Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1894-11-10
A Hunt on spavlnaw.

A HUNT on spavlnaw.
Following Is an honest report oil
the late hunt In the hills of Spavi-
nav taken by the following gentle
men from Baxter: First, foremost
and most was Joe Lathrop, driver;
Charlie Johnson. hunter aud trap
per: Harry Stein, sweet singer and
funny man; Will Mullen, probes
sionai swearer; Alb. Jarrett OF Dis
cult fame, aud last. but not least,
Mac Gill, whom the boys called pa.
We set sail October IA with well
provisioned and well armed wagon
and landed in Falkland that even
ing about dark. Through the kind
ness of William Mason, u former
resident of Baxter, we were permit
e 1 to make coffee and fry our meat
OH his stove and make our beds
down in his large hay barn. We
started about daylight and went
into camp that evening at Island
ford on Grand river and landed the
next evening at the head OF the
south prong of Little Spavinaw
where we went into permanent
camp, calling it Camp ConsunhP'
ton. The next morning all pre-
pared to slay. Twill try and give ii
description of Lathrop and his
famous gun. old Bets. She is a
number eight. muzzle loading gum
wei Ching fifteen pounds, about as
tall aud nearly as noisy as Lathrop.
His favorite modeof using II was to
put about Il pint of powder and a
mint of shot in each barrel and get
nj the mouth of some deep, yawn-
ing canon two or three miles long,
shut his eyes and turn both barrels
of old Bets loose up the canon, ana
then. when the hills had come to-
gether again. he would walk up the
canon and pick up the dead and
wounded. One day after bonn
bardment of this kind he found a
coon, dead. with no marks OF vio-
lence, yet still warm. so we came to
the conclusion it was killed by con-
cussion.
The first day seven deer were
seen, five shots were fired, but no
deer were killed.
On the second day eight deerwere
seen and two shots fired.
The third day we saw four deer
and fired eight shots at them. The
deer got away. but Lathrop killed a
large coon.
On the fourth day one deer was
seen and one shot fired by Lathrop.
Usual result Ate Lathrop's coon
for supper.
Fifth day. Sunday. stayed in camp
ate turkey, sang hymns. 1T. A use
less hound ate five pounds OF but
ter that night
Sixth day. Mullen broke the rec
ord by killing the only deer seen'
fine four-prong, d buck.
Seventh day. four deer sighted
not close enough to shoot. Whiie
on watch at lick that night La
throp killed II snow white 'possu'n.
Eighth day, rather uneventfui;
only one deer seen. Gill got TWO
shots mt il; no fatalities. This even
ing Gill was following an old bach
elor turkey when night threw her
sable shroud over all earthly
things and Gill found himself a
long way from camp in dark lone
some canon. with no well defined
idea of the best way out. To add to
his comfort and make things more
pleasant the dismal boot OF the
owl. added TO the more dismal wall
of the catamount, greeted his ears.
Finally, the boys in camp. by the
aid of dogs, horns and guns, steered
the benighted traveller safely into
carp.
Ninth day, only one deer seen.
Tenth DAY, three deer seen. La
throp and Johnson wounded one
each. They were trailed by blood
half a mile and finally lost for want
of good dog.
Eleventh day, eight deer were
seen.
Twelfth day, Sunday, was spent i'll
camp. Had a monstrous coon Tor
dinner. When Lathrop left the Ia
lie. the coon, oh, where was he: ask
of the winds that howl around the
cottages by the sea.
Thirteenth day, eleven deer ana
fourteen old bachelor turkeys seem
Ten shots fred ut deer aud hve at
turkeys. Nothing killed but a
ground hog.
Fourteenth day, five deer seen,
three shots fred; no dead to report.
This ended the hunt. We got
home last Saturday, being gone
three weeks. having the best time
on earth, hunted harder, saw more
game and killed less than any other
party I, at eve left Baxter.
One word more and l am done:
To any young lady wishing to form
a matrimonial alliance 1 would
most cheerfully recommend that
prince of good fellows, Mr.. Alb. Jar