The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1896-04-04
A Hunting Story.

The following story was told to me
recently. l cannot vouch for its au-
thenticity or veracity, but here it is
Eli would a-hunting go and took his
gun and fiddle. "What are you going
to do with that violinY" his companions
asked. Eli replied II am going to play
on the waters at midnight on the bosom
of the Bovine Lakes. Gentle reader,
excuse the word Bovine" Pat White
said it was more poetical than "Cow.")
"All right, comesolong, answered Sam
my. So Eli, Sammy, Billy, Algoma,
Joe Bush and Prince started in good
spirits. Before leaving, Algoma asked
Ole Queen if he would take all the game
that was left after every person in De
Lamar had been presented with brace
of ducks. Ole said that he would be
glad to have them. "All right, you can
have them" replied Al. They arrived
at the Lakes safe and it being late in
the evening every one rolled himself in
his blankets and went to sleep.
Next morning they arose early and,
after eating breakfast, started in search
of game. About 3 O'Clock in the after
noon Eli came back to camp, mad as
as any man could be, for he had not
gol darn duck or goose. Soon after,
Algoma came in, weighed in the balance
and ducks found wanting. Then Sam
my, Billy, Alex, Joe Bush and Prince
made their appearance-nary duck.
Joe Bush laughed sardonic laugh and
Princes lip actually curled in scorn
and look of disgust passed over his
canine countenance.
Eli, to pass away few minutes, took
his violin out Of the case, got into
boat and, tuning it, began to play a few
queer strains. He was trying to find
the lost chord. He gave up the search
and played limitations of ducks quack
ing and geese screaming. It was SO
natural that Joe Bush and Prince
growled, shifted and barked They
could hear ducks and geese but could
not scent them. 1t was very perplex
ing, indeed. Sammy, who had been
looking out over the lake, suddenly ex
claimed "There comes ducks and geesel
Play Eli, play like thunderl They
think it is ducks calling. Don't shoot,
boys, until they come closet" So every
one got behind a bush or rock and
waited. The ducks and geese came fly
ing straight toward Eli and circled
around his head; the sky was black
with them, all circling one way.
What a rushing noise they madel
The breeze from their wings tanning
the water caused waves to rise and be-
fore Eli was aware of it the boat had
drifted about hundred feet from
shore and still the guns going Bangl
BangI Bangl ducks and geese falling
all around and Sammy's voice could be
heard above the rushing noise "Sock it
to 'em Eli; play for all she is worth, we
will have wagon load Of game" Bangl
Bangl Bangl bangl bangl bangl BIB
b-b-b-ducks and geese falling like rain.
1t was too much for the poor birds,
they scattered and soon not a bird
could be seen. By this time Eli had
drifted about a thousand feet from
shore and not single thing in the boat
to paddle it back to shore. He was in
q nice fix. He called to Sammy and
asked him how he could get back to
shore. II dunno; am sure,.' replied
Sammy. "Use your fiddle for paddle ,
aNo," said Ell, Il would rather drown
than spoil my violin. Just then Z
brilliant idea struck Eli with such force r
hat it nearly knocked him out of the
BOAT "Send the dogs out here, 1 will
play Cats" So Eli played "Cats," S
md did it so artistically, that had the a
cats, who nightly gather in the NUGGET /