Omaha daily bee., 1909-11-21

followed BY q crowd Of colOrsd men. These
latter were the paddlers. and they we're
to be drawn for by lot. n
Drawing for Position.
Inquiry developed that thirteen men
were 20 shoot the next day and numbers
from 1 to 10 were placed In a ieathern
bottle and the drawing began. one OF
the New Workers had first choice OF the
paddlers and his host selected a straight
haired man Of Is. with high cheek bones
and more Of Indian than negro blood in
his veins Jim was his name and he
stepped out Of the ranks at the call Of
the captain. In the draw for blinds the
second stranger was fortunate and his
host selected for him a portion Of one Of
the upper bayous through which the birds
flew from one feeding ground 20 the other.
They afforded the ideal pass shooting and
promised great sport IL there was a wind.
The other New Yorker had seventh
choice Of stands and he was advised to
try the cypress blind and the wisdom
OF his choice was applauded when a tall
Memphian told with never a smile Of the
day he had sat at that particular spot
during a snowstorm trying Intellectually 70
~ bCNo0f anu NntI6 were LnOubanQs
Of them, too" said the tall one.
We'll. why didn't you shoot them?'
queried the innocent New Yorker.
Because there were so gol darned many
ducks between me and the geese l couldn't
hit them as they flew over" drawied the
veracious one amid peals Of aughter from
all save the bitten one, who allowed that
he would be glad to treat IL he would be
permitted to do so.
The servants were astir long before day.
break, fires were lighted and baths were
ready and breakfast was eaten by lamp
light. One by one the shooters departed
FOR their stations, those who had drawn
the more distant blinds leaving first, and
soon all had gone but the innocent Of
the previous evening whose curiosity about
the geese had been rewarded. His blind
was not more than half a mile from the
club house and there was no hurry for
him. as It was desirable that the others
should be located before his departure
Wise DecOys.
Daylight revealed the character Of the
country. The horizon was fringed with
tall expresses with here and there a burst
of vivid green from occasional clumps Of
willows. jim, laden with shells and. the
lunch baskets, walked in advance to show
the way and less than 300 feet brought the
boat house in view. There was a tremend-
Gus quacking and Tapping of wings from
half a dozen ducks in a wooden crate near
by and upon being asked the reason Jim
replied:
They knows where they alPs goin'."
They were live decoys and later they
were to give an illustration Of their intel
hgence that was almost uncanny
The boat. a broad beamed, flat bottomed
affair, had in its bow a swinging chair
and in this the shooter was told to sit.
Between his feet was a tin can containing
shells and when the lunch basket and the
crate OF decoys had been disposed Of the
dusky paddler pushed into the stream.
which at this point was not more than
twenty feet wide. He used a long pole
to propel the boat and was as picturesque
as any gondolier Of the Grand canal His
shirt was open at the throat and his
Sinewy arms were barred to the elbows. He
was rubber-booted to the hips.
There was a muttering now and then
nom the decoys as the boat passed be.
tween the wooded banks of the narrow
stream. The sun was rising gloriously
promising a perfect day IL the wind should
freshen a trifle. There was a rumble 10
OF thunder in the distance or as of a train
passing over a long trestle or railroad
bridge and this was repeated at intervals.
finally causing the inquiry, What was
that?"> from the man In the bow.
!hats a few ducks getting up out on
the lake" was Jim's reply.
The stream wound in and out ~ tbe
cypress and soon there was the whistlins
Oh rapid pinions and ducks darted with
whlriwind speed through the tops Of the
trees. From far up the lakes and bayous
sounded the chorus of number twelves ana
inc fingers Of the New Yorker twitohed
herVously' eager to begin the slaughter.