Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-07-09
OLD TIMES.

was dC work near the mousse Wnen a SIN
gular bird made its appearance over
head. His head and feet were a long
distance from his body. His wings were
very long and swept the sky" as he
sailed toward the millpond. watched
him with eager gaze, till he went down.
The old gun was already for such emer-
gencies. and / was soon on the war
path" though I did not imagine any
harm would come Of the birds pres
euce. He might possibly get a FISH, or
mayhap a frog.
The tendency of my nature then was
with the gun az my command to kill
something Shooting at a mark was
tame sport Life must be taken to sat-
isfy my desire So in this case | steal
thily crept along till | could see the
birds head through an opening in the
bushes, My gun went TO my shoulder,
land Just as his wings went out 10 make
a flight from danger, a bang echoed
up the valley The bird went" and
my eye longingly followed him over tho
pond. His long wings reached far and
wide. His legs danglej far below, but
it was apparent by his motions that my
shot had taken effect.
He began to 'wobble" and whirl as
though he had been in a liquor saloon.
Before he reached the mill his distance
up decreased rapidly. He whirled and
went dawn out Of my sight below the
MILL
] clutched my gun, jumped bitches
and fences. and soon stood on the bridge
below the mill. There stood my game
i'm the Taceway the water from the wa
Ger wheel was rushing by him ut full
speed, for the mill was running.
dared not wait TO load my gun. / dared
not spend the time to so into the mill
and have the gate shut.
Ny decision was TO capture my game
by force Of arms, if possible. Down
went my gun, and down went l 10 the
brink of the water rushing furiously
by me. The bird essayed to fly
'waded in. but I found a slippery bot
tom underneath the water aS it struck
my legs, filling my trousers and boots,
made me stagger. The bird was not
troubled i'm this way. He had no pants
nor boots on. He was built for service
o. the water as well as on the wing.
For some reason he made no further
effort % get away. but stood on his feet
and eyed me as I toddled towards him
i'm the rushing stream. I had no weap-
ON Of war at hand. He had his two
stout wings. and ne made use OF them
when / struck out and graSped him by
the neck. Up they went, and they
came Tapping against me and nearly
, binding my eyes with water.
The struggle on his part was for life.
| On my part it was TO stand on my feet
and hold my captive. But the wounded
and struggling bird. the rushing water
and the slippery stones We're too much
for me. / went down." and but for a
willow bush in my reach l would have
gone under and down stream. " I swung
ont my LETT hand and grasped the bush,
and with my right clutched convulsive-
" about the birds neck. As I struggled
for victory, Jolly shouted to me from
the bridge: Hold on, Zeb, I'll be
there" Down he came. and with both
hands he grasped my left arm and
was soon landed on the rocks by the
side of the race-way. still grasping'' in
my hand the neck of the struggling
bird My shot had hit him in his headI
and his doom was sealed. A few blows
from a club in the hands Of Jolly"
Laid him low on the stones beside
me- Heavy with my wet clOthing-I
was soaked 10 my arm-pits-I got on
my feet and attempted to walk. The
slippery stones and my slippery boots
made 10 difficult. but ] made ont TO gain
the bridge. and sat down on the log
that served as railing. 10 rest and let
the water drip from my clothing "JOl-
ly' had brought up the dead bird and
stretched him at my feet. He shouted
60 the boys on the street:
Come over and see the elephant. Zeh
has got him. Hain't got any trunk, but
has got awful legs and wingsw The
boys came and seemed 10 wonder what
such a bird could be made for.
Just then I heard my fathers step on
the bridge. He had finished grinding
his "grist" and had started for home. |
There lay the gun. There lay the dead |
bird. There ! sat, the water dripping |
from my clothing. 1 relaGd my expert !
ence to him. He smiled. took up the |
bird and the procession started for |
cur home, One-f0urth of mile away, |
Jolly" leading the way with gun on |
his shoulder. My mother saw the ap- |
proach of the crowd, left her tlatiron |
and came down to the door.
~See here. mother" said my father |
pointing TO me, with the evidence on me-
of having been in swimming with my /
clothes on: "Zeb's got a bigger duck |
this time. One l guess thee can't very |
well cook" Ny father was q real con-
sis-ent Quaker in those days, Tor he |
wore o broad brimmed hat, the PLAIN |
coat and said "thee. but don't know
that he ever spoke in meeting. To-day
not TO testify" would not be quite or
-h0doX.
The bird measured six feet from tip
to tip of wing, and about five and one
fourth from bill 10 toe. He lay in
state" tin 8 q. m. the next morning. ana
was viewed with much interest by all
the ueighbors. Birds OF the kind had
been seen by all, on the wing, but no
one i'm the crowd had ever had the !
chance to lay hands on a blue heron
before.
At9a. m. Jolly" and myself retired |
TO q shady nook by the rivers side ana |
assumed the trade Of taXidermist; he |
The assistant and l the principal. we |
soon had the Jacket or Inc SKIN
was stuffed with cat ehatf from the
barn. and placed in position for puoIlc |
gaze ON the wagonhouse near the road. |
Ii did not stay long. for the professors
sAllrrrN f1 o