The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-01

BY . Lucky Gunner-One Shot TO Re
MISUNDERSTANDING shooting In Pass
Southern sioughs where the water
Chickens Are Found in winter
Liking Of the woodcock for Ashes--
sprins Duck shooting In the West.
The houseboat party were two miles
from their comfortable hunks on board
the Skeeter at a half hour after daylight
About them stretched high-rolling prairie
and over the land was heavy fog. so thick
vas il that man doomed large and ghostly
0 yard away.
Through this tangible atmosphere una
Die to see six feet in his front, the Farmer
was making his way by sort OF instinct.
1t could have been nothing else, for he had
no compass and there were no landmarks
even IL they had been visible.
The party had been pulled from their
beds by the Farmer, who got them up
by the simple process OF first throwing
the cover OF them then grabbing IN
by the ankles and dragging them !" 'he
cabin floor. They were making Tor
pond he knew Of intent on early morning
duck shooting. He had told them about
this bond the night before. saying that
It was mile long by half mile wide. not
more than two feet deep in the centre ana
grown up thickly with senna-weeds upon
whose black seeds the ducks loved to feed.
He had drawn pictures OF how the thou
lands OF wildfowl would rise from it with
a rolling thunder of wing and how the
sky would be blackened by them.
As they plodded on. their voices having
n queer deafness as il smothered in wool.
the Farmer paused suddenly and they
nausea with him. From somewhere,
they could not say whether to right or
left. in front or behind, came the note OF q
goose.
1t was answered by two others. 1t was
not the usual resonant honk, but had a dis
tressful, inouiring quaver. One OF the big
birds passed directly over them, SO near
that they could hear the nap OF the wings
though the body was invisible.
They're lost said the Farmer, briefly.
.They get lost in the fog just as readily
as humans They're looking for the pond
and can't find it,
Another flight in the opaque gray above
them.
Ducks" said the Farmer Teal,
guess, by the way they are going Lost, too.
They'll run into something and smash
themselves up likely. A teal has a. little
sense a. anything that flies and goes as fast
In the dark as In daylight.
A half mile further on q low murmur
Of quacking came to them. The Farmer
vheeled to the left instantly.
THE ponds over there he said, pretty
close, too. You can hear the ducks on
IT.
A short tramp taken slowly brought them
10 the ponds edge. They might well have
stepped into IL for there was nothing to
distinguish It from the surrounding sur
face.
They could see the SIENNA weeds within
touching distance Of them-tall, slender
erowths not thicker than a mans little
finger, which bore long pods Ike beanpods.
Commonly they rattle in the breeze like
castanets, but now thny were still,
Out in the impenetrable mist the wild
fowls were swimming feeding and calling.
Their voices made steady babel, not rising
and falling. but maintaining the same
level Of exclamation and conversation.
They don't seem ever TO run out OF
something to say the Doctor remarked.
Must know a lot"
He did not speak loudly, but from the
water within twenty yards OF them q great
aisht arose and tore away through the
fog, a hundred or two Of ducks. mailing q
roaring sound. They were 30 close that
manv of them could have been touched
with q fishing pole.
The others paid no heed 10 them. but
kept on gossiping Every note that q
duck ever uttered was in that mingled mass
Of sound saving only the cries OF fright
and there was a consistent undertone
much as II a man were cluckng TO 4 lazy
bors- a sound made by ducks swallowing
the seeds.
The Farmer drew his watch and held IL
cloee TO his face.
"A good hour after daylight lie said
sand the fog Will lift In little while Take
your stations. II doesn't make any dif-
fsrenos where you stand. only be sure 10
ret out OF gunshot Of one another, The
ducks will get up fast enough when there IL
light to see you by OF gun goes ~ >"
The Engineer started promptly along
the edge u the pond and walked "a IT,
vs~t end Tho Farmer took the Fast end
III. Journalist went with him Tor too hum
dr-d yards then walked out Into ths pond
foI twenty yAIds or 80.
A. TOT Ga. DoctOf lac walked straight out
Into tl.e atsT from wh.rs hs Mas standlng
4 haI,isnsd that is sAs about hall xsy
bs,l ssnn the ends lie had on a pair "
nilllsrf b.,Ois vi lich zane 10 hls hiI~
0ulns oui ior hsaIiy 800 Yard lls found
tl.ai tLs SAi.r did not ooino Shave Lls
Lhsas d. o AI.d up ld ~ danks ll
s,AGs bul hs .Yuld nol 49, thsin AHd iisy
o,,id Ia 80 h.iu lisy 81 ,.ss ., tl.s .I,.Asi,
lax i.s n,ad'
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lsIy ,aisi uily iuI lsai II -irkils . f,,,a
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lsi,slAnfy H. anuld 81. noH ~ u,sf
; ai,ls q ssis issi an sLsi,a hliu
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fssla,sn . bui,,N 81 tasl I,fsi,llB tissss
sss tsstaI - tl.siu lsrl ~ stis diakf
80 tiiuai lttSsi tisA tnsn's 800 h.ls
lsi ls.sihall itiluisd, suh issii.sis a
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