Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-11-30
COWCATCHER SHOOTING.
Railroad lien Make It Pleasant For an
Enthusiastic Gunner.

Railroad lien Make It Pleasant Fer an
Enthusiastic Gunner.
Speaking Of accommodating officials
on the different railroads. it would seem
that those running on the mixed train
Of the Phillips and Rangeley railroad
should be presented with the ''blue rib
bon for the careful. attention they pay
to its passengers. and when one asks fol
a favor, if it is IN the power Of the train
men, it will be granted.
The other day q party Of jolly drum
mers were coming up the line, and the
entire party were well supplied with
ammunition. They were mixing little
sport il with their business calling
Among the number was William L.
Gerrish Of Portland. The trainmen were
telling about seeing cartridges nearly
every trip, and this rather enthused the
party and started the sporting blood in
Mr.. Gerrish's veins to flow more fierce
", and after it had made several trips
through his anatomy the gentleman was
prepared to face almost any obstacle in
order to get even shot at the almost
numberless birds that inhabited the
woods on either side of the railroad
track.
But all this time his mind had been
busy thinking up some scheme whereby
he could get q chance to fire at one or
two
81 have it!'' said he to himself, and
a moment later his actions were causing
as much comment among his fellow
passengers as would a fash Of lightning
from cloudless sky. All the while he
was putting his thoughts into action
He arose, took his gun from the case,
inserted couple of charges and started
for the door Of the caboose.
"Where going, Gerrish?" asked one.
''Going to shoot partridge, replied
the drummer sportsman.
They thought he had become sudden
~ insane and was going to jump from
the train But this idea was soon dis
PEELED from their minds, for moment
later all that could be seen of this err
ratio sportsman was his patent feathers
dangling from the top of the freight
car, and u moment later he had entirely
disappeared from view. His companions
quailed with fear. Had he fallen from
his lofty seat on the freight car, or had
he seen bird and made a wild plunge
in lnidair for his much cherished game?
They went to the door and peeped out.
He had vanished They looked back.
Nothing could be seen but the imagi-
nary form of what was but a moment ago
one of the jolly party and a brother in
the Order of Satchels and Trunks.
But the man-oh, where was he?
Safe and sound, and by the time his
friends had given up the hunt, train
hand came III, Snd seeing the anxious
look upon the faces of his passengers
assured them that the missing man was
safe and warming his back against the
boiler on the eowcatcher. He had gone
from the caboose, over the cars, through
the engine ana seated himself in this
conspicuous place, watching for the ''en-
envy" He had not long to wait, for
right ahead he spied a beautiful bird.
He put his gun TO his shoulder and
blazed away. The bird fluttered mo-
ment. keeled over and was no more.
He signaled to the engineer to stop, and
as soon as possible the train was brought
to ssandstil.
Running back, he procured his prize,
and on being told to hurry up and get
aboard he started at once. But he stub
bed his toe, purposely his friends say,
and fell III a shapeless mass upon the
roadbed.
The train started on. The man arose,
brushed the aand from out of his eyes
and started for the woods TO find the
dead bird S mate. 1t was growing dark
and he was several miles from Rangeley.
He set his wits to work About time for
the night train, he thought. No time
TO lose. He Immediately made torch
and signaled the train. 1t stopped, he
got aboard and on his arrival was greet
ed with q hearty handshake by his many
friends. who were anXiously waiting at
the Oquossoc the arrival of their friend,
the cowcatcher hunter. Lewiston Jour
nal