The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-04-10
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AM0Nc THE DEc0ys.
RyJ. S. ELLIS.
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CS o. C@ CS
Of course | was glad to see Cham-
bers. 1t was ten years since we met
and when | heard that he was editing
4 paper in the Western town TO when
chance had brought me, | made haste
to present myself at his once. ne
was the same genial, lovable fellow
not a whit older than on the day when
we were handed our diplomas ana tolo
that this was the beginning. not an
end" And surely we had found II SO.
What's become of the Deacon.
asked, after the first half hour OF COM
pairing experiencess The Deacon -
we had named him this for his solemn
countenance and sober Ways-had been
one Of a trio in our boyhood. "Wnat
a shot he was." | exclaimed, IN al
miration. "Many's the time I've seen
him pick squirrels from the tip-top OF
those big hickories in the works.
| thought queer expression passed
over Chambers face, but he answered:
The Deacon is right here. he is
my right hand man-cOuldnt DO WITH
out him. And he is just as good
shot as he ever was. | have reason
to know" The queer expression, COM
ing again, aroused my curiosity.
"How's that? Been having shoot
ing match? I'll have to see old Dea-
con-
Tommy, chambers leaned back
in the revolving chair.-'you've seen
Deacon with a rifle, but did you ever
see him handle a shotgun"
Il never did Not much use for a
shotgun back there, you know"
Here it's different From Septem-
Der till it freezes there are ducks a
plenty in these marshy lakes round
here.
The first three years we were up
here Deacon and | never let a week
pass in September and October with
out an hour or two on the lakes.
Lake Henry is only six or seven
miles out, and we could drive there
for a couple of hours shooting in the
evening, after closing This lake IS
nothing more than a great marsh, six
or seven feet deep at the limit, and
sloping up from that to comfortable
wading in hip boots. The water is filled
with rushes, which grow from foot
to four or five feet above the water.
Here and there is open water for
few yards.
Two years ago in September we
we're planning great sport We had
ordered a dozen decoys and built two
skiffs. We were going out for three
days, soon after the opening OF the
season. But our decoys, which were
to be shipped to us from St. Paul, did
not come The first Of October found
us still waiting, and losing patience,
we started without them.
1.-THE weather was rainy. with fire.
uuent wind-squalls. On the first night
our tent blew down in the midst OF
a downpour We sat the remainder
of the night shivering over fire OF
wet wood The next day was stormy,
with high winds What few birds we
saw few so high that you could not
touch them. / had caught cold from
nv ducking, and | was so hoarse |
could hardly talk, and mad enough to
quit. But you know the Deacon. He
said he'd have some ducks II he had to
sit there till Christmas.
Il kept getting hoarser all day, I'M
til couldn't talk above whisper, so
| told Deacon. in the afternoon, that
/ would go to town and get something
for my cold, and see if the decoys had
come.
when | reached town the first man
| met was the agent. who said the box
had come. | didn't lose many minutes
loading it into the buggy and starting
back to camp The wind had gone
down and it had turned colder and
was cloudy-just as near perfect
evening for ducks as you'll find had
to laugh at myself when I tried to
speak to the horses. and could do moth
ing but screech and wheeZe.
Il left the team at a house about a
quarter of a mile from camp, and
walked through the dusk the remain
der of the distance The Deacon was
not in sight. | supposed he was in
a blind near by, waiting for ducks,
SO set about rigging the decoys for
the morning shooting. Loading them
into my skiff, poled out in the shall
low water.
The boat was flimsy affair, light
enough to pick up and carry, and about
as safe as rafting on bridge plank.