The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-05-31

\ ~ Y spent among the White
Q . Mountains l became ac-
quaintcd with an old farm
Io% er-hunter, Eben Holt, who
knew more about the woods and "all
outdoors in general than any one else
have met. lie related to me this ad-
Nentr;e that he had had nearly sixty
years before:
when Cousin Thad and | were boys
our families came up from Connect.
cut and settled in Grafton County.
New Hampshire, IN a rough region but
sparsely inhabited by backwoodsmen.
That spring we were put to cutting
timber on the lower slope of Grantham
Mountain. az the foot of which the
farms lay. 10 save tramping back and
forth we carried our dinners. and as
fresh meat was scarce We took along
an old musket called the Thunderer.
Which Thad's father had given him.
and spent most Of our noon hour in
bagging such small game as we could
find.
I'VE had hardly swallowed the noon
snack one day when a gray squirrel
darted across the open space before us
and scrambled mp Il nearby tree. Thad
grabbed the gun and fired, but missed:
and the squirrel. evidently thinking
himself in the wrong place, started Off
at a great rate, leaping from tree to
tree.
"We gave chase On and on he led
us, straight up the mountain; some
times We thought that we had him.
and again he was far on ahead We
scrambled over rocks and crawled uu-
der fallen trees and fell into hoIlows,
but foolishly kept ON, with Our eyes
rolled up TO the heavens.
But we had to give mp the chase at
last. and threw ourselves ON the ground
to rest and get our breath
81 say, Tbad. we've never been mp
so high ds this before" l cried. sitting
suddenly bolt upright for l saw that
we were IN the dense growth Of tho
upper mountain. which we had been
strictly forbidden to penetrate. On tAe
right dark scanned sandstone ridges
stretched upward TO huge pile OF
ugly looking rocks; gray mosses hung
IN masses from the lower dead
branches OF the FIR trees, which stood
so c'ose together as 10 shut out every
CUNT OF sunshine. The dampness and
gloom Of the place were appalling even
10 our heaitDy imagInauons.
Let's get ont Of this was Thad's
comment, rs he sprang TO his feet.
wen give old GrantAam hail,
though. judging from these gray
locks we must DE pretty close to his
ear.
ne pointed 10 the hanging MOSES,
ana llcEieu at ms own wit gave great
war Whoop' Iaen we both turned to
pluhSe uoWA me mountain. A "au'
iohs ana pl'.HdF'' sounded ou5 OF the
groom Dei"W Us n fearful echo to the
shout IL arrested our steps ana troze
US 10 lhe SpDl iN sheri horror We
knew lhat wiz cry Wch. IL had SHY
eteu doWn rom 'ii' q c'-'.''' Forest on
many q cola AiSul OF tAe pa-i winter
sehulhg prlcSleS OF rear over MS even
IN tue SaIely OF the home hre.ight
its painter. we sasped' Again
tue cty sounded. nenrer tlls time.
Al Soh ever near tllat screech wnel
on, 'o"e. boys, run hard for home.
ihther AAd once said And run we did
now but unfortunately, as the danger
was between US ana mat refuge we
were oni4sed 10 scurry up the mount
am INAa dragged the gun We never
'N0usht OF ioaulhs' our smal' shot
Wouh Dut ehEase the great beast
"hicA was 30 rapidly everlasting US.
We sali'eu tNe rius's ana ran on
nhu -on ~ lhelf slopes "Hlfh gre"
s,esi'tr' roNsner aNa more broken lh'
higher we went. The cry sounded