The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-02-19
A NARROW ESCAPE.
The Almost Fatal Ride of a Hunter
on n Load of Hay.


A number OF club sportsmen had been
telling stories mostly illustrating 1.-THE
hairbreadth escapes" they had expert
enced on various hunting expeditions
In the far west. There was only one
member in the group who had remained
silent, and he was asked to relate some
thing for the general entertainment.
~ was just thinking of an exciting
and nearly fatal ride had on farm
wagon when hunting in the Adiron-
dacks last November. Would you like
TO hear about it, boys?" inquired the
silent member.
"Yes; go ahead" urged everybody.
"Well," he continued, 81 had been out
all day shooting partridges, quail,
and all other game that came within
reach of my gun, and late in the after
noon when my bag was full / came to
the conclusion that / had had fair
days sport and would go home. But
/ didn't realize how tagged out was
until l started on my journey, and the
fact that l had heavy load to carry
for five miles before i reached the
farmhouse where was staying was
anything but pleasant to contemplate.
However, / had gone about a mile on
the country road when l heard the
rumbling of a vehicle behind me, and
on looking round l saw big wagon
loaded with hay. The driver soon
caught up to me, and, learning that he
was going short distance from where
l lived, i asked him to give me a ride.
He gave me permission, stopped his
horses and when | had scrambled up
on top l lay down in the hay and we
went swaying and swinging pleasantly
down the road. l was just thinking of
presenting the old farmer with a few
My gun, from which l had omitted to
take the cartridges, had gone off. The
horses gave a jump and the driver
rolled off his seat into ditch, where
he lay stunned and motionless.
Then l discovered that my gun had
set fire to the hay, and thought it was
about time for me to jump for the
road. The horses were tearing along
the road as fast as they could run,
but / clambered for the side of the
road and slid for the ground.
"The tail of my stout hunting coat
caught on the top of sharp-pointed
standard and there l hung to the ca
reening wagon that every minute
threatene to upset and dump a load
Of burning hay on me at every turn
of the highway.
"The fire was cracking and burn
ing fercely and already / could feel
the flames. Still the horses ran and
still my coat held me fast to that
seething mass of fire. My trousers be-
gan getting uncomfortably hot and
then | observed with horror that my
coat was on fire. The next moment the
loose cartridges in my pockets began
exploding from the heat, and then l
smelled my birds broiling."
"Well, you were not cremated," said
one of the listeners. what happened
next?"
II had just made up my mind that
/ was going to be roasted alive when
the tail of my coat burned eff and |
was thrown into ditch full Of water
on the road. Presently, when had re-
covered my senses, got up, brushed
the mud from my clothes and resumed
my journey without stopping to see
what had become of the horses, my
gun and the Old farmer. The next
morning l took the first train for New
York, and thus ended one Of the most
exciting shooting trips ! have ever
had.'-Washington Star.