The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1897-01-10
BIDDY's BIG GAME.

moro fork tho black tailed deer were
formerly so numerous that the seasoned
hunter would not waste cartridge on
anything short of four prong buck.
There, too, until driven back by the en-
croaching cattle herds, elk used to range
and mountain sheep used to cross from
Harvey's orag to the northern range
Into this fine hunting ground, about tho
time Of tho first light full of snow, came
Robert with small detail of men to
make the last round up of beeves for tho
San Francisco market. Biddy Burke
was of tho party and had promised him
self and been promised by Robert some
shooting to be remembered and to write
home about.
"All you lately fellows" said Rob-
ert, write homo. Two been on this
range for 10 years, and have no other
home. First year was here wrote
back to the uncle lived with like this
From where am now / can see tho
eternal SHOWS on Mount Shasta. Please
send mo money enough to get homo.
You see, left without mentioning it to
anybody and left my hoe in tho corn,
field. Tho old man wrote back that I
better stay right where 1 was. Ho said
tho eternal SHOWS OH Shasta woro not %
patching to tho cool welcome waiting for
mo i'll MiZzoura. And Two been staying
ever since.
Biddy had worked tho whole season
through i'll tho valley and foothills
without once getting up into tho noun
tains among the big gamo. All summer
he had boon told about game so album
dant and so bold that horsemen had to
turn aside and give tho right Of way to
bands OF deer and elk
And here he was at last in tho heart
of the game country. It was u tisap-
pointmcnt to work tho canyons and IA
vines all tho first day, looking for stray
cattle, and never start an elk or SEQ a
freah sign. Robert said too many pros
pectors had campcd along the fork late
~, and that plenty of gamo would be
found i'll the rough country higher up.
AT carly dawn of the second day Bid
dy turned out to fetch i'll tho horses and
had gone but few hundred yards from
camp when he SAW his first elk. "Buck
fever" has been often enough described
perhaps you have had it yourself-but
1t Is worth remnrking that this maladv,
like intoIication, affects different sub
Jects Ill different ways. Some men have
1t Ill tho head, others i'll tho legs. |
know ono who could not, in the pres
encc OF ~ deer, shut ono ego without
shutting both, making it difficult to
take aim.
Biddy had it in tho legs 10 slid off
from his horse and raised his gun, but
his knees trcmblcd SO that no must drop
to tho ground. Taking IL careful aim,
he fired and missed. OFF with u bound
tho gamo disappeared. and Biddy,
mounting, followed, sure, rs every man
Is when he misses Il good shot, that the
animal is mortally wounded and must
soon come down.
Urging his horse along over the rough
ground, Biddy came suddenly to the
margin Of Il small valley or park, and
looking across it il the uncertain morn
ing light, saw small bunch of game
quietly feeding near the farther side
Tho distance WAS too great for accurate
shooting; so, leaving his horse, he
stalked them with great care. Keeping
TO Wlndward and creeping along from
one shelter to another until within easy
range. Tho game still grazel without
lifting their heads Resting his rifle on
q bow!dor, and this time with no fever
to distract his aim, ho fred and brought
down tho nearest animal
Tho pleasure man has right to feel
Mt II successful shot was nlitigated in
Biduy's case rs no rushed III to find that
no had shot some prospcctor's burro,
Whoao asinino companions stood by wag-
glng their ears in mild surprise ut this
sCdden reinforcement of their number
II am an ass, said Biddy to these
but | am not also welcher. I've got
10 pay for this
Ho soon found the nearby camp,
whereof tho unkempt occupant, aroused
by the shot and by the donkey dying
song, proved Is hard man in trade
But, finally accepting large value for
tho dead beast. he became moro genial
and invited Biddy to breakfast with him
on suro enough elk. But Biddy was for
hurrylng Oh to fetch the horses The
other then offered to give him - quarter
OF young elk meat, saying no was going
to break camp that day ard could not
uso it, Biddy said no would shortly re-
turn down the valley with his horses,
whose bells could be heard in the dis
tance When he did so, tho prosrcctor
assisted him to pack tie meat Oh an I'M
wiling horse. You ,:,isht toll the boys
you killed it, be suggested.
Would lie abont it," asked Biddy
Indignantly.
You wouldn't hardly set to tho sui
phur mines for such little one as that. "
said tho prospoctor.
Proceeding toward the COW camp with