West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-12-07
IRGINIA. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7. 1905.
MEPHIrlS AMERICANA.
The thrilling Adventure OF Two BOld
Grafton Hunters.

From the Grafton Seminal.
Two Grafton youths, having in
their veins the warm, rcd blood ca.
ger for the hunting fray; the fast.
beating heart that incltes TO deeds
OF valor among the denizens OF the
dark forests; the quick working brain
that has in ITS minds eye the com
pliments Of their fellow school chill
dren, II not the green envy Of their
elders; who measure up to the stan
dard of Daniel Boones and Meshack
Brownings when accompanied by
dog and gun-two Grafton youths,
we say, met with an experience last
evening which they will not soon
forget, and which will linger long in
their memories. The night was an
ideal one for coon hunting. The
bright stars ghttered in a cold, cold
sky; the frost fell glintingly upon
tae dead leaves aud the brown grass;
the smell OF the wild was in their
nostrlls, the excitement of the chase
hurried their footsteps as they wend-
ed their way over the the hills to
the south of the village of Grafton.
The far-oh tolling of ten-o' clock
bell had but ceased when their fiery
bull dog struck a trail, by his loud.
mouthed throatings demonstrating
the fact that the coon was not far
distant and that he would soon be
meet with the enemy; away they go,
the dog keeping steadily at his bust
ness with his steaming muzzle close
to mother earth, the young hunters
with alert senses and hurrying foot
steps close in his wake. A long
drawn howl, smothered scream Of
canine victory, a gnashing OF teeth,
ripping Of woodland the game
was IN sight. Hurriedly they called
off the dog, (who by this time was
sick OF his job anyway, and eau
tiously they approached to within
easy gunshoG black mass was
crouched on the fence, its eyes
cleansing liketwo balls of phospho-
rus in the dim starlight, its back
bumped high and defiance painted
IN every attitude. 1t was plainly to
be battle to the death ! The elder
Of the two brave hunters pointed his
gun and shut his eyes; the other
turned his back and with folded
arms gazed at the stars, awaiting
results. There came deafening
crash, fall backward, a look sky
ward, moan that died away on the
cold air, a football rush to the fence
and the result had come. The
"coon" stirred, raised his head,
i"loNh hio Adlib ldlnGh MS WuOlG ana
tony, and then raised a smell And
such a smell. 1t covered the whole
earth and the hunters as well; il
pursued these gallant youths as they
hurried homeward to fud relief
from their troubles, and it is with
them yet today. One OF them slept
in a bathtub last night, saturated
with a weak solution of carbolic
acid, while the other camped out in
the wood shed. No, we are not
giving their names in this issuc-but
you will be able to recognize them
for some days 10 come il you but
get close enough TO them. One of
the boys has sworn of from coon
hunting for the remainder Of his life
while the other is now improylsing
upon poem Of one Of the old mas
ters, and which, when completed, he
will recite in the ninth room Of the
High school. One Of the verses all
ready completed ends thusly:
You may kill, you may Danish
The skunk, if you will,
But the scent Of the pole-cat
Will cling round him still.