The Saint Paul globe., 1897-11-22

at Cummings. Cal. Game has been
specially plentiful around that section
OF the country lately, and Miss Chitten-
don has taken the fullest advantage
of the fact During the past six years
no less than forty-five fat deer have
fallen to her gun, fifteen Of these hav-
ing been killed by her during the past
year.
Miss Chittendon possesses the keen
est instincts of sportswoman. Since
babyhcOd she has been accustomed
to live an outdoor, self-reliant life.
Her parents, with whom she has been
brought up, own a sheep ranch of some
$500 acres, part of it being pretty rough
country. and over this and the sur
rounding forests and hills Miss Chit
tendon has been accustomed to roam
at will almost since she was first able
to toddle Her education would have
been incomplete had she not been thor
oughly trained in the use of firearms.
When quite little girl she was taught
how to handle a gun, and very soon
became so expert in it's use that she
could hit a bird on the wing three
times out or five.
When she reached the age of twelve,
Miss Chittendon began to look for big
ger game than that which passed on
the wing over her fathers ranch, and
very soon her 1885 Marlin rifle was
heard speaking in the surrounding
country. where gathered the deer,
coons. foxes, wild cats and even fiercer
game. The mere killing of a deer and
carving home it's antlerS as a trophy
did not long satisfy Miss Chittendon $
ambitious soul, so one day she decided
to astonish the folks at home by tax
ing back with her an abundant sup
ply of deer-meat for the domestic lar
der. The first deer she shot that day
she proceeded to dress after a novel
fashion originated by herself. Tying
a rope to the horns of the deer, a noble
animal with a fine eight-pronged set
of antlers, she threw the rope over
the branch of tree, fastened the end
to the pommel of her saddle, and
whipped up the horse, thus pulling the
deer into position for dressing. In this
way she was able to dress the deer
with ease, and take it proudly home
on her horses back. Since then she
has gone out alone on hunting eXpedi-
tions, and has always dressed the
game she killed and brought it back
with her ready for cooking.
Last winter Miss Chittendon develop
ed a fancy for hunting wild animals,
and trapping wildcats and coons, which
abound in the forest around her faith
er's ranch. She has had many en-
counters with fierce wild hogs, which,
single-handed and alone she has at
tackled and killed with her Marlin gun.
a weapon she handles with the ease
acquired by most women only after
half lifetime of practice. Her fathers
ranch is hung around with the antlers
of deer. and the tusks of wild animals,
while the floors ore covered with the
furs of foxes, bears and wildcats that
have fallen before the deadly aim of
this modern Diana. All the accom-
pishments of a past-mistress in fores-
try are hers. She knows the meaning
of all the signs that guide a trained
hunter who is following the trail of
game, and can track a wildcat or a
fox with the unerring instinct of an
Indian.
On one occasion she followed for five
hours the trail OF a wildcat that had
been prowling around her fathers
ranch, and doing great damage to the
Eve stock. Following the trail UP hill.
down dale and through woods for sew
eral miles, she at last came upon the