Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-10-19

RAT see he was trapped, an 30 he
went out under the plum tree, where
the stun was. an begun { turn. The
scythe was dull an the young Teller
bore on harder n wuz RELY decent
fer a long time. Rat begun { git very
sober lookln'.
"'Ain't ye bout done said he.
"'Purty Nigh said the young Teller,
bearin' down a loetie harder all the
time.
rat made the stun 70 faster. Purity
soon he asked ag'in, Amt ye done yitT
"'Purty nighv says the other, feclin'
o. the edge.
"'1'm done said Rat, an he let 60 O
the handle. I dunno bout the scythe,
but I'm a good deal sharper IN 1 wuz.'
you're the hired man here, amt
yer said the young Teller.
"'No, I amt said Rat. ID ruther
" up G bein' n liar than turn that
stun another minnit.'"
AS soon as he was fairly started with
this droll narrative the strain Of the
situation was relieved. We were all
laughing as much at his deliberate way
Of narration as at the story itself.
Suddenly he turned to Elizabeth
Brewer and said very soberly, "Will
you bring me some water in n glass?'
Then he opened his chest of medicine.
made some powders and told us how
to give them.
I'm a few days I would take him into
the big woods for awhile" he said.
See how 1t agrees with him."
Then he gathered up his things, and
mother went with him to the gig.
HumOr was one Of the specifics Of
DR.. Bigsby. lie was always n poor
man. He had a way of Jumping his
bills. at about SO much, in settlement
and probably never kept books. A side
Of pork paid for many a long journey.
He came to his death riding over the
hills one bitter day not long after the
time OF which l write to reach q pa
ticnt.
The haying ovcr. we made ready for
our trip into the woods. Uncle Eb and
Tip Taylor, who knew the forest. and
myself were to go with Gerald to Blue
berry lake. We loaded our wagon with
provisions one evening and made ready
to be of at the break Of day.
l remember how hopefully we started
that morning, with Elizabeth Brewer
and Hope waving their handkerchief
on the porch and David near them
whiting. They had told us what to
do and what not to do over and over
again. I sat with Gerald on blankets
fhnt WON et,r-aa.i nya,, "a thfa1. mat ~
hay. The morning air was sweet with
the Odor of new hay and the music Of
the bobolink. Uncle Eb and Tip Tay-
lor sang merrily as we rode over the
hills.
When we entered the shade Of the
big forest Uncle Eb got out his ride
and loaded 1t. He sat a long time
game to right and left. He was still a
boy. One could see evidences of age
only in his white hair and beard and
wrinkled brow. lie retained the little
tufts in front Of his ears, and lately had
grown q silver crescent Of hin and
silky hair that Circled his throat under
a bare chin. Young AS l was, / had no
keener relish for a holiday than he.
At Don we halted beside u brook and
unhitched our horses. Then we caught
some fish, built q fire and cooked them
and brewed our tea. At sunset we
halted at Tuley pond, looking along its
reedy margin. under purple tamaracks.
for deer. There was n great silence
here in the deep of the woods. and Tip
Taylor's AK, while he peeled the bark
for IL camp, seemed to fll the wilder
ness with echoes. 1t was after dark
when the shanty wa covered and we
lay on its fragrant NOW of balsam and
hemlock. The great logs that we had
, rolled in front of II shanty We're set
af1re and shortly supper was cooking.
Gerald had stood The journey well.
; Uncle Eb and he stayed in, while Tip
. and got our jack ready and went off
, IN quest Of a dugout. He said Bill Ellis
worth had one hid In a thicket on the
south side Of Tuley. We found it after
an hours tramp near by. 1t needed a
!, little repairing. but we soon made II
. water worthy and then took our seats,
:. he In the stern, with the paddle, and l
=. In b bow with the gun. Slowly and
silently we Glove a way through the
|, star sown shadows. 1t was like the
hushed and mystic movement Of q
> dream. We seemed to be above the
deep Of heaven, the stars below us. The
shadow Of the forest in the still waite
: looked ike the wall of some might!
castle with towers and battlements ant
{ myriads Of windows lighted for a fete
Once the grOan of night hawk fel
. out Of the upper air with a sound lik'
that of a stone striking in water.
t thought little of the deer Tip was after
. His only aim in life was the n he 80
with a gun barrel. l had forgotten al
r but the beauty of the scene Suddenl.
Tip reused me by laying his hand to tn
. gunwale and gently shaking the dug
out. In the dark distance ahead Of us
could hear the faint tinkle Of dripping
water. Then l knew a deer was feed
!. ing not far away and that the waite
!. was falling from his muzzle. When
=. opened my jack we were close upol
= him. His eyes cleaned. l shot higl
. above the deer, that went splashini
ashore before | had pulled my trigger
After the Oar OF the gun had got ava,
in the distant timber Tip mentioned
place abhOrred Of all men, turned an
padded for the landing.
"A