The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-08

Amos Kelker, young man residing on
-Four Mile creek. was in the city yester-
day and in response to a question by
DR.. Shultz: 'How's hunting out your
way Amos said:
Don't ask me about hunting, for I've
swore off,
'.Why 500" said the doctor, you've al
ways been enthusiastic sport
well, I'll tel you about IT," said
Kelker. 81 was out rabbit hunting dur
ing the recent snow and was knocking
the cotton tails right and left around an
CID deserted house. The dog jumped
enc at some distance from me and ran
il under pile of brush-old orchard
trimmings. | urged the dog 10 go in the
i'rush and scare the rabbit out, but he
would not crawl in. / then leaped upon
tie heap and began jumping up AMI
down TO make the game Scoot out, you
know. All of a sudden there was a snap
of limbs under me, and 20 my horror L
found myself going down faster than
any elevator in this town ever went. But
the brush acted as a cushion, 50 thet
when j struck the bottom. twenty feet
below the surface, / was not hurt. but i
was never 50 scared in my life! My hair
stood up like oats Stubble, and my
breath came very near taking a walk.
There was no water in the well, and L
was in no immediate danger of croaking
or starving, but there was an awful
smell down there that almost choked me.
j heard a slight noise behind HE, and
turning round, saw the rabbit we had
chased crouching against the wall Of the
well. The fall had not killed ii, and it
had escaped the descending brush. AS it
tremoled with fright L thought 10 my
self. cotton tail, we are both in the
nine-hole. All this time my dog was
tearing around the mouth of the well,
looking over the brink and barking and
whining. This was in the forenoon, and
my fondest hope was that some other
hunter or paSser-by would notice the dis
tress of the dog. [ had to scold the old
fool all the time TO keep him from jump
Ing in too, he was so worried about me-
Somebody has said time flies but I'll
tel you on the dead square it went slow
er than an OK team going up hill with
me. / finally concluded to fire my gun
through the upper opening so as not 20
hit old spot and I'm here to tell you |
didn't shoot but once. Gee whizI
thought my ear-drums were split, but
smoke down there helped to kill the hor-
rible stink. / then got 10 doing some
powerful thinking. What if it should
happen that no one would come that
way for a week or two? i realized that
the bad smell came from decaying rab-
bits that had been chased into the brush
and tumbled in. the web, and l didn't
like the idea of adding to the odor and
the bones After much thinking l got
to resolving as 10 what l would do if |
ever got out. Among other resolves was
one never TO kill another rabbit, and 1
think I'll keep it,
How did YOU get out?'
well, along about , O'Clock in the
evening some children were going home
from school, and in taking a near cut
they saw the actions of old Spot In
fact he ran to them and asked them for
help, for You know old'Spot' can talk by
actions. The children-Harry Ackley
and his little sister-came and peeped
down al me. They We're dreadfully
scared at sight of me. but told Harry
was not hurt, and to go and get mis-
father and others TO help me out. Bill
Ackley and three other neighbors came |
AT dark with ropes and soon yanked me
and the rabbit out. Yes, L brought the |
rabbit up and have got him at home in a
nice pen. and viii take care of him, at /
least till the rabbit shooting season is |
over. / actually believe, Doc. that had |
staid in that well all night l would have |
been as grey as a, badger next morn |
ing