Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-14

as silently as the animal for which he
was nicknamed.
lay, lad the Weasel has often said to
me, as / trulged by his side, haf fright
ened at the necessity that called Tor all
this stealth and wariness, but pound by
the fascination OF it all. 'uts the edge
rows, n the rconin' water, n the deep
detches as STAINS us andy for 'idln' PAGES
II the gameys should nose us at ur worrk.
damn 'em!
1.-THE Weasel always sought for a
hiding place overlooking stubble field
about the time the cartridges began 20
settle there in coveys for the night. ms
was to mark them down. for observation
had caught him that these birds never
move during the night from the spot they
have settled on. Then, no matter how
dark the night m.s.--- be that followed, he
would walk straight to the spot he had
selected and secure covey after coyey.
Another favorte spot OF the Weasel
was behind a large ash-tree that stood on
the edge of q wood skirting a meadow.
on the other side OF the meadow the land
rose gradually until 1t formed rounded
hill. covered with fir trees Of the densest
growth. The frs made favorite roost-
ing-place for pheasants, and as the sun
sank behind the hill they began to appear
in the meadow from the adjacent coVerts
The hares came down in droyes from the
upland and fed and sported about In the
stumpy grass. Presently the pneasants
would begin to rise and enter the mrs
and by the time darkness closed III on the
scene they were all settled among inc
branches. The indstinct forms Of the
hares in the grass were distinct enough
Ia the Weasel, and, when all was still, IN
quick succession the reports OF his double
barrelled gun would ring out upon the
stiffness, and on every side an echo' as
loud and distinct as the report Itself, an
swered and repeated the sound. This was
one OF the reasons why the spot was IA
yored by the Weasel. as he said no game
Keeper could possibly tell where the gun
was fired. because of the echoes that car
ried the sound in all directions. The two
shots OF the poacher meant that two
hares were lying dead In the field. These
found and bagged. he would enter the
grove of frs.
"To me the trees were simply masses
of darkness that my eyes could not pene-
frate. but the Weasel saw on every
branch a crouching pheasant. No noise
will startle a pheasant from It's roost,
futter away in the darkness. Beginning
with the bottom bird In the tree, so that
I'm falling 1t would not disturb the rest,
the Weasel would shoot them one after
another from their perches until they all
lay dead at his feet The capacity OF that
great coat OF his for storing away
game was TO me miraculous. Hare after
hare. partridge after partridge, pheasant
a fter pheasant, were swallowed up In the
mysterious pockets and Innings OF the
coat. and yet there was always room Tor
more.
"Then later on In the night, there were !
nets TO take UP In out-of-the-way spots, |
and snares TO look after and renew. |
Then. may be, there was visit TO pay |
10 the silent stream leading to the mere, |
in bS osiers. long untrimmed, |
and haunted by coots and moor hens. |
which came UP at night TO feed In the
oulet hooks. There would be a half
hours tempting OF lusty perch and slug
gard tench. raid upon the night-feeding
water fowl, and then away to other RAD
bit runs and hare paths.
zone September night. In those roman
tic days. the Weasel had shot hare Just
beyond the old stone bridge that led
away across that same quiet stream. Inc
echoes took up the sound and sent 1t
every which way. But the gamekeeper
Glanced TO be taking some perch himself
hat night, and, with the poachers In
,tinct. the Weasel felt bis presence there
as soon as the shot was fired. With cry
u Look thee, lad, and mind the way I
cad thee away he went with my fright
.ned self at his heels But alas' had not
Ms subtle sense Of woodcraft nor his
knowledge OF the winding byways and
hidden hedge openings. and all the twist
ngs and turnings OF woods and neids,
nd II was not many minutes before l
ound myself. without guide or friend,
about In n maze OF copse.
arkness profound on every side. and
engeful gamekeeper on the trail. after
Yard learned that one had little fear from
he pursuit OF a gamekeeper In the dark.
he poacher's only care beirg the re-