The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1898-12-21

~ pounds of No.
shot from the scoop of the scales into
one of the conical packages that our
shot used to be done up in by storekeep-
ers before the era of paper bags.
well, no, not exactly hunting" an
swered with the view to the possible
need of excuses for an empty bag. I'm
going over to Bradley's to spend Christ
mas, and didn't know but might see
pa fridge" 1t would have been "stuck
up to call our best game bird part
ridge" and no one would have recog-
nized it under the name of "ruffed
grouse"
You hain't goin' to hoof it over the
maountain?" he asked, with the end of
the string between his teeth as he
wound the package with a frugal al
lowance of packthread 1 nodded an
affirmation while 1 silently admired his
thrifty habit of putting the few spilled
pellets into the box of unsold shot.
oval, then, ye'd better let me put
We up paound or two O. buckshot."
mo, SIR" said, in a tone expressive
of reproof for the suggestion. I've no
use for buckshot this time of year."
for the close time for deer began with
the month.
'Of course not, but you'd want some
thing bigger'n number skies if the
wolves got after ye," said Hiram, MAX
ing a persuasive dip into the box of
buckshot.
Wolves" said I, contemptuously;
here for 20 years"
oval, there is naow, pack o. seven,
anyway, an mebby more. Why, hain't
you heard? Amos Barker seen 'em
full tilt after a deer an counted 'em,
seven of 'em. His man at was helpin'
of him on his coalin' job said there was
IS, but Amos reckoned he see double
or caounted some of 'em twice, an
there's lots O. folks at s heard 'em.
There's wolves ha'ntin' the maountain,
you may depend. Better le' me weigh
you about couple O. paound."
mo, I guess it won't pay to carry any
extra weight on that chance" l said,
admiring the storekeeper's cunning at
tempt to sell me something l did not
want. "But you may put up that small
doll and that Jack-in-th e-boX for me.
They're light and they'll tickle Billy's
two little shavers. Then put up half
dozen crackers and a bit of cheese for
lunch, fill my tobacco box, and let me
have an extra pipe, and I'll be off. L
want to make the trip by daylight"
81 hope We will. 1 rally do. l wouldn't
want to have you get ketched in the
dark on the maountain. So you're goin'
right over to Bradley's. be YEP" he con-
tinued, as he shuffled about behind the
counter to put up the articles for me,
and then began rummaging in drawer
of odds and ends. snow, / wonder if
you wouldn't jest as lives take him pair
O. bullet molds at Aaron Clark left here
for him, last spring, l guess it was.
Hiram found the molds after a short
search, and, slipping them into my
pocket with the other articles, l re-
tired to my bachelor quarters over Miss
Diantha Gridley's tailor shop, where,
after transferring the shot to spring
top pouch and filling my flask with
better powder than Hiram sold, and ex-
changing my leather boots for pair
of sheepskin boots tanned with the
wool on, which were then the most APP
proved winter footgear, with my double
gun on my shoulder to tighten my
steps, / set forth on the ten-mile tramp.
Crossing the little river that turned
the mills and forge of our village, and
following the road as far as it ran in
my direction, 1 held across the fields
to the woods. before entering which 1
set my compass for my intended course.
When the backbone of the mountain
was reached and my journey half ac-
complished, 1 had but one partridge,
but there was a chance of more in the
stretch of forest that lay before me,
through the stunted oaks, and pines that
scantily clad the rocky ridge.
The weather was exceedingly mild
for the season, a circumstance which
proved very fortunate for me, and as
was quite comfortable in the warmth
of the low midday sun, l gave my legs
good rest while ate my lunch and
lazily smoked and dreamed in the
midst of the quietude.
There was not sound to be heard
above the constant murmur of the pines
and the occasional rustic of an unfallen
leaf withered nor was living thing to
be seen but mite of winter wren eX-
ploring the intricacies of fallen tree
top, and few flies that were buzzing
about the sunny side of a tree trunk.
AS 1 began my way down the noun
tain glance at the sun showed me we
were likely to part company before my
journey was ended. Half a mile fur
Their on, in an old charcoal clearing, I
flushed a partridge, at which took
snap shot that knocked a cloud of feath-
ers out of the bird without retarding
its fight; but was sure it was hard nit,
and began diligent search where it