Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1902-11-21
mrs AND MRS.

HITS AND MRS.
The Grafton Editor and His Duck Exper-
fence in Ramsey County.
ssHits and Mrs. Pierce, of the
Grafton Record, gives his readers the
following humorous piece Of exper-
fence, while duck hunting in this
county: Dad Gordon and his duck
pass are still on the Ramsey county
map. We arrived in the middle of
the afternoon and Dad was in the
middle of the yard to meet us and
he kept two hind kicks away from
u mule team, as he welcomed us
back to the lake where we had the
year before joined..the Ducks Bathing
association, : taking several degrees,
below freezing. Dad was not feeling
we'll, but rallied, and introduced us
to his hired man, who seemed to be
busy looking for a stump o. saw buck
to set on.
Two Of our party had driven over
yE..aWnr- -
from Grafton several days before in
the rain. The difference between
riding in the rain and in the cars is
80 great that We never expect to be
repaid for our kindness to ourselves
by choosing the cars and our few
miles ride behind a spirited pair Of
Devils Lake mules will ever be con-
sidered a fortunate move. Three
Devils Lake sports undertook to turn
the laugh on us as W drove down
the business street, but the off mule
Joined in 10 quick with q few bushels
of joy JUICE that they were glad to
make their escape without having to
pay for broken windows.
After parting with the mules and
mule driver and urging him to get
home before dark and not rouse the
citizens in the middle of the night to
the belief that navigation had opened
up from the north, we got into a few
rubber coats and started for the rushes
to see if there was anything doing.
As we arrived at the business Office
of the festive goose a man who had
been seated on a muskrat house light
ing his pipe all day, shot twice into
the air and dropped two white geese.
We helped him pick them up and he
explained that they we're the first he
had shot in two days and he celebrated
the event in due and ancient manner.
We passed further on up the pass in
the hope of getting some of our own,
but the geese flew so high we only
succeeded in making them feel good.
When we arrived at the house Dad
was feeding the stove soft coal and
another member Of our party fried
beefsteak in a highly satisfactory
manner to the hungry gang who wad-
ed intoit with hip boots and ap-
petites that would have caused a first
class boarding house to shut up shop.
After the dishes we're washed and set
awayStosrest, we listened to hard luck
stories and noticed the Improvements
around the place. Signs of prosperity
were evident; a russell leather harness
to match the sorrel driving team oc-
cupied a prominent position behind
the stove and opposite a full dress
suit hung as a companion piece. Dad
had evidently had a u of sunshine
and was making the most of life.
Jim Hills sons had been camping
on the pass for five weeks, but had
pulled up stakes. They had all the
comforts of life and a man to cook
them. Dad spoke we'll of them.
One of them had helped him clean out
the barn and haul a load of hay.
"They are just common people,, said
Dad, "and eat all the fresh eggs they
can get"
Before the evening was over one of
our party mended a rubber boot. He
had run a snag in it and had soaked q
pail of water, and consequently had a
sad, wet foot. He fried a small piece
Of a rubber heal on a case knife ove1
q lamp. When his rubber works
commenced to get good the door was
a, opened so the place would not blow
up; fried rubber in a small roon
III acts awful. The rubber was spread
over the hole and the next day whe1
the boot was tried it was found to b
III as tight as a drunken hobo.
The barn on the duck pass farm i
a regular academy Of music of JOY
II is a steady old building filed wit
horses, colts, sheep and hens. An oil
81 gray mare, the mother Of a tall re-
#I colt, which is taking medicine, &C
I'LL cupies parlor A; next comes the sorrel
n whose harnesses are kept in the house
-Four or five we'll bred colts slee
5#s on cots, and seem willing to eat GU
III .o Of the open hand or oat bin, wheneve
IA # opportunity affords. Chickens roos
III: on the stairway and one young rooste