Evening journal., 1905-04-08
BY IRVING BACHELLER
i Copyright loOO By Furnishing coMrANY s.


berry lake We loaded our wagon with
provisions one evening and made ready
to be OF az the break Of day.
I remember how hopefully we started
that morning, with Elizabeth Brewer
and Hope waving their handkerchiefs
on the porch and David near them
whiting They had told as what to
do and what not to do over and over
again. sat with Gerald on blankets
that were spread over a thick mat Of
hay. The morning air was sweet with
the odor Of new hay and the music OF
the bobolnk 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 rife
and loaded It, He sat long time
whispering and looking eagerly for
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. He retained the little
tufts in front Of his ears, and lately had
grown q silver crescent Of thin and
silky hair that circlcd his throat under
a bare chin. Young as ] was, I had no
keenor relish for a holiday than he
AT noon we halted beside a brook and
unhitched our horses. Then we caught
some FISH. built FIRE and cooked them
aud brcwed our tea. At sunset we
halted at Tuley pond. looking along its
reedy margin, under purple tamaracks
for deer There was a great silence
here I'm the deep of the woods, and Tip
Taylor's ak. while he peeled the bark
for our camp. seemed to on the wilder
ness with echoes 1t was after dark
when the shanty was covered and we
lay on it's fragrant NOW Of balsam and
hemlock. The great logs that we had
rolled IN front Of our shanty were set
aire 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 on
in quest Of n dugout, He said Bill Ellis.
worth had one hid in n thicket ON the
south side Of Tuley, We found 1t after
an hours tramp near by It needed a
little repairing but we soon made It
water worthy and then took our seats,
helm the stern. with the paddle, and /
in the bow with the gun. Slowly and
silently we Glove way through the
star sown shadows II was like the
hushed and mystic movement Of a
dream We seemed 10 be above the
deep Of heaven. the stars below us. The
shadow Of the forest in the still water
looked like the wall OF some mighty
castle with towers and bnttlements and
myriads Of windows lighted for a fete
Once the groan Of night hawk fell
ont Of the upper air with sound like
that Of a stone striking in water.
thought little of the deer Tip was after
His only aim IN life was the one he goi
with a gun barrel. / had forgotten all
but the beauty of the scene Suddenly
Tip reused me by laying his hand 10 tn,
gunwale and gently shaking the dug
out In the dark distance ahead Of us
could hear the faint tinkle OF dripping
water Then | knew a deer was feed
fng not far away and that the water
was falling from his muzzle. When
opened my jnck we were close upor
him. His eyes cleaned. ] shot higl
above the deer, that went splashinl
ashore before | had pulled my trigger
After the roar Of the gun had got away
in the distant timber Tip mentioned q
place abhorred Of all men, turned and
! padded for the landing
"Could "a killed i'm with a club" sait
he, snickormg. Guess he must "a look
ed purity tall, didn't hep
"Whyf" l asked
"Cos We aimed into the sky" said he
"Mebbe ye thought he was a bird"
"My hand remhled little" said I.
"'Minds me of Bill Barber" he sait
in a half whisper as he worked his pad
die chuekling with amusement
Flows thatT l asked.
"Nothin' safe but the thing he shoot:
at" said he Terrible bad shot Kills
a COW every time he goes huntin'."
Uncle Eb was stirring the fire wher
we came whispering into camp, anC
Gerald lay asleep under the blankets
"Willie couldn't hit the broadside o
barn." said Tip. He don't take to 4
nat'ral"
"Killin' an book learnin' don't offer
go together said Uncle Eb.
turned in by the side OF Gerald. an,
Uncle Eb went OF with Tip for anothe
trip in the dugout The night wa
chilly, but the fire flooded our shant,
with its warm glow. What with tn
light and the boughs under US and tn
strangeness Of the black forest, we 10
. little sleep / heard the gun roar lat
in the night. and when I woke agai
. Uncle Eb and Tip Taylor were stand
ing over the hre in the chilly gray o
the morning. A dead deer hung on tn
limb Of a tree near by They bega
dressing II, while Gerald and / went {
the spring fo- water, peeled potatoe
and got the pots boiling. After
hearty breakfast we packed up an
were soon on the road again, reachin
Blueberry lake before noon. There W
hired a boat Of the lonely keeper OF tn
reservoir. found an abandoned cam
with an excellent bark shanty an
made ourselves at home.
That evening in camp was one to b
remembered Alb Thomas, the guild
who tended the reservoirs. came owe
and sat beside our FIRE until bedtim,
he had spent years in the wilderness
, going out for nothing less importan
than an annual spree at circus tim,
He eyed us over each in turn, as II h
, thought US all very rare and Interest
ing.
MANY bears hereY" Uncle Eb inquil