Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-12-01

RAia INcClFu--- DUCKS are
thicker than you can shake a stick
at. colonel. this year." was the greet
ing l received as my tender ap-
preached the dock at the world-fam-
Gus ducking grounds of Havre de
Grace, Md. I'm powerful glad to see
yer and can promise you the best OF
spot. It looks good to me To see
all you folks coming round and
prospectin', cause know we've got
the stun to show you on the flats, as
well as on the dock here" pointing
to mass of decoys receiving their
anhua9 coat of paint and yarnish.
Our guide was to be old Capt. Cal
houn, than whom none knows the
ducking fats better and who has
many tales to tell of the years ne
acted as duck police" AS this was
only : prospectin " tour to see how
the winters hunting was to be and
how the gear, decoys and blinds were,
We had plenty of time for a sociabIe
chat full of "reminiscences of past
shots always dearer to the heart of
the sportsman than all the tales OF
books or camera
Certain sure, colonel, this year mas
been dry year and no mistake
about it. 1t do seem as though we
amt had nary a thunderstorm or a
proper rainfall all summer or fall, and
it's curious how the rockfish, crabs
and birds has been so thick this au-
tumn. You'd scarcely believe me, sir,
but this was the third time only in
nigh on to half century that crabs
has come up this far in the bay.
Why, sir, there warn't enough fresh
coming down the old Susquehanna to
rust barn door nail. Reminds me
of the last drouth we had when you
come down here with that young fell
Ter f:om Manayunk what thought he
knowed all there was about shooting,
hunting. fishing and SIGH like. Why,
colonel / amt done laughing yet at
the way he done killed all my brand
new decoys and then wanted to know
why they held their heads so high
when they was dead The boys round
here is always wanting me to tell
them as to how he crept on deck that
second morning he was aboard the
launch to shoot a mess of ducks fer
breakfast"
Il don't think l remember that
story" put in. do you mean when
he sat in that Ieaky old blind until
he was frozen so tight we had to cut
him loosen"
NO, Stree, colonel, This here was
the time the drum or late crabs was
a-pieking the barnacles off the bottom
of the boat and woke that there anna
terr up, so that he asked Jake what
the noise was all about, and Jake, be-
ing pestered with the young fool, told
him it was the ducks picking up last
nights supper crumbs often the deck.
I'll be dingbusted if he didn't be-
lieye it and start to stalk them birds.
did he get them?"
Get them2 Sho', colonel you're
laughing at me! You see, every time
he went on deck the noise stopped,
cause you can't hear them crabs on
less you're down careful-like, more an
more uuullOWhuEus EbuAdh AZ
cate them duck nowhere. 1t was
still pretty dark, and with all his
shooting toys on he didn't make any
too little noise, though | guess he
thought he was doing mighty clever
piece of stalking. BY and by Jake
got tired OF his trapesing around that
way and asked that sportsman what
he thought he was up to. Those
ducks get away every time afore l
can get on deck, says he, soft and
low. or deck yer dern fool says
Jake; them things is on the bottom OF
the boat, and rolls over and goes
back to sleep. And by Jinks, when
/ come on deceit an hour or two later,
THAT poor idjit was lying fiat on his
belly on the stern deck, with his shot
gun hanging over the side, crab net
alongside OF him and the tender ali
handy if any OF them submarine
ducks should darst to show bill
above water level"
Wont you tell your friends here,
motioning to the rest of my party
how Judge Watson got stuck in the
blind you had fixed for him.
sure and certain, colonel readily
assented our mentor, now started on
his long suit, but you folks better
hop into the power skif yonder While
we go out and look at the wild celery
and oats on the hats so as you can
| Judge fer yerselves whether or not
there's to be ducks this winter.
Maybe we'll see some on the way; 1t
| amt too early even now
| we complied with alacrity, for tha1