The Republican journal., 1912-05-23
,,1,,t Partridges Think.
.,,,o Must Look to the Hunted.

limiting Must Look to the Hunted.
" w. from Alphonse Daudet. in the
,psste' Hartford Courant.] Y,
,odv knows that cartridges
,eeryuOu,tI in focks and hide together
vel S0 .t'r of burrows and that they
be Py't tbp least suspicion of danger,
out al IN IN their flight like a handful
ttsfiHss ro0n from the sewers hand.
ran ''l ~ a gay crowd, with many
bsr' which has settled in level
roe.s' the edge of big wood. There
ne1L onty there and, what is more,
one VI If shelter on two sides.
6e'' nave known how to run and got
inct ,b@rad out, l am enjoying life
I lya But there is one thing that
Il'' 'rs q little. 1t is this wonderful
hers " The hunt of which our mothers
'ls ,r 10 talk among themselves in
2 az An old bird in our flock used
5y' .a, to me whenever this SUBJ
'ys ,,ln Don't be afraid, Rouget, "
-t'li5 qt hey call me because my bill
are red, Don't be afraid, Rou-
l i,1, tase YOU along with me the first
,bq hunting season and l am sure
o. l,tfipr viii happen to you.
D os wicked old bird, very old but
7 err Though he has a half circle
IT, m has breast, and some white
sS4 here and there. When he was
tf'" rog he got a charge of lead in
It .os which made him little slow,
g s+s he thinks twice before flying.
u.1' led ne with him to the edge of
u noot There was out there an odd
g sgtse 10 a chestnut grove, silent
I. am .nnty barrow and always shut.
y nj long and earnestly at this house,
D LoTs said the old one to me. "When
, Sg smoke coming out of the roof,
l,or and the windows open, that
,-1stql myself to him, as l knew
Mis- was uy no means his first open
ii the huntlng season.
Ne morning not long ago, just as it
1st1ng hight, | heard someone call
NJ n & whisper, "Rouget, Rouget. "
~. ry Old friend. His eyes stuck
.T funny way. Come quick, and
n.t as I d." he said. l followed
half asleep, slipping along among
lamas of earth, without flying or
ig1piHg. for all the world like a
se W. kept going toward the
4; / saw IS | went by that there
smoke in the chimney of the little
T. that the windows were open and
before the big open door there were
E hunters all ready to start out, with
gaping all around them. AS we
ed. enc Of the hunters yelled, LET
% the field this morning and the
Is after breakfast"
len understood why my old friend
taking rs first to the woods. But
heart began to beat fast, especially
p ! thought Of all my friends.
;1ienly. Just as we were getting to
sige Of the wood, the dogs began to
reward US Get yourself out of
t said my friend in a faint whisper.
then. ten steps from US, frighten-
,aii opened wide its wings and mouth
lew Of with cry of fear. l heard,
sadtul noise and we were covered
q dust that smelled queer and was
E and warm feeling, although the
vas hardly up. | was so afraid that
Id not run any more. 1t was lucky
THAT We got into the woods at this
Mr. companion got himself out of
behind a little oak, and sat down
l. him. and we both stayed there,
ii ap and peeked through the
I. ~ field there was an awful
/. Every time a gun went off | shut
y eyts Ight and felt as if | was dy-
,hs WheuI managed to open them
, aa great, bare, level field, the
aiming, looking into clumps of
r-umug round and round as if
ham. them hunters were swear
1 stagtlng. The guns were shining
.sl.rgAt. Once in a little cloud of
r. -5p-Eht ! saw, although there
d. a-s rrae around, something like
-+1s=- But my old friend told
aa' tIag were not leaves but
.-.--4aa only too true; a little way
..n IS fine, gray partridge fell
"4-1 turning back his bleeding
lat1s IN got very hot the firing
's sn.y The hunters came
-5r little house, where we heard
g -- ire cracking. They talked
O. ..HrF ives, guns on their Shout
siag The shots, while their
u behind, with tongues
q They are going to have
as said ny comrade. Let US
sH We went into field of
''@5. which was near the wood,
At white with the flowers and
FI.a 'hr seeds and smelling like
7' Some beautiful nheasants, with
fE5''"l plumage, were pecking
i''. asplng their red crests low
+a. they would be seen. My, they
lar rom Beng as proud as they
l'li Are As they ate they asked
Va. .'l- lews was and if any of their
o7' .l7 .eeh killed. All the while
lFPa.iss' Of the hunters which had
! 4a' " became louder and louder.
-5af g asses clinking and corks fly
Y W, Of tie bottles. My old friend
wa. IT was time to get back to our
lF pace.
'g g5. as # the wood was sleeping.
...le pona where the deer go to
I. !. was Va. not stirred by the tapping of
v "lS9e There was not rabbits
,,'''.t NJ the thyme of the rabbit
v. he only sound was mys-
, =. saJlde1ng, as if every leaf,
s5peaf Of grass sheltered a threat
,','q The game in the woods has so
P,@ets to hide, burrows, thickets,
,. W wood, brush, and then the
y nose little wooden bitches,
y, !, '',..- be water such long time
i,. la' llned. own up that | should
III II I's OeeH at the very bottom of
i. '7-- holes, but my companion
! ' ut in the open and to
Al 'i room to see off and
r. fresh ar of heaven. Just at
Il -.r hunters came into the
-.e ---sL L.ng in the woods which