The state herald., 1910-03-04
- YE LIVE In luxurious age.
and 1t is, perhaps, a fact that
WV anything involving hard
w ships and discomforts brings
us nearer to our original

WV anything involving hard
ships and discomforts brings
us nearer to our original
composition. and so to an APP
probation of the simpler and less
elaborate facts of existence. Deer
stalking. as whole. is not In these
days the arduous pursuit that 1t was
when Charles st. John pursued the
muckle hart with such fervor. Now.
one reaches the far beat in a motor
car. and bridlepaths facilitate the as
ticular reason that I can see why
these facts should be so hardly com
mented on by certain critics. Such
methods of transportation are In
Weighed against. and those who make
use of them are covered with abuse.
Look" say these gentlemen, how
all our sportsmen are deteriorating
Then they playfully allude to tame
deer, gorged pheasants. etc. Such
one was probably he who penned
the famous line. The crack of the
rifle was early heard on the stubble!"
do not suppose that one of them. for
instance. would rise at FIVE o'clock in
the morning with the prospect of a
hard days stalking In front of him.
merely for the pleasure of saying that
he had walked to the far beat. when
by getting up couple OF hours later
he would reach the ground at the
same time and start fresh.
Many comment adversely on deer
stalking. for" they say. 1T gives me
no pleasure TO be preceded by
trained stalker who tells me what and
what not to do. points out which
stag TO shoot, and whose comments
are of necessity circumscribed by my
attitude and the accuracy OF my shot"
This Is the chief argument against
stalking. and there Is much truth In II.
though there are compensations. When
the stalk is done for you the lack OF
responsibility sets one free to appre.
ciate TO the full the beauties by which
one is surrounded. This may be n very
minor consideration to many: but the
fact remains that when ones whole
attention Is concentrated on the cir.
convention OF particular stag. not
much time is left for anything else. II
your stag escapes. there is not tho
same sense OF blank despair ms when
II is entirely ones own fault and the
stalk conducted In person throughout.
One perhaps agrees when the stag OF
the season has departed over the
march In undisturbed possession OF his
kinds and head. In lofty seorn OF your
marksmanship. with the man who
wrote to his friend after some such
occurrence. you may depend upon
II that roach fishing from punt IL the
thing after ALL" That mt all events
was my feeling one day Mt the begin.
ming OF October. We had passed up
one Of the most beautiful glcns In
Scotland. The river lay far beneath
US. hurrying between gray lichen.eoy-
cred rocks over which the gnarled and
Atorm.toased firs stood guardian. Lit. .
tie babbling burns made unequal music
about us. and covered with their |
spray the clustered fern clumbs which |
pcercd shyly from about their banks.
II was day on which thanked Prov. |
idcnce and kind host that ! was
alive. And this. even though the |
stalker was confirmed pcnsimist. I |
had admiringiy watched him perform
conjuring trick. by which In one |
swift movement he had transferred his
glass from Its case TO his eye. aud
wondered.
See anything7" inquired. cheer.
fully.
There's mn u guide be.at on the
ground" was the diaeouraging rcjoin,
der. We walked to noighborins hill
top. The conjuring trick was re.
peatcd. Then felt tug at my sleeve
and found mn eager Klliio pointing 10
n distant ridge, on the ridge was n
STAG. such a STAG. too' There's
grand sias'" I exclaimed,
Th. psusimiat took long look
AYE" said he. after n pause.
wouldnn say II was guide stag: but
It's no ba.ad stang"
Can we sc, at him. inquired.
Hes Just on the march," snid tho
pessimiat
~ we move him he'll probably
come into this ground" I suggested.
hopefully.
"its q verra baad wind" said the