Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-11-14

William King and Wilfrcd I.anelois
| hav" just returned from a hunting trip
in the vicinity Of Lexington Flats.
They did not succeed in bringing down
4 dee:. but had a very pleasant time.
Mr.. King had an experience that was
| near enough TO Il tragedy to make him
shiver even now. but that mas comedy
enough IN it 10 make him laugh every
time he thinks OF il or relates il 10 his
! friends. On one of those beautiful
| moonlight nights such as have been
| common. this month he took his rifle
| and started away from the camp alone
10 watch beside 4 small guiley. where
| he believed the deer were in the habit
OF passing in the night. The night was
| calm and peaceful and the beautiful
| hunters moon was sailing ma iestically
| overhead. There was scarcely a sound
in the woods. with the exception of an
! occasional slight breeze that seemed to
| come from the distance and pass by
/ him into the distance again. making q
| slight rustling in the bare branches OF
| the trees Those who have not been III
| The forest OF northern Maine in the
night cannot imagine the strange SEN
| sation which creeps over one not ac-
cuStorned 10 ii. 1t is not exactly fear
| bat rather vague anxiety or nervous
| ness. When game appears. whether il
| b" an enraged bull moose or a bear the
| feeling usually disappears and the only
| thought in the mind OF the hunter is
| to kill The nerves are all At 4 high
tension and q slight noise will make
one grip his rifle quickly and too Of
| ten fire heedleSsly.
Men accustomed 10 the woods will
| laugh at this sensation. as they are as
| much at home there q night as i'll the
| day time. But the man who only
| spends 4 week or two with his rife
| knows the feeling well. 70 those who
hear the noisy rattle OF a city all
through the year are luled to sleep by
| il and awakened in the morning by il,
| ard hear il al through the day. the
| almost perfect silenc" OF the great
| woods i very strange, especially at
night. Mr.. King experienced all this
vague nervousness as he crouched in
| the shadow and also the strenuous ex
| pnctati0n Of seeing deer walk before
him and of getting q shot At him. II
wasn't fear for he would have faced a
| bear just as quickly as a doe. bat
| those who have been in his position
know hoI+ h. cg!t. and those who have
not been there can hardly be made to
understand.
! The hunter had waited some time
| with every sense alert for the slight
est noise and until his eyes fairly
| acEed in the attempt to scan every
shadow and every bush to distinguish
TIE form of a deer, il one happened
to be lurking there. Then he spied a
| fox coming towards him unconscious Of
! his presence. Hc drew a bead OF the
animal and waited for the most favor
| q bic opportunity for a shot. He had
| several chances. bu: as the fox kent
coming nearer he thought he would
wait a bit. 1t came still nearer and
| afforded q most excellent shot. The
| hunter res iyed to let him have il just
as he polled his head by Il tree in his
path. He was fairly trembling with
the excitement and anticipation OF the
sport Of the surprise party he had in
store for :he unsuspecting fox.
Mr. King held his rife steadily ard
| slowly increased the pressure on the
trigger so that the instant the sights
rested on the fox's head the bullet
| might be on its way to the mark. Just
| thu. slightest Of pressure would nave
| released the hammer and there would
| have, been dead fox. when there was
| A sudden bang, bang," from the other
side of the sulley. while the dirt ana
leaves few just 81 the feet OF Mr.
| King We'll. say. that fox wes surpriS-
cd. but there were others, There was
no va2ueneSS about Mr.. Kings fright
Just about that time. 1t was the rea!
thing. He just yelled right out. He
really thought that he had been hit
and could actually feel the cold shiVeTs
chasing up and down ms spinal COL
umn He knew be had been hit; there
was no doubt Of it. but still lie had
strength enough to yell in good earn
est
He Is fortunately not afflicted with
heart disease, or al least was not De
fore the thing happened. so he lived
through it. II Mr. King thought he
| v,e dead when he yelled the felioWS
on the other side of the gulley were
sure OF it, The fox knew he was a.!
right and didn't bother much ABOUT
the rest of the crowd. lie just put MS
bushy appendix between ms nina
quarters and ran. For all any one
Knows he is still in the same business:
Tine men who fired wercn sure
v-hether they had hit a man or a bob
cat. but they thought it was man.
and that they had killed him. so they
lost no time in investigating
was that you over here was All
they could stammer when they army
ell. scared and GREATNESS
We'll. | rather guess 1t was; anT
WAS il Won over there replied Mr..
King. his fright rapidly giving place
to anger and disgust.
EXAMINATIONS and apologies followed
With the rapid;y of 4 Calling gun.
II seemed that the two men had been