Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-15
A NARROW ESCAPE.
His Coat Caught and He Came Very
Near being Cremated.

A number of club sportsmen had been
telling stories mostly illustrating 1.-The hair
breadth escapes" they had experienced 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 something for the general enter
tainment.
Il was just thinking of an exciting and
nearly fatal ride l had on a farm wagon
when hunting in the Adirondacks last No
vember. Would you like to hear about It,
boys?" inquired the silent member.
Eyes; go ahead" urged everybody.
"Wel,'' he continued, Il had been out all
day shootir cartridges, quail and all other
game that came within reach of my gun,
and late in the afternoon when my bag was
full l came to the conclusion that / had had
fair days sport and would go home But
1 didn't realize how tagged out l was until
L started on my journey, and the fact that
l had heavy load to carry for five miles
before l reached the farm house where L
was staying was anything but pleasant to
contemplate. However, l had gone about
mile the country road when | 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 u short
distance from Wher | lived | asked him to
give me a ride. He gave me permission,
stopped his horses and when l had scram-
bled up top l lay down in the hay and
we went swaying and swinging pleasantly
down the road. l was just thinking of pre-
senting te old farmer with a few
birds when suddenly there was a bang.
My gun, from which l had omitted to take
the cartridges, had gone off. The horses
gave jump and the driver rolled off his
seat into a ditch, where he lay stunned and
mOtionless.
Then 1 discovered that my gun had set
fire TO the hay, and L 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 l clambered for the
side of the road and slid for the ground.
THE tail of my stout hunting coat caught
on the top of a sharp-pointed standard
and there l hung to the careening wagon
that every minute threatened to upset and
dump a load of burning hay on me at every
turn of the highway.
The fire was cracking and burning
tiercely and already l could feel the flames.
Still the horses ran and still my coat held
me fast to that secthing mass of fire NV
trousers began getting uncomfortably hot
and then l observed with horror that my
coat was on fire. The next moment the
loose cartridges in my pockets began ex-
piodlng from the heat, and then l smelled
my birds broiling.
Wen, you We're not cremated," said one
of the listeners. What happened next?"
Il had just made up my mind that [ was
going to be roasted alive when the tail of
my coat burned off and 1 Was thrown into
ditch full of water on the road Present.
~, when L had recovered 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
took the first train for New York, and
thus ended one of the most exciting shoot
ing trips l have ever had"