointing. Jack
raised himself cautiously and looked,
too. The turkeys mad come out from
the woods without any Of the three
seeing them until that moment. They
were feeding in the opening about a
furlong away, and maybe fifty or sixty
yards from the edge of the woods
Dennis arose and took his gun with
out speaking. Then, partly crouching,
he Skirted back into the woods. Jack
following him and Little Coffee follow
ing Jack. They went on for some dis
lance, and then Dennis turned sharply
out again toward the edge of the
woods. He went forward now very
slowly and cautiously, and Jack fol-
lowed him half crouching. He found
that his heart was humping heavily
within him. He was intensely excited.
Would Dennis really shoot one of the
turkeys?
Wait little, said Dennis without
turning around-"wait little until /
see where l be"
Jack could now see between the
thickets that the clearing was Just
ahead of them. Dennis crept cautious
ly forward, and Jack stood watching
him. Presently he saw that Dennis was
reckoning to him to come forward. He
did SO, coming very carefully. Den
mis- was crouched down looking out
through the bushes. and Jack came
close to him. Little Coffee followed
them. He peered out from between
the leaves. and there were the turkeys.
perhaps fifty or sixty yards away--a
great cock turkey, and three or four
hens, each with brood of some dozen
turkey-poults, perhaps as large as so
many pullets. To Jacks eyes the great
birds looked very big and very neat.
IT'S like if we went on a little
furder, whispered Dennis, we could
get higher to EN-, but l have a mind
to risk a shot from here
Jack did not say anything. His
heart was beating and throbbing vio-
lently. Dennis cruched for a moment
or two, looking at the turkeys, Then
he carefully raised his gun and thrust
it out through a fork of the bush
in front of him He took a
long. steady aim Jack waited,
hardly daring to breathe, every
nerve tensely braced TO meet the shock
ot the discharge He waited. but there
was no report. Suddenly Dennis low
cred the gun from his shoulder Jack )
nerves relaxed thrilling.
IT is like they are too far away for
a sure shot said Dennis. I've mind
to try and get higher to them around
that point of woods yondcr."
Jack drew deep breath almost like
sigh. Then he saw that Dennis was
Inning the gun again. Something must
! hive alarmed the birds. for the great
| cock raised his head and looked sharply
! this way and that. Then suddenly,
when Jack was not expecting it, there
came the stunning, deafening report of
the gun. A cloud of pungent smoke
hid everything for a little while Then
it had dissolved. Could Jack believe
his eyes? The great turkey-cock was
Tapping and struggling upon the
ground.
He leaped up with shout and ran
/ out into the clearing. He heard Little
I Coffee shout behind him. He ran for
ward through the long shaggy grass,
jumping over the stumps. He had a
vision of the rest of the turkeys scat
! tering with shrill, piping cries towards
the woods, half-fying, half-runniug,
! but the great turkey cock still lay flap
ping upon the ground. 1t was nearly
still when he reached it; it's half-closed
eyes were still bright with the life that
: had just left them. There it lay upon
the ground. Jack looked down at it in
an ecstasy. The sun shonc upon the
FURNISHED, metallic luster of its neck
feathers-purple, blue. green. Its
great horny foot made futile. scratch
ing struggle, and then it was still
Howard Ryle, in st. Nicholas.