The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-12-16


anticipation.
Rain began falling during the night
and continued until noon next day but
nothing daunted, out we went among
the glistening drops of Earth's nour-
ishment. Incidents that day gave
pseudonymes to each; epithets that
cling to one long after the lips are
cold and dumb.
The game for that days sport rest
cd in the upper valley land much of it
rests there to this day but farms were
advertised In that particular section
and permission to hunt or trespass
had to be obtained. One indulgent
farmer, after some argument, consent
ed to our crossing his land saying
that "if we stirred any game he would
count 1t an accident" and many were
the accidents" we stirred. A flock
Of quail attempted to cross stone
wall in front of us and one poor, un-
fortunate remained prey to one who
now answers to "Stonewall." 'Cor-
digan" he of the jacket, and "Rex"
who stirred more rabbits than both
dogs, gave exhibitions of rifle shoot
ing and the headgear of the boys are
fit for no other purpose now than coll
landers. Two turkeys and deer were
seen that day but they did not fall to
shot of ours (for we didn't shoot. -
However, luck fell to the lot of others
who secured the game and gave us the
privilege to view the fallen.
This came to pass on Thursday and
he remaining one amongst US whose
reply to any question was always
Thursday" was dubbed his favorite
word. Happenings in his life all SEEM
ed to come on Thursday and thus he
will henceforth be known Well,
Thursday was much down-cast at
having the deer to fall into other
hands, for "dear' is his specially
and he selnom fails to land his game
but here he was clearly out-classed. -
How he longed for a souvenir, - he
even tried to steal the tail: but some
things are impossible, even in Fulton
county. so turning away sadly and
sorrowfully, back tothe "Retreat, we
vent; and, amid the curl of smoke
rom our pipes we saw visions: images
Of rabbits flying in nocks in the air
with the American flag streaming from
antlers: quail hopping on the ground
with cute little cotton tails and white
shirt fronts; deer with the sweetest
smiles, hair dressed "pompy" and
white turkey wings giving them the
of angels; and then, the
thoughts of home. Oh the rude
awakening; but then visions do not
last.
Souvenirs of the hunt were col
lected and mailed to anxious mothers
and sisters (?).
The next and last days hunt was
one worthy of mention especially be-
cause of the craftsmanship displayed.
The first game routed was rabbit
about 6:30 A. NJ and for fully two
hours that rabbit circled about US,
dogs following. Sixteen shots we're
fired without effect and for aught we
know, his rabbitship is circling yet;
one thing is sure, it did not grace a
Bedford county table from shot of
ours. During the day we "holedn
three rabbits one of which we captur-
ed: the remaining two we expect to get
next season.
We climed to the top of Sideling
Hill mountain where wet, tired aud
hungry we sat down to ponder and If
We had half as much game as ponder
here would have been sufficient to sup,
ply the county. But ponder is ever
easier to procure then game hence our
magnificent assortment of this CON-
modify.
Snow began falling before dusk
which somewhat disarranged our plans
Tor returning home that night. The
raw, chilly air penetrated to our bones
and we were more than glad for the OPP
of lounging in dry clothing
around the kitchen fire at the ''Home-
stead" After supper we went to the
store to procure more necessaries and
here information was CLEANED that
humbled our hitherto exalted pride
Clustered around the stove were resi-
lent hunters whose real tales of real
Workmanship opened our eyes to pos
sibilities never before dreamed of
One old fellow who can shoot as
straight to-day as "sixty year ago"
told how when but fourteen year
old" he shot his first deer on this
same Sideling' Hill mountain and
,hough it weighed about "a hundred
fifty" he carried the "durned thing
i've miles" His strength must surely
have increased in proportion to his
pride for he said he had never been
able to carry so much weight alone
since that time. Another said that
when but lad he shot at full grown
buck and knew By the drop OF its tail
hat he had hit. Following the trail
ne found the animal "stone dead half
a mile from where he had shot" AS
.hese tales were corroborated, we could
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