Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-10-26

their field glasses. and prepared as they
were Tor his grandeur, he surprised them.
When they had gone. we arose, and
the guide led us back into the woods with
rapid. Eoiseless steps. He knew the par
ticular feeding ground the elk would be
most likely to visit first. and. making a
wide detour. we followed him toward an
other stretch of grass land, we'll up on
much higher ground. and perhaps two
miles to the southwark. The wind was
in our favor, or the work of approach
ing the herd would have been much more
difficult. As it was, we hurried along,
just keeping a bright lookout for a pos
sible stray COW elk. who, If she should
see us or get our wind, would bark and
thus give the alarm. and send every liy-
ing creature within hearing to the tall
timber at its fastest pace. Twice we
came upon white deer. but they did not
snort-simply threw up their Tags and
sprang away to the woods. AS we ncared
the feeding ground mentioned above, we
slowed down and approached with great
caution. The open space was bordcred
by a mixed growth, spruce and white
pine. NAPLES and white birches, and
pccring between them we could get oc-
c~as.onal glimpses of COW elk. showing
that the herd was already on the ground.
The bull was not in sight. and any at
tempt to get a better view would prob
ably have resulted in some one Of the
band catching sight of us. So the guide
halted us until the next bugle note should
reveal the whereabouts of that which he
sought. 1t was sounded at some distance
IN the east, and perhaps a quarter of II
mile IN the south rd of ,rl., x,o .t,ol
and at once the guide took up his work
of stalking, with the hunters following
close behind. This was by far the most
interesting part of the game, and was
really exciting. knowing, as we lid. that
the snap of a twig, a change in the direc-
ton of the wind, or a failure TO keen
under cover. would result in an immediate
stampede of the elk. Once we had to
cross an open place, and it was necessary
to lie nat and wrigglc along through tn.
grass. Again the guide stopped and peer
ed warily through the fringe OF trees. and
again he waited for the call of the bull
to guide him in his search. Likc
the blast of a trumpet 1t came from be-
hind a clump of trees to the east, and
triumphant and defiant as it was, ] felt
that the noble beast was sounding his
knell-that his hour had come. The guide
crept forward. followed closely by tho
man elected to take the first shot, Will.
the rest of us drew back to watch the
end without disturbing the game.
"Crash," the wind had changed, and
like n charge of cavalry the herd of elk
broke away across the open, and plunged
through the fringe of trees and under
brush by which they were surrounded.
Now, ] thought, the bull will get away.
but crouching low, | saw him standing
near Il spruce tree, calmly watching the
departure of the cows. One by one they
passed him.. but not a step would he take
until the last of his band had gone.
Crack went the gun of the hunter,
and ! Rugged myself as ! saw that h..
had missed it clean. The great stag
wheeled half around. rs If he would have
faced his skulking foe. and as he turned
he swung those glorious antlers which I'm
open fight would have brought him vic
tory over a score Of such puny foes as
men. Then. with head erect. and strid-
ing with II dignity which no man could
approach. he started to follow his band.
"Crack. crack, crack from as many
high-pOwer rifles. and one OF the bullets
scvering the great hrute's spine, he fell
as If his legs had been mown from un-
der him. For a moment those wondrols
antlcrs thrashed the ground, raising
clouds of tinted autumn leaves. and then
he lay still-the noblcst thing in all that
country side. Twas but a minute be-
wcen the time that he stood. a wonder
which Nature had perfected Though "A
myriad years. and the time that he lay
IL bloody ruin. And this that the crown
of a monarch might deck the walls of a
den" whose owners taste perferred n
t%rophy-a distorted mummy--to
the majestic living presence of the king
ERNEST HAROLD BAYNES.